¡Hola from Ocosingo, Chiapas! I spent this week working in Manos de Cristo, the medical clinic in Ocosingo. We served aproximately 700 patients this week in the medical clinic, providing free medical care for those in need in Ocosingo and all of the surrounding villages.
On Saturday morning, I was greeted by Randy and we attended a meeting of Hebron de Desarrollo Tzeltal, the sister organization of Hebron USA. We then travelled to Ocosingo and stayed with Pablo and Jan for the night.
On Sunday, we attended a church in Ocosingo. Randy preached about chickens. I read the scripture passage in Spanish to the congregation. The church provided lunch for us to eat after the service. Randy and I then walked around Ocosingo for awhile until finally the medical group from Bloomington, Illinois arrived in Ocosingo. They were supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon, but their flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez was cancelled, so they had to stay in Mexico City Saturday night.
Hence, the week finally started. Each day, we woke up around 5:30 and then did a morning devotion on the roof of the Bible school where we stay in Ocosingo. We eat breakfast and head to the clinic at 7:00 to start working.
The first two days, I served as a translator for a woman from the group who would fit each patient with reading glasses. I loved this job because I could see the fruits of my studies in Spanish school. It was awesome to me to be able to communicate with the people in natural ways. Some of them talk really soft or fast and I struggle to understand them, but generally I get the geist of what people are saying. Unfortunately, however, the woman from the group, who could not speak any Spanish, did not like having a translator, so I was asked to do a different job for the rest of the week.
This was extremely frustrating for me because I could clearly see the benefits of my work of translating with her, and I spent the rest of the week sharing a job with Randy. It was hard to feel completely unnecessary for the second half of the week. I did, however, communicate as needed with the patients in the lobby who needed help.
My favorite encounter this week was with a man named Armando Paniagua. Armando had passed through the clinic and was finished, but took a seat in the lobby once he was finished. Randy and I were confused as to why we was still sitting, so I went over to talk with him. Armando had come only for glasses and had gotten sunglasses because he cannot read. We only have reading glasses and sunglasses available this week. However, when I talked with Armando, I realized that he wanted clear glasses; he did not like that the sunglasses were so dark. Aware that reading glasses would not do him any good, I went back to the supply room and got a pair with the lowest power and gave them to Armando. He put them on and looked around, probably assuming that they would help him see. He then had a huge smile on his face and was so happy to have this pair of glasses. I loved this simple encounter because it showed what it meant to him just to receive a pair of glasses, even though they were not the right type for him. He was so excited to get these glasses. Finally, Armando left the clinic, apparently satisfied.
This week we also went to Tonina, the Mayan ruins. Tonina means house of rock in Tzeltal. We had a wonderful tour guide named Mario, who helped excavate the site and has been working there for many years. He shared all the details about Toniná very enthusiastically to us.
My highlight of this week was being able to apply some of what I am learning in my studies of Adventure Education. I led initiatives, debriefs, and social contracting for the group in an effort to help them grow closer together and discuss issues such as communication and teamwork. This was very exciting for me because it was the intersection of my passions for missions and adventures.
I also enjoyed playing with Josue and Paola, the children of Sebastian and Dina (Pablo's sister). It was good to have some play partners and to be able to communicate with them too.
Two nights ago, Pablo (the pastor here) shared about what medical care is like here. Hospitals are places you go to die, not to live. There are people lying on the floors in hospitals. The doctors are unsupervised and most could not care less if their patients received good care. Pharmacies give the doctors gratuities for selling their prescriptions, so doctors prescribe a long list of medications that are not what the patients actually need. The doctors do not actually explain to the patients what they believe the problem to be; they also do not take time to listen to their patients. There are few specialists, and all of the medical care is extremely expensive. People are dying here everyday of diseases that are easily curable in the United States. Many more people are in pain everyday and would not be if they had the quality of medical care that is available to us. People do not trust doctors and hospitals here. Hospitals are a last hope, rather than a place you would go to for help. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of these people's experiences with medical care here.
This week we provided free care and medications to many patients. But what mattered to these people was our presence. What mattered is that we gave up time from our busy schedules to live alongside them for a week, taking time to listen to them and having compassion on them. We gave them hope this week. Think of Armando, who was delighted just to receive a pair of glasses.
Next week, I head to the village of Jol Sacjun with the group from John McMillan Presbyterian Church. A group from Warren Presbyterian Church will be joining us as well. We will be building an educational building and manse for the church in Jol Sacjun, as well as leading a Vacation Bible School for the niños and living alongisde the Tzeltal people in the village.
