Guatemala Medical 2511

Each MOST Ministries medical team has its own character and layout, but all have the same components.  We take all our supplies and most of our meds in suitcases to the country where we’ve been invited to serve. In the case of Team 2511, 27 suitcases of meds, supplies, and health/hygiene gift bags came with the team of 14 from Sioux Falls. Light-weight quilts, yarn dolls and wood cars also were brought as gifts for the children. Who’s responsible for organizing them and keeping track? That would be our Team Medic, Deb and Pharmacist, Ann. Wow, how many suitcases? Ann put the team to work prepping bags of meds Deb, greeting long-time friend Nury Ann, with a grateful patient Evangelism materials are brought for use by the local church in explaining to our patients the Plan of Salvation through Bible verses. We have bracelets with beads that remind us of this Plan, soft crocheted finger-puppets to keep tiny children distracted, and other methods of explaining the Gospel to all. Our ve...

 - This morning we started off with a tasty breakfast of french toast and fruit! We quickly packed up the rest of our suitcases and headed down to the Lutheran School. We held the clinic from 9-11am and have served a total of just under 400 patients through our time here. - We were originally going to go to Antigua to our hostess’s house to spend the next couple of nights, but the volcano had different plans. Volcano Fuego is a pretty active volcano, but it started to erupt causing evacuations and ash began blocking some highways leading to Antigua. For the next couple of nights, we are staying in Guatemala City. - We left the Lutheran School at around 12:30 this afternoon, made a stop for ice cream along the way, then ate at a beautiful restaurant that was converted from a house before making it to where we’re staying. - We are so incredibly thankful for the people who guided us this week and welcomed us with open arms!      News photo of Volcano Fuego, Wednesday Bl...

 - Today we started off with eggs benedict for breakfast. A little while after getting to the clinic this morning, there was a line of people waiting to be seen. We have served over 300 patients and saw more students today, too! There was a shoulder injection (performed by Dr Patty Peters) and a few knee injections (performed by Dr Kyler Hardie). - When we arrived at the clinic, the morning students were just beginning their weekly chapel service. Listening to the students sing and make a joyful noise to the Lord is heartwarming. Throughout the day team members with a little free time would play and entertain the students by playing cards, playing soccer or basketball, or teaching them some jump roping games (texaco, double dutch)! The smiles and laughter are priceless down here!! - There was some rain last night and it down poured as soon as we all stepped off the bus into the hotel for the night. The trees look like they’re dead right now, but after this rain fall they will be bu...

 - Today was another wonderful day as we have served 225 people to date. We did see a change moving to a nearby city from a rural, mostly agricultural, area. We saw children from the Lutheran school and community members today. All of the children were very respectful, polite, gave hugs, and were talkative. The children today had much cleaner teeth and brush them on a regular basis, unlike the children we’ve seen the past three days. The people who came today have better access to healthcare than in the rural area, though they’re only a twenty-minute drive (by Tuk-Tuk) away. A few of the city patients had already gone to the city clinic or hospital, had diagnostic procedures, but still came to see us and get our opinion. A major change is that we did not see as many malnourished or anemic patients as in the rural area. - The school children and our team created a remarkable memory today that they will never forget. Some of the team members began playing basketball with the school k...