What a Greeting!

This was the greeting that our team received as we arrived at the Mission on the Move compound on the last day of our trip.  We were able to play with these beautiful children and instruct them on teeth brushing as well.  Thank you, Ernesto y Allison, for a great week!

On the ground in Augusta

   What a great experience this has been. From the early planning stages

to the work being done, 

from the morning and evening devotions 

to our last meal together 

and planning to come home. 

This has been a great team to work with. Thank you, Ernesto and Allison, for your leadership and preparation to get things ready for us on the ground. Thank you, Scott, for coordinating the dental supplies and equipment and directing our clinics. Thank you, David for pulling this great team together. Thank you, dentists and assistants for giving us time away from your practice, your job, and your family. And thank you, to our families for allowing us this time to be away. It has really been an amazing week!

     The final tally is in. I don't mean to insult your intelligence as I'm sure you could and many of you already have added up the figures from the week. But, I want to do that here to show just how hard this team has worked. Over the course of this week we saw 307 patients. Our team performed 146 fillings, 387 extractions, 98 cleanings, and 36 teeth brushing instructions. There were an additional 37 patients seen (9 cleanings and 30 brushing instructions) seen at the Mission on the Move facility. Ruth cleaned the teeth of the staff and the team demonstrated for and taught the children how to brush their teeth.

     I hope you have been blessed by the pictures and the stories found here. To God be the Glory!

Missio en Movimiento, day 5

   Today was our final day at Honduyate. After breakfast we loaded up the bus and headed up to the MOM mission.  When we arrived at the mission the children greeted us by lining both sides off the driveway and singing to welcome us.

      Ruth cleaned the teeth of the workers and some of the others were teaching the kids how to brush their teeth. While that was going on we were also repacking the team trunks so as to better redistribute the weight.  It was a very relaxing day. We were glad not to have another full or even partial day of all out clinics. We spent time with the kids, shared a pizza lunch with them, and got to play with them for awhile.

     There were two different swing sets and different ones of our team took turns pushing the children. Of course there was soccer to be played and just good ole attempts at verbal communication. But hugs reigned supreme as the international language of love and there were plenty to go around.

     No, Bill was not the only one to have this problem. But, the kids were quick to offer a helping hand and free the chair.  Also, while we were there the adventurous among us decided to try a lemon that was growing from a tree on the property. Yes, I said lemon.

     After our morning and lunch with the kids we loaded up the bus again to ride to the National Cloud Forest, PANACAM.  There we hiked in to a waterfall and got to take a dip. It was a cold, refreshing plunge. A very nice way to end the week. 

     Tonight we are in San Pedro Sula. We are about to go to dinner. We will be up and at'em in the morning to head to the airport. We expect a long process to get through security and all.  We look forward to our arrival in Augusta tomorrow night!

Las Vegas clinic, Day 3

     Before I write anything about today I need to show you a picture of last night's birthday celebration. Ernie's birthday was yesterday and we celebrated with cake at dinner last night.

     Today we had the wonderful privilege of serving a community across the lake from our hotel. Ernie and Allison have only recently been introduced to this community by the owner of the Honduyate, Richard. We were the first outreach into that community by Mission on the Move. We were told that there has not been a dentist to see the village in about two years. Unfortunately, that showed today. Out of the approximately 200 people in the little village we saw 50 patients.  For those patients our dentists did 106 extractions, 19 fillings, and 13 cleanings. Fortunately, of the extractions from young people most were of baby teeth. We were also able to treat the pastor and the mayor.

     We started our journey by loading the boat with our supplies. It was about a 45 min boat ride to the village. At which point we walked our equipment about 500 yards to the school where we would be holding the clinic. Reluctantly, Marvin decided to stay at the hotel today. But, we all determined as we were carrying equipment up the "beach" and dry creek bank that it had been a good decision.  Richard even let David captain the boat some on our way back this afternoon.

     Once we got to the clinic it was business as usual. We each have our roles down pretty well in terms of setting up and settling in for the day. Today we had a slight change where Bobby Turner with Nan Watson was doing the triage and Scott Wingard with David Dekle set up a second surgical (extraction) chair beside Bill Trotter and Kay Simpson. Julie Brooks continued doing some cleanings alongside Ruth Crews. We also had two restorative units going: Kim Willingham with Mia Williams and Randy Arnold with Ryan Galey. Each of the dentists also did their own triage from time to time if Bobby got backed up.  Rebecca Elkin and Laura Altman continued doing crafts and Erin Willingham held down the fort at registration (sometimes with an interpreter and sometimes without).

      So you won't get board with seeing the same dental shots over and over because let's face it if you've seen one mouth you've seen them all (right, dentists?) I will post some flora and fawna shots from the week. These first ones are taken from the MOM property where we did our clinic yesterday.

In the center of the picture below you can barely make out the sillouhettes of two birds. These are large black birds that look like crows or ravens but sound a lot like a parrot or macaw.

     This is a view of the lake from MOM property.

     Again on MOM property, but notice the growth out of the pine tree.  You see this a lot all over the place. Different plants thriving high in trees.

     This one was taken on our walk from the lake to Las Vegas

    Just a reminder that missions at FBC Augusta is a family affair. We'd love to have you and your family on our next trip!