Day 11 – January 17, 2025
Day 11
Day 11 – January 17, 2025
Our day started as usual, the entire team meeting at 7 am for devotions and singing and then we eat breakfast together. Carmen works on the breakfast during the night as she works all night at the clinic when patients are recovering from surgery. Piedad then came in and the two of them produced breakfast for us. Today, we had scrambled eggs but in a quiche-like texture. The eggs had onion and some green vegetables mixed in them and they were baked in a large skillet and then cut into wedges like a pie. They were delicious. Served with this were strips of bacon and a bread that had been baked made of corn flour, wheat flour, and contained cheddar cheese chunks. It baked up into what the locals called cornbread. It had a cornbread flavor and texture but the cheese chunks added a twist that made it delicious as well. There was a large bowl of cantaloupe pieces that were very flavorful as they were nice and ripe.
Our drink was Babaco juice. Babaco is as common fruit also called a Mountain Papaya, Chamburo, and Champagne fruit. I have seen this fruit in the grocery stores in Florida. I asked how it was prepared and Jane said it often is peeled and then put in a blender. Jane said she cleans them first to make sure there is no potential of getting some disease from people handling them, and then she said she just puts them in the blender, skin and all, and out comes this delicious juice that has a flavor all of its own. I am inspired to obtain some of that fruit from the grocery store and make my own juice. It freezes well and as couple of the fruit, which are fairly big, will make a lot of juice.
Our surgeries included three gynecologic cases and three general surgery cases. My three surgeries were much less complex compared to what we have had throughout the week. They went quickly and I was done by around 2 pm. Jane then did her surgeries and was finished about 6 pm. One of my cases was on an employee of Jane. She was there when I first came in 2004 and has been working for Jane ever since. She welcomes me with a big hug and kiss every time I come. She helps in surgery and was trained by Jane to assist in surgery as well as care for the patients. She also starts the IVs for the surgical procedures. Operating on her was like operating on a family member of mine. Those situations are always more difficult irregardless of the complexity of the surgery. So there is more tension for me as I don’t want any problem to occur.
For dinner tonight Jane took us to a new restaurant in San Lorenzo. There we could get grilled meat and the usual side dishes. I ordered a grilled pork chop and when it was placed before me I was astounded at the size of it. It filled an entire dinner plate. It came with some hot patacones and a side salad and side dish of rice and lentils. I could only eat about a third of the pork chop. It was delicious but way too much for me. Claudia only ate a portion of the beef dish she ordered so we added her meal to mine and brought it back to the clinic and gave it to Piedad. She will be able to get two to three meals out of what we gave her.
We leave San Lorenzo tomorrow morning and plan to meet about 8 am. Jane will take us to Otovalo where there is a big market for browsing and shopping. I enjoy going there to see the various items the local Indians have made to sell. We will then overnight in that area as Jane has some other place she wants to show us before moving on to Quito. We will probably arrive in Quito sometime Sunday afternoon. Monday will include some sightseeing in and around Quito and then Tuesday morning early we head to the airport for a departure to Miami at 7 am.
This week has been busy and tiring but so enjoyable as we have been able to minister to several people to touch them with the healing touch of Jesus. It is such an honor to serve Him and help bring others to a saving relationship with Him. It is such a joy to be able to come to Ecuador and work with Jane to help the people of San Lorenzo. Our Lord and Savior gets all the glory!
Medical Missions 