Well, Jan and I are taking a little shopping break after seeing patients in the rustic setting of the village all week. We travel by combi (a little van) to the colonial city of SanCristobal.
It is our stepping-off, and transition-home city. We have a lovely, ancient, cheap hotel that knows us well. It is a little more touristy here, and has several magnificent markets, including a native artisan market with hundreds of stalls, set on the giant steps and all around the ancient cathedral, and a thriving, noisy, dirty, crowded people's market. We did not sample the seasonal delicacy shown here...fried giant ants, or something similar...
We will eat lunch in a restaurant and shop! Jan is bound and determined to have a real (butterball, that is..) turkey, and sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. Neither can be found in Ocosingo. I, of course, will be buying native made gifts!
The trip is 2 hours, on a beautiful day. The combi is actually pretty nice. I have a little window seat, that actually has a lap belt. There are children and old ladies, but no live chickens. I buckle up and say a prayer. I read a little, but I thoroughly enjoy gazing out the window at the stunning vistas that are all around. There are green, lush hills and valleys and magnificent mountains in the near and far distance. Around every sharp curve and switchback there is a breathtaking view. 
The dropoffs, landslides, and boulders in the road are also breathtaking!!! But It is a great time for reflecting. Sometimes I doze, as I have discovered that this truly is the most comfortable way to travel here. It is not good to see what is ahead, or to anticipate every rut and sunken portion of the narrow and unmarked road... The sight and thought of cars coming at us in our lane, or of us in their lane is disconcerting. There are a few signs around, but they are completely ignored. If it says slow your speed, they actually speed up. If it says do not pass, they do. Curves mean nothing. Whoever gets there first, wins! In Ocosingo there is one 4 way stop intersection, only one. And a single, brand new red 4 way traffic light at another intersection. They mean ABSOLUTELY nothing. I have never seen anyone stop. There are topes(speed bumps) all over the roads, 180 of them from Ocosingo to San Cristobal, built haphazardly to get speeding drivers to slow down. They do work! I rather like the topes.... Of course, the driver has just accelerated in the short distance before the tope, making the stop (usually in the other lane..), especially jerky.... Anyway, back to reflecting. Riding in any vehicle here is a good time to get close to your God!
I reflected on the recent Caravan to Sibal. It was great!
Sibal, though difficult to get to, is a sweet village. 
The church there, Pablo's church, is especially gracious. They cooked and cared for us for 4 very full days. This was the first fully Mexican caravan, and other than a little disorganization on Day 1, (ok, so it was really pretty chaotic...), things went very well! By Day 2 the patient flow process was much better. 
Some patients were Ill, needing acute care, but more needed routine care, and supportive medicine. Remember, this is a very remote village, and these folks will not be able to easily travel to the clinic in Ocosingo. 
For most patients it was the first time they had seen a doctor, or ever been weighed, had their blood pressure taken, or had received any medication at all. Hard to fathom that. Infections go untreated. I had a lady with another acute ear infection, probably one of many. Her hearing was gone. Another little girl, 4 years old, had a front baby tooth break off from rot, and part was left in her little gum. It was hurting. We could give her medicine for pain, but there is no dentist available to fix the One man knew his blood pressure was high (there is a small government casa de salud nearby), but they have no medicines there, so he was not able to take anything for it. His blood pressure was very high. Jan expertly fit many patients with reading glasses. We prescribed a lot of Albendazole, for the endemic worm situation. 
And on and on... We saw 340 patients over the 3 days. The new doctor and nurse worked very well, as did the para-medics who are so faithful to our mission. They are self taught practitioners who are experienced, and enjoy the learning experience and camaderie that comes with the caravans. 
We left full and satisfied that we had served well. The patients were grateful for our presence. And we were humbled. Our final dinner and prayer from one of the brothers was for God to watch out for us, and an apology that they could not serve us in a better manner... 
My reflection was on that thought, and the deep sincerity of it, why l feel so humble when I am here. I have done nothing. I am the one who has been blessed.
My time here is running short. There are now a lot of "lasts". I am feeling sad.
Until Dia de Gracias.... Carolina
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