Day 3 of Clinic: Perpetuo Socorro

From Tuesday, 2 November

 

Today we moved to a new community on the Amazon called Perpetuo Socorro.  This little village is the home to approximately 65 families whose wooden, open-air houses are connected by trampled paths through the high rainforest grass and fruit trees.  It was evident during our afternoon walk through the village that it is an area of rich natural agriculture.  Growing wild on the plateau were bananas, mangoes, papayas, grapes, passion fruit, acai, cacao, and cashew (the acidic yellow-red fruit that accompanies the raw nut we know as "cashew").  The locals showed us a dozen recently-born piglets who frantically squealed when our mischevious young tour guide picked them up.  Marco, one of the staff members of Amazon Outreach, also taught us the traditional process of harvesting and preparing manioc root, one of the customary foods of the villagers.

 

We set up clinic in a dilapidated, wooden open-air barn overlooking the Amazon.  Approximately 104 patients congregated at the site to receive medical and dental care, some of whom had walked over 1.5 hours throiugh the humid, 100-degree heat to arrive.  The primary health issues we encountered were worms and lower back pain, both of which stem from the villagers'  dependence on unpurified river water.  The lack of water purification made the spread of worms inevitable, and the steep trek up the rocky, mud bank carrying drinking water, fishing equipment, and laundry from the river to their homes was certainly a major cause of the presistent back pain.  During the morning, Molly and a partnering physician from Bolivia treated a young boy who had been bitten by a piranha four days earlier on his hand.  The wound site was severely swollen, and countless tiny teeth were still embedded in his finger. 

 

The clinic became an event in the village, and many of the patients and their families stayed throughout the day to participate in community education classes on water sanitation, CPR and first aid, sexually transmitted diseases, and nutrition.  Molly even sponsored a Baseball 101 workshop to introduce the All-American sport to Brazil.  Although baseball didn't seem to inspire quite the same enthusiasm as soccer, all went well until Paige commented, "Sometimes in America, we like to heckle the batter.... Hey Batter, Batter!"  The batter was understandably baffled, as you might imagine, but the game continued!

 

As we all hit the hammocks after nightfall, we made one rather disconcerting new discovery: dozens of bats circling the waters around our boat in search of insects for dinner (which, for the record, are not in low supply).  Dr. Ray even woke to one hanging from the rafters of the boat.  Perhaps that rabies vaccine wasn't such a bad idea after all...

 

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org. 

Day 2 of Clinic: Back to Novo Remanso

From Monday, 1 November

 

Today was our second day in Novo Remanso... and word of the clinic spread like wildfire within the community.  Over 175 new patients came to the medical clinic, and the doctors diagnosed many conditions similar to the day before, including a large number of worms, urinary tract infections, and some fungal rashes.  The most endearing patient landed in the caring hands of Dr. Ray: Daniel, a little boy of just seven years had undergone surgery three years prior to remove a lung tumor.  The operation had left Daniel with scars stretching literally around his torso and a tracheotomy tube--but nonetheless, Daniel sported the most genuine grin of any little one who walked in the doors of the clinic.

 

The dental clinic was in tremendously high demand today.  Dr. Mulvany and Mary saw 49 patients and completed 20 extractions, half of which were difficult surgical extractions.  During the past two days, we have seen a great deal of tooth decay in patients as young as 4 or 5 years old.  We discovered that the villagers have a problematic candy habit, and the constant consumption of inexpensive hard, sugary candies has inevitably impacted their dental health.  For one patient, the problem had converted into a medical issue, and we couldn't help but smile at the diagnosis:

 

"Major complaint -

No appetite, only wants to eat candy, feels like she needs to throw up after she eats, but can't.  x 1 mo. When she eats candy, it gets worse.

 

Diagnosis -

Tooth decay

 

Prescription/Treatment -

Need to see dentist"

 

And that is precisely why Dr. Mulvany's services were in such high demand! 

 

A report of the day's events would be incomplete without mention of Wendal.  Early in the day, a charming, loquacious little 7-year old came into clinic and, for both our fun and his, Wendal faithfully stayed with the traige nurses all day long to help treat and care for patients.  With little Wendal, there was never a dull moment.  During lunch, he exclaimed, " You are all so white you look like angels!" -- which was our first indicator that even the constant Amazon sun hasn't given us a tan that can rival the beautifully, dark mocha skin of the Amazonian villagers we've met.  Perhaps best of all was Wendal's attempt to woo and charm our very own Bryn Mayfield.  At the end of the day, he gave her a blue plastic bracelet and ... a metal ring.  So, for any of Bryn's relatives reading, please be aware that she has been promised to a Brazilian fiance right here in the Amazon.

 

Tomorrow we are moving east on the Amazon to set up clinic in three small villages in the region Costa da Conceicao.  We will keep you posted!

 

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org. 

 

Day 1 of Clinic: Novo Remanso

From Sunday, October 31

 

The sun rose this morning at 5:30am, and the bright light pouring into our hammocks woke us up literally at the crack of dawn.  Today was our first day of clinic, and after we boated to shore and walked through the dustry roads into town, we landed ourselves in Novo Remanso--the home of 6000 Brazilians.  The town received us with enthusiasm and warm smiles, and when we began setting up in their local clinic, a few little curious children were peering in through the doorway.

 

During our 8-hour day in Novo Remanso, there was a constant stream of families and patients.  The team doctors examined over 150 patients whose chief complaints ranged from work-related arthritis to yeast infections to a soon-to-be mother in labor.