Today was a busy and full day of clinic set-up and treating patients! Children’s Ministry had a great day with wonderful kids and even taught the kids about fluoride treatments! Today was also Leigh Anna’s birthday and she turned 16… again! ;) The blog entry below is written by Andre and Heather, our dynamic July doctor and dentist husband and wife duo. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to comment! We’ll read them together Friday night.

”This period of our lives has become a regular annual occurrence. While the flight here is routine, the experience of going through customs is never the same and the stress of all the medical and dental supplies making it into Guatemala is always present. Fortunately, once again prayers were answered and the supplies all made it.

This was our third time on the team coming to Membrillal and it is safe to say that even though crossing through customs is different each time we are always welcomed by our Guatemalan friends. Each year the experience gets better as we come to know those that work at the church, work at the school, and live in the community.

From Heather: The type of dentistry we have been able to provide this year has been exciting. The first year we came to Membrillal looked quite different than it did today. Extractions and ‘toothbrush’ cleanings were all we were equipped to handle as the extent of the decay was untreatable. But, in the last couple of years the improvement in the kids dental health is rewarding to see. We have been blessed with a brand new dental clinic at the school, which has made it possible to expand the scope of their oral care. We have moved beyond extractions and are now able to do fillings and sealants which are vital to preserving their teeth.

From Andre: Every year there are unique challenges and lessons learned. Today we went to the home of a family whose mother was recently found to have end stage liver disease and was likely going to pass away soon. Her daughter was hoping we would tell her that was not the case, but unfortunately all we could do was affirm the prognosis given by her local Guatemalan physician. In the end we had no medication to give – all we had was prayer. It was sad but joyous to see the comfort provided by her family and local church/school community.

While it is only the first day of clinic we are looking forward to more amazing stories and continuing to serve  our Guatemalan friends.

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