Please pray for safe travels for the groups as they come and return. Pray for Dr. Gustavo Mendoza, the wonderful doctor at Manos de Cristo. Pray for a fruitful and transformative week in Jol Sacjun, both for the group and for the village. Pray for all of those with medical needs in Chiapas.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
On Saturday morning, I was greeted by Randy and we attended a meeting of Hebron de Desarrollo Tzeltal, the sister organization of Hebron USA. We then travelled to Ocosingo and stayed with Pablo and Jan for the night.
On Sunday, we attended a church in Ocosingo. Randy preached about chickens. I read the scripture passage in Spanish to the congregation. The church provided lunch for us to eat after the service. Randy and I then walked around Ocosingo for awhile until finally the medical group from Bloomington, Illinois arrived in Ocosingo. They were supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon, but their flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez was cancelled, so they had to stay in Mexico City Saturday night.
Hence, the week finally started. Each day, we woke up around 5:30 and then did a morning devotion on the roof of the Bible school where we stay in Ocosingo. We eat breakfast and head to the clinic at 7:00 to start working.
The first two days, I served as a translator for a woman from the group who would fit each patient with reading glasses. I loved this job because I could see the fruits of my studies in Spanish school. It was awesome to me to be able to communicate with the people in natural ways. Some of them talk really soft or fast and I struggle to understand them, but generally I get the geist of what people are saying. Unfortunately, however, the woman from the group, who could not speak any Spanish, did not like having a translator, so I was asked to do a different job for the rest of the week.
This was extremely frustrating for me because I could clearly see the benefits of my work of translating with her, and I spent the rest of the week sharing a job with Randy. It was hard to feel completely unnecessary for the second half of the week. I did, however, communicate as needed with the patients in the lobby who needed help.
My favorite encounter this week was with a man named Armando Paniagua. Armando had passed through the clinic and was finished, but took a seat in the lobby once he was finished. Randy and I were confused as to why we was still sitting, so I went over to talk with him. Armando had come only for glasses and had gotten sunglasses because he cannot read. We only have reading glasses and sunglasses available this week. However, when I talked with Armando, I realized that he wanted clear glasses; he did not like that the sunglasses were so dark. Aware that reading glasses would not do him any good, I went back to the supply room and got a pair with the lowest power and gave them to Armando. He put them on and looked around, probably assuming that they would help him see. He then had a huge smile on his face and was so happy to have this pair of glasses. I loved this simple encounter because it showed what it meant to him just to receive a pair of glasses, even though they were not the right type for him. He was so excited to get these glasses. Finally, Armando left the clinic, apparently satisfied.
This week we also went to Tonina, the Mayan ruins. Tonina means house of rock in Tzeltal. We had a wonderful tour guide named Mario, who helped excavate the site and has been working there for many years. He shared all the details about Toniná very enthusiastically to us.
My highlight of this week was being able to apply some of what I am learning in my studies of Adventure Education. I led initiatives, debriefs, and social contracting for the group in an effort to help them grow closer together and discuss issues such as communication and teamwork. This was very exciting for me because it was the intersection of my passions for missions and adventures.
I also enjoyed playing with Josue and Paola, the children of Sebastian and Dina (Pablo's sister). It was good to have some play partners and to be able to communicate with them too.
Two nights ago, Pablo (the pastor here) shared about what medical care is like here. Hospitals are places you go to die, not to live. There are people lying on the floors in hospitals. The doctors are unsupervised and most could not care less if their patients received good care. Pharmacies give the doctors gratuities for selling their prescriptions, so doctors prescribe a long list of medications that are not what the patients actually need. The doctors do not actually explain to the patients what they believe the problem to be; they also do not take time to listen to their patients. There are few specialists, and all of the medical care is extremely expensive. People are dying here everyday of diseases that are easily curable in the United States. Many more people are in pain everyday and would not be if they had the quality of medical care that is available to us. People do not trust doctors and hospitals here. Hospitals are a last hope, rather than a place you would go to for help. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of these people's experiences with medical care here.
This week we provided free care and medications to many patients. But what mattered to these people was our presence. What mattered is that we gave up time from our busy schedules to live alongside them for a week, taking time to listen to them and having compassion on them. We gave them hope this week. Think of Armando, who was delighted just to receive a pair of glasses.
Next week, I head to the village of Jol Sacjun with the group from John McMillan Presbyterian Church. A group from Warren Presbyterian Church will be joining us as well. We will be building an educational building and manse for the church in Jol Sacjun, as well as leading a Vacation Bible School for the niños and living alongisde the Tzeltal people in the village.
Please pray for safe travels for the groups as they come and return. Pray for Dr. Gustavo Mendoza, the wonderful doctor at Manos de Cristo. Pray for a fruitful and transformative week in Jol Sacjun, both for the group and for the village. Pray for all of those with medical needs in Chiapas.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Mario, our tour guide at Toniná
The view from the top of Toniná
The wonderful doctors at Manos de Cristo
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Rainy Jane