10/09/08 (Thursday)
6:20 PM. It has been a long day. I got up this morning about 6 and enjoyed a nice warm shower. I was able to get my stuff packed and ready to go and then went to eat some breakfast provided by the guest house host. Once breakfast was done I then got my laptop and signed on to read and write some email. Jane was planning to pick me up sometime between 7:30 and 8:00. By 8:00 we were loading my bags in the car and off we went. We picked up Damary’s sister, Esther, who is going along for the duration to be our cook. We then went to Loita’s house and Loita joined us as well. We had Jane’s SUV loaded to the roof with luggage and food and then the 5 of us had to fit in somewhere. The car will seat 5; however, that means the three in the back seat are squeezed in somewhat tightly.
Our trip to San Lorenzo seemed to take all day. We stopped in Ibarra to use the facilities and shop for some more groceries. Loita also had to go to the bank to do some business for the clinic. Once that stop was over we drove on to Lita where we stopped to have lunch. I had chicken soup which was hot and delicious. This was at a little roadside café in the town of Lita. One has to be careful eating at the local eateries so I chose something I knew had been heated quite hot for some time. The soup was steaming and was really good. The soup had a chicken thigh in with yucca plant in a lot of broth. We then sprinkled small green onions on top. Then we went on to San Lorenzo arriving at the clinic about 2 PM. On the road we encountered multiple rock slides that left large rocks and debris all over the road. In some places the pile of rocks blocked one lane. These will eventually be cleared by the road crew whenever they get to this area. We also encountered a lot of deep chuck holes and places where the pavement is deteriorating badly. This was a lot of change compared to my last trip earlier this year.
Jane and I busied ourselves seeing three ladies in the clinic. The older one was the mother, the younger two were daughter and daughter-in-law. They all had surgical problems. After checking all three we put them on our schedule for Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday are already full and we haven’t even started the clinic yet. We start that tomorrow and will go through Saturday seeing patients and completing our surgery schedule for next week.
The new clinic building is in operation and it is much, much nicer than the old one we worked in. The OR is big, clean and will be very functional. The clinic room upstairs where we see the patients is also big and much more comfortable. We have a window and can open it and get a nice breeze that keeps us cool. Even with the breeze I was doing some serious sweating. I can just imagine what tomorrow will be like. After this I was able to unload my luggage and give Jane all the supplies. She was very excited to have all the surgical instruments and the other supplies. The candy cane stirrups fit perfectly on the OR table and this will give us a much better exposure for the gyn cases. I am very glad to have these along and give them to Jane. They will be a huge help for her.
Loita and Esther are preparing dinner and we should be eating soon. I was able to move into my room and get the bed made and all my stuff unpacked. I am sure I will sleep well tonight with the fan running producing a lot of white noise and a constant breeze. Tomorrow the work begins.
We have one lady who is from Columbia who has been living at the clinic for the past few months. She has elephantiasis of the legs and I feel so sorry for her. Her thighs and legs are immense. Jane said since she has been receiving treatment at the clinic she has shed about 100#. From the waist up she is very thin. She has the sweetest personality and lives with her problem without complaint. She will be working with us next week helping do the laundry and scrubbing instruments to support the team. She wants to do something and Jane said she is paying her $30 for the week. To this lady, the $30 is a real bonus. I hope to get some pictures of her.
Lord, Thank You for the safety on the road, especially with the rock slides. Thank You for this clinic and the work Jane, Damarys, Loita, and the rest of the team are doing here. Lord, I pray for protection for Maria Luisa and that her ex-husband will have a change in his heart. Father, protect us all over the next couple weeks. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Medical Missions 
Amen re: his protection.