House Dedication, Final VBS and Medical....

Today was our last day working before we go home tomorrow. In the morning we went to La Lechosa and I worked with the dentist for the 4th day this week. Every other day there has been around 10-15 people to get teeth pulled but today there was only one person. This lady didn't actually need teeth pulled she had the teeth pulled previously but the person who did it left some roots and those were removed today. It just showed how much less people in the bateys how access to dental care compared to the people living in La Lechosa which is closer to the city. After lunch we went to Batey 106 and as soon as I got off the bus kids were jumping on me, holding my hand, asking my name, and playing with my hair. It really touched me to see them so happy and loving with how little they had. I helped with VBS and the kids got snacks when it ended. Two little girls left at the end of VBS with me and offered me some of their crackers and juice and it almost brought me to tears. Even though this was a treat to them they wanted to share that with me. I stayed so long hiking on the mountain with the kids and playing with them not wanting to leave that Jeremy had to carry me to the bus. Though it has been a tiring week I'm really sad we're leaving tomorrow and am already planning to come back next year.

-- Ashley King

Today I helped with VBS for the first (and last) time this week.  La Lechosa is a great place to come back to again and again.  The church looks great, and the school continues to grow.  We held VBS in a classroom in the school and saw english on the classroom board where Dominicans were learning english!  We had fun working with the kids and also helping with the clinic in the church.  After lunch we all went to Batey 106 for the finished house's dedication, visiting with the Batey kids, and recognizing all of the translators and construction workers.  It's been a great and productive trip and I look forward to coming home to family.

--Jeremy Kenny

What a week this has been!  I have worked in the "pharmacy" area of the medical clinic all week and we have stayed busy every day!  (It has also kept several of us busy each evening restocking medicines and counting pills for the next day!)  On Monday we saw 138 patients; Tuesday 125; Wednesday 78; Thursday 72; and today 57! The pharmacy work doesn't allow for nearly as much interaction with the local people as most other jobs, so my primary relationships this week have been with our other team members.  I have been so impressed with the diligence and dedication of the other people working in the pharmacy and medical clinic this week. While we don't dispense any dangerous narcotics, I still consider it a big responsibility to prepare and give people their medications.  We have to make sure it is the right medication, in the right dosage, with the correct instructions, and try to make everything clear enough that a mother with four children doesn't get mixed up about which child gets which medicine. Beginning Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Glenn and Teresa helped in the pharmacy, did a fantastic job, and kept the mood fun, even when our backs were aching.  Then Jeremy Kenny worked with me on Thursday and he also kept it fun, and even made the counting and calculating seem easy (which I'm sure it was for him!)  Finally today, Ryan Adams worked in the pharmacy  and was very responsible, pleasant and a quick learner.  I also appreciated the knowledgeable and friendly local doctors who worked with us this week, as well as our kind and reliable interpreters.  We have also had excellent help from other team members with blood pressure, dental assisting and eyeglass fitting. I feel like God has really blessed the 470 patients who came through our clinics this week with such wonderful, compassionate people.  It has also been a blessing to me to work with them.

Julie Wills