San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Hello everybody.....I know it's been 2 weeks since my trip but the first week I was back I was sick with some sort of Mexican bug! So now I can focus on doing this thing!

One of our team members JoAnne Dassele from Phoenix, AZ wrote an incredible article on the trip and for this blog I'd like to share what she said. I will add that out of the 900+ patients we saw in 5 days, 324 gave their hearts to Jesus for the first time. All were one on one conversions! Isn't that spectacular?!

Here is JoAnne's testimonial:
On September 8, 2007, I said goodbye to my husband of 40 years with a mixture of emotions evoked by some separation anxiety and excitement as well as some trepidation of what the next 9 days might bring! I boarded my plane from Phoenix to Dallas, Texas where I was scheduled to meet up with a medical team bound for San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Healthcare Ministries is an arm of my church denomination which stations medical caregivers throughout the world including short term medical mission trips such as the one I was embarking upon. These short term trips are designed to enlist the skills of medical professionals unable to take off extended periods of time from their jobs in order to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved.

As we gradually assembled at the designated gate bound for Mexico, we were all strangers excepting a few couples, representing many states such as NY, PA, Arkansas, Arizona, Maine and South Carolina. Our ages ranged from two 15 year olds who accompanied parent providers to the 70 year old retired Colonel and Pentagon officer, husband of our nurse coordinator who assisted in countless ways. Our numbers included 2 physicians, 2 dentists, 1 pharmacist, a nurse practitioner, 6 nurses and a few support personnel.

Our trip had been organized by Healthcare Ministries in conjunction with local missionary support in Mexico, allowing our clinic to be set up in a rustic church building in an impoverished section of town. Local support had been enlisted, including participation by a local dentist, physician and 2 opticians as well as translators and registrars. Upon our arrival, after attending a service with the parishioners, we unpacked our bags and set up our clinic which involved hanging wire from the ceiling to hold the carefully unpacked drapes which formed the walls of our examining rooms. A makeshift pharmacy was set up in a corner of the building where the men had constructed two perpendicular sheets of dry wall for partitioning. Since half of our medical bags as well as personal luggage did not arrive until the 3rd evening of our arrival, innovativeness prevailed. The dentists were missing their dental chairs and a good portion of their supplies, but somehow, managed to improvise.

As we arrived via our van the next morning, a long line awaited us outside the iron bars of the church, so needed to protect this rough-hewn building from vandalism, being situated in the barrows of 2 warring gang territories. Patients were registered for either optical, dental or medical service by neatly dressed Hispanic young people where they were ushered into the “waiting room” of wooden benches situated before the table which served as our “nurse’s station.” There, we evaluated our patients often with the help of interpreters when our own Spanish was inadequate, which for some of us was often! We nurses wore many hats that week from nurse, to lab tech to pharmacy tech, to educator to comforter. From our station, they would await a visit with a provider. Countless diabetics were diagnosed and treated as were Hypertensive’s. Numerous upper respiratory infections, back pains, wounds and intestinal maladies were treated, often with Vermox for the whole family. Education was provided as needed. Gratefulness for new glasses and relief from infected teeth were reflected on smiling faces. Often, the numbers of people, crying babies and laughing children rose to such a loud cacophony, that had we been in our secular jobs, we might have despaired! But, somehow, knowing how many people were being helped, the sound was more of a “delicious chaos” to our ears. From the physicians “offices”, the patients would move to the counselor’s quarters where they could receive further help and prayer as desired. The last stop would be the pharmacy where they would receive their medications and instructions.

Although we drank only bottled water and care had been taken for us to eat at “safe” eating establishments, lunch was daily, lovingly provided to us by the church ladies. Their kitchen, a partial dirt and concrete floor, contained no conveniences such as running water, stove, refrigerator or oven. Hot plates and large pots served as the only aids they had access to. Rather than offend our gracious hosts, we may have prayed a little harder over these meals, but the food was always delicious and this time gave us opportunity to visit with the local pastors, parishioners and interpreters. They expressed such appreciation for our efforts and amazement that we would come all of this way to help them. They expressed such encouragement at being exposed to ideas they could make use of to reach out in their community.

After stopping for dinner, we would convene in our Hotel conference room to troubleshoot problems, share victories and pray for one another as well as our patients. Although exhausted at the end of each day, sleep often escaped us as the beautiful faces of our patients and the multitudes of needs danced through our heads.

During the week, we saw 963 patients in the various services. Many had wounds of the heart healed through love and prayer, and an area called “the dark heart” of San Luis Potosi, now held hope for them. The local medical personnel served as liaisons for needed consultations with specialists as well as follow up care. Although our scope was limited, we had to realize ahead of time, that we would be a start, an infusion of hope that would have an impact only time would tell. “As you have done unto the least of these, so have you done unto Me.” Matthew 25:45. Exchanging hugs and tears, we bid farewell to our new friends in San Luis Potosi.

Upon returning to Dallas and our home country, saying goodbye to our team members would prove to be equally difficult. It was hard to believe we had all been strangers 9 days ago, and now were bound together by the fulfillment of a common mission of medical care for this remote community. Many of the participants were frequent flyers with Healthcare, having gone to Somalia, Nicaragua and other more challenging fields and many of us were “first-timers”, but our hearts would always be bound together in some fashion over this labor of love. A beautiful South African woman from my home church had crossed her hands over her heart the Sunday before I left saying, “You will not come back empty.” I did not.

Thanks JoAnne for sharing your story! I was privledged to work with all of you!

My first trip

Hey gang! Just wanted to send a quick note and ask for your prayers. On Saturday September 8th I'm heading out for my first trip with Health Care Ministries. I'll be joining a team of doctors, nurses, dentists and other missionaries in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
I would ask that pray for protection on all the members of the team. We will be ministering through medical care to possibly hundreds of people in this community. Pray for healing physically but also spiritually. The whole we reason we do this kind of outreach is to share the love of God those who are lost and need Him. It's a privilege to be a part of this team.
I'll write when I get back! Until then God be with you all!!!