People need the Lord and medical care!
Today was in many respects a frustrating day! We were not discouraged, but had to realize the pace and resources available. Living in the U.S. we are accustomed to going down the street to a Lowe’s or Home Depot to get supplies. We have available hospitals in case of emergencies. And I can get just about anything in 2-days with Amazon Prime. But not in El Rama.
Medical Emergencies.
The Medical Team saw 260 patients today. The word got around the community, so we started the day with a crowd. Fortunately, we had a local physician come and help us. It not only provided an extra doctor, but we did not need a translator.
We saw many of the same type of illnesses. However, several patients came in with foot fungus due to living in the flooded conditions. It is similar to what the WW1 soldiers developed in the trenches of Europe known as ‘trench foot.’ One little boy was so severe, the doctors were removing what they though was mud around his toes and it was actually rotting flesh. His feet were bleeding. Cleaning, disinfecting, treatment and medications and he was a little better. But giving him some new socks and shoes and staying on his feet his feet were further doctor orders. It is very fortunate we came after the flood to treat these types of injuries and illnesses. Had we come before, much of our work would have been in vain.
Dr. Cherfan was able to see many pregnant women. Some were able to get a more exact due date than they thought. There is no hospital in the area. When a woman is to have a baby, she must travel the 3-4 hours on a bus to the nearest hospital to deliver. So an accurate due date is vital. Many just don’t make the trip. The mortality rate is very high.
New Beds (or at least Mattresses).
Due to the flooding, many of the mattresses were soaked and ruined. Many of the homes we saw are still dirt (or mud) floors. They sleep in make-shift hammocks to get off the ground. As I’m writing this, it’s pouring rain again for the third day.
We went to town to purchase 11 mattresses. They really aren’t what you would think is a mattress. It’s about 4 inches of foam rubber with cloth sewn around it. They ended up being about $25 each. We searched many places. We even bought a few off a street vendor.
Delivering these mattresses to the families was one of the most humbling experiences. We gave these ‘cheap’ mattresses to families and they received them like we had given them a thousand dollars. Now they can sleep on a ‘soft’ mattress. But with the rain, you wonder how long these will last.
General Relief Help.
We also put together 48 relief packages of food and staple goods. It was a grocery bag full of rice, beans, oil, soap, toiletries, etc. It cost about $5 for each bag. Tomorrow we will deliver these to the families.
Some of the men (including our own David Ross) helped with some plumbing. The pastor needed a water purifier installed correctly. Had we been in the U.S. it would have been an hour project, including running to Lowe’s to get the simple parts. But here, it was an all day affair, including two trips to the store. The trip into town is 30 minutes (and only 2-3 miles). The roads are horrible. The ‘hardware store’ is just a store front with a few items. These guys got it together and it seems to be working.
Power Outage.
Finished the day of ministry, came back for a cold shower, and ready to go out to eat and…. the power went out. Completely. We walked down the street for some seafood & steak and came back to a dark motel. It was hot in our room before with fans, but our corner room was baking. We laid in bed, dripping with sweat, until about 2:30 this morning when all the lights came on. Fans on and we got back to sleep.
This is just a reminder for me that for many people, this is just normal life. I get to go home to a soft bed, warm shower, and the peace of hospitals and stores nearby. But these people do not. Pray for their condition. Pray for the men and women who bring not only the message of Jesus, but the physical help.
You can read about all the other days at: Nicaragua Missions Trip 2016.
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