Carolyn in Chiapas : 2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019

MEDICAL CARAVAN. OCTOBER, 2019

A decidedly wonderful 2 weeks...despite challenges, personal impediments, and major clinic changes.

887 patients were seen, a purposely smaller number perhaps, but absolutely the perfect number for this Caravan. We treated a variety of illnesses, as always. One day there would be a plethora of complicated diabetic pts and those with very high blood pressures. Another day it would be a variety of diarrheas, amoebas, typhoid, shigella. Dengue was prevalent in the area, but really we did not seem to diagnose many of these.

Charlie saw many heart pts, including a very sick baby with congenital heart problems. John was the traumatologist, and treated many orthopedic cases and provided wise leadership and counsel to us all. and Rich was inundated with the ladies! He did make use of the Ultrasound machine, and even saw some men pts! Carolyn saw the gamut of pts with nonspecific ailments, from small cowboys to old men, and consulted with anyone who was available!
Jim and Sharon and the Sloan Lopez family were major blessings, having signed up for this trip long before the world came crashing down. There are no words to thank them for cementing the team, providing translation and help in so many ways. We made time for Sharon and Harless to visit the prisoners in the jail. There is always a request for reading glasses. 35 pairs were fitted .
Teresa, a pharmacist, first time traveler, saw many improvements to be made, but quickly worked with Carlos, the new nurse/pharmacist and made many good changes and implemented dosing and safety policies, while accepting the realities and the nature of life here on the mission field. She melded very well with the team!
Lupe, bless his heart joined us once again to provide his quiet, competent care to his patients. He enjoyed being with the group!
Alicia became an official medical translator and scribe, and worked with Charlie. Harless went it alone in the oculista office, fitting pts expertly, while joking lovingly all the while with the Tzeltal clients.
Nurse Mari worked the first week with us, and gave Carlos good training. He is bright, smiling, and eager. We missed Mari the 2nd week, but had much contact with her.   We have loved on her and she knows we are dear friends. Her baby, to be named Gamaliel, Blessing from heaven, will be born in March. She may be moving to Comitan to start her own pharmacy. We gave her much encouragement and a nice love gift. So many hearts burst with emotion this trip. There is no doubt the clinic will thrive, if this group has anything to do with it!
We collaborated with the new Dr. Justina, and tho fearful of us and reticent at first, she enjoyed the group! Ask Harless about her smile gauge.   We all appreciated the consultations with each other. We were able to tactfully correct some medical/medication issues. She has a 2ndary interest in Natural medicine but it remains to be seen if she can safely and ethically blend the 2.
Sebastian is slowly improving from his long bout with dengue and typhoid. He continues with severe vertigo and weakness. It may be awhile before he is fully back to work and recovered. Our docs have cared for him and all of his labs appear normal now. We took up a love gift for them as well, knowing that his time off work has been stressful and a strain on their finances. No water filter trips right now.
Another wonderful highlight was seeing little Rebeca and her family. She is the 7 year old girl who came to Chicago for surgery for her Ovarian tumors this past summer. She is hale and hearty, happy and active. Her parents say she is better than she has ever been. She is doing well in 2nd grade. Her dad is making benches for a near by church being built, and her mom is cooking for the workers. They still pray for more significant work in order to supply basic needs, such as their own home, food, and school for their girls. We presented them with nearly $1000 in gifts from the Village Church and friends. Her uncle and family are missionaries and talented musicians, and Beckie has desired to learn the violin. As a gift from Lutheran Gen Hosp, Dr. Rich carried a beautiful violin for Beckie! They are overwhelmed with our concern and love. Many hugs, smiles, and tears!
Thank you for support and love! God is not done with us yet...   Carolina

Sent from Caroyn's I Pad

www.carolyninchiapas.blogspot.com

Saturday, May 18, 2019

REBECA

Hi all my faithful friends. You are so patient and tolerant of my mission adventures and projects! God has been so good.
Here is another opportunity to be part of a bigger, sweeter mission.
Let me know if you would like to donate to help Rebeca’s cause.
It is kind of a Go Fund Me, mission style!
If you live close you may donate your time or goods. Otherwise, contributions toward flights, housing, meals, etc would be appreciated. Rebeca’s complete medical costs have been kindly donated by Dr. Silver and his surgical, oncological colleagues.
Please PRAY fervently for this little girl, for an accurate diagnosis, for the surgery, for a quick recovery, and a good prognosis. And for her family to be comfortable in this new culture, and for a good experience here.
And praise already for the people at Village Church who have already stepped up to offer help!
Correct Blog: carolyninchiapas@blogspot.com

Monday, April 8, 2019

Another tragic story from Chiapas...

April 6, 2019
Little Estefani was born Feb. 7, 2019 to Sara and Elias. Sara is Pablo’s and Hebron’s long time accountant, and semi family member.

Today, 2 months later, little Estefani has died.
A tragedy for the family, for the medical personnel involved (including me), and for the healthcare system, or lack of it in the towns and cities of Chiapas.
She was beautiful, and healthy. She developed a mild cough, saw a pediatrician (rare in this area), recommended by Doc Gustavo. She was given an appropriate medication, but app. didn’t improve, They returned in the middle of the night to try to find the doctor, but he was not available, and they were sent to the gov’t hospital here in town. She was given a medication for cough , that was not appropriate, and sent away. She already was in respiratory distress.
They came to our clinic where we attended her the best we could. She was given oxygen, and improved somewhat, and the decision was made to take her to San Cristobal where sophisticated emergency care, advanced life support, and appropriate treatment could be given .
She stopped breathing on the road.
They turned around and returned to our clinic 1 hour later. We did CPR, to no avail.
I can’t tell you the pain and sheer terror of watching her die, and watching the absolute agony of Elias and Sara, and the devastation of Dr. Gustavo. He brought this child into the world.
We not only grieve, but as medical professionals, agonize over the situation. What more could we have done? What did we miss? Damn this backward place!

Please pray for all of us. I can’t get the picture of Elias sobbing over his dead baby, and Sara later, not wanting to let her go. There is a little white casket. She was buried Saturday in Matzam, the mountain village where her grandparents live. Her visitation was in a hut with the cook fire in the center, and ears of corn drying on beams above. We were served tortillas, eggs, and chicken soup. She was buried in the field outside that grows corn, beans, and squash, and among the wild white calla lillies. It was Tzeltal earthy. Sebastian sang and presided at the sweet , sad little service.

Oddly, or not so oddly...I chose to go to the clinic that day to visit, as I had not been there in almost 2 weeks.

And oddly, or not so oddly, the baby was dedicated to the Lord at our Nueva Vida mission last Sunday.

Sadly

Carolyn

Friday, April 5, 2019

PHOTOS. A THRIVING LITTLE MISSION

NUEVA VIDA, A LITTLE MISSION CHURCH

It is so encouraging to watch this little church blossom! It started as a vision, mostly with Jan, and her friend, Antonia, also a pastor’s wife. And sure enough, where 2 or 3 are gathered, there will I be. And God has seen the little church thru thick and thin, thru doubts and challenges.

Today it thrives! There are 30 or 40 official members, 80 or 90who attend regularly, and 40 or so, young people who attend for a year or two, while living inOcosingo while attending the University. They are busting out of the seams of the little, noisy storefront that they occupy now. The land has been purchased up the hill, near the clinic, and the money has been raised peso by peso, and by donations from generous donors.

We recently celebrated 12 years of “Young People” with a conference, music, games, food, a stirring talk by a vibrant young pastor. 2 other churches were invited, so there were 70 in all. So sweet to see 15-25 year olds laughing, praying, enjoying each other in God’s name. Dina and Sebastian are the Leaders Extraordinaire!

And a celebration of the youngest ones: 10 years of Sunday School, with music, readings, choruses of sweet little voices! We’ve come a long way baby!

Praise the Lord!

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

WATER FILTERS, TOOTHBRUSHES AND EYEGLASSES TO TUMBALA

TUMBALA, A CH’OL VILLAGE
2 hours up the mountain, down and around several ridges, into this community of Tumbala. The road was really bad.... They speak Ch’ol here, not Tzeltal. It is a completely different language. We had fun with our hosts. Pastor Antonio and his wife Carmen, learning a few words in Ch’ol, translating to Tzeltal and then to Spanish! Nevermind, English!
Pastor Antonio communicated to Pablo that his small congregation wanted reading glasses and information on water filters. We threw in toothbrushes, as well! We had a full and rewarding day. We Fit 70 people with reading glasses, and presented operational and health information on the filters. We had great fun on the hot day with a toothbrushing class for approximately 100 kids! We used water and a tap of toothpaste and brusha, brusha, brusha-d! We spit and learned not just the mechanics, but the health implications of good teeth.
The joy at our presence, and the gratitude with our gifts, was clear. We were fed a wonderful turkey soup, and headed home, full.
I will head to the jail again this week. I am comfortable in the mission there, and going alone, as Jim and Sharon, long time missionaries and friends with a long time jail ministry, have gone home to Michigan. They know me now, both guards and inmates. It has become easier to converse of things spiritual, in Spanish, and of faith and personal challenges. Can’t take pictures of the inside!
Though one is searched, signed in twice, stamped, and must pass thru several large, heavy clanging gates, there is a fair amount of freedom inside. The men love visitors. There is a Presby. Chapel that we built, and a Catholic chapel. The men make and sell crafts, the hammocks, baskets, wood products, to support themselves and families on the outside. Many have come to know the Lord while inside, due to the consistent visits of these faithful servants.
Well, enough for today! Thank you for taking time to read and get a sense of life in Chiapas, thru some pictures and stories. I love to share. See picts....