LA CLINICA MANOS DE CRISTO

Our elite team of 4 began work in the clinic on Monday morning, September 21, 2015!  

We were unsure how this would work, as we have always had a team of 10 or 12 to conduct a full Medical Caravan.  We delicately reminded Pastor Pablo, who spreads the word through the village churches, the Christian radio station, and banners everywhere, that indeed we were only 4.

  We had fears of being overwhelmed with patients!  However, we had a plethora of workers, people involved in the ministry, friends, family who came to help:  Doc Gerardo, his girlfriend, Patricia, who is a physician, Gerardo's sister who translated,  Juan, a nurse who has worked with us before, Nurse Lidia,  Pablo's sister who cooked for us....etc, etc.

Pastor Pablo and his mom and dad.  His dad has helped translate at every medical caravan.

We helped Cata, Pablo's sister, make tuna salad, an unknown dish for them.

Doc Gerardo and Patricia

 God provided the workers, and the number of patients was equal to our capabilities!
We have seen 600 patients so far with 2 more days to go.  We are whipped at the end of the day, but refreshed by a cold shower, a walk, a nap in the hammock, etc.  We read, talk, blog, devote and debrief.  We visit with the local folks and share music outside with the Bible School students who live where we do.
Here are some pictures of our delightful Tzeltal patients, and some of their maladies.

A man with very bad liver disease.  We paid for some lab tests.  They brought us bananas and tostadas.  

Petrona.  86 years old, she thinks.  Walked to the clinic barefoot.  

Sweet family.  Healthy baby!

Reading glasses are a miracle!  To read the Bible or to sew again..

Caretakers' children with new T Shirts.  They were all treated for worms and parasites, a common, chronic condition.  Mom and dad, Leticia and Cristobal are very happy to have a job at the clinic. 

Girls carrying moms' medicines

Jan and Pablo's son in law, Albert, and grand daughters, Priscilla and Sofie.  Waiting to join mom and wife, Amalia, in the U.S.  

We talk with another family member, Sebastian, who will join the ministry to work with Pablo.

And a few FUN moments!  There are always many of these.  

New Hermanas, Carolina y Maria Jose'

Doctor Bill, another year older!  A face in the cake tradition

NEVER turn down a ride! 

And never turn down a chance to siesta in the hammock!  

Penny and Jomarie in our pad.  ADIOS, until we meet again....

OCOSINGO MORNING

We arrived safe and sound!

We

Mornings in OCOSINGO are like summer mornings at home, fresh, beautiful, God's assurance that life should go on for another day.
The sun rises from behind the mountains, though it is sometimes obscured by the frequent clouds and fog that blow in, blow over, and settle into the valleys.   The city of Ocosingo is in a valley, surrounded by high mountains.  The elevation is about 3,000 feet, just enough to take your breath away when climbing the steep hills of town or the steep stairway heading to the clinic.

Sunrise, sunset.....

And God's promise!  

We were welcomed as usual at the little mission church in town.  It is aptly named Nueva Vida, new life.  We were honored with the warm and familiar "Bienvenido" song over and over with handshakes from every single person.  The sermon was about leaving the old life and starting anew with Jesus.  I understood most of it!  There were prayers for our families and churches at home.

Pablo blessing Armando on his 84th birthday.  

We celebrated with tamales and Mexican pizza!

Always an apt way to start the weeks of service here.   A constant reminder of God's unfailing love, and a time of giving and a time of renewal.