Napsan

The road today started out the same, but then we made a right turn onto a very bumpy dirt road for an hour and a half. If I'd had a jar of whole cream, it would have been butter by the time we arrived! We stopped several times for a potty-in-the-bushes break, a nausea break, a clear-the-giant-rocks-from-the-road break, a climb-out-of-the-van-so-it-can-make-it-over-the-muddy-hill break, and a crossing-through-the-river break before we finally arrived at the local community center. (pic of our military escort jeep bringing up the rear of our convoy. We road in the vans again, not these jeeps, FYI)

The dental and dermatology teams were set up in the existing midwifery rooms, while the medical team was set-up in little huts outside. In addition to medical/dental, there was counseling and hair-cutting provided by Life Church. I loved the open air feel of it all.

The highlight of my day was meeting a local young midwife towards the end. I commented on how amazed I was at the patient from yesterday who knew to take her iron with vitamin C. She got this big grin on her face and said, "that's my region and I'm the one who teaches them that! I learned it from a missionary birthing center in Davao." Stunned, I asked her for the name, and it turns out it's Mercy Maternity, the same center I visited in May. Not only did she spend time at Mercy, but she is the daughter of a helper (aka housekeeper) of legendary missionaries, Steve & Dottie St Clair...good friends of mine. It just warmed my heart so much that the work we do as missionaries MATTERS! This was the long term effects...the stuff that we normally never hear about and just have to trust God that He is continuing.

Another sweet time was after the clinic was over. We were all exhausted. It had rained during the middle of the day, which made things muddy and miserable for a time. The team members had worked tirelessly completely out of their comfort zone. As we were wrapping up, I noticed some of the kids playing a team building game in which they all put their left foot on one plank and their right on another. Ropes are attached that are used to lift the planks and you all have to step together, as in "1-2-3-LEFT! 1-2-3-RIGHT!" Some of the docs and nurses decided to race a group of the kids. What a sight! A group of Americans and Filipinos, laughing, falling, and speaking the same language of FUN. (picture "stolen" from Life Church)


The day ended on a sweet note as I ate dinner with long time friends, Bill & Donna Davis. My folks and the Davises both arrived in the Philippines in 1981 and went through language school together. They have both just celebrated 30 years here.

Tomorrow we start out medical outreaches with Compassion International. 1500 kids in one day. Yikes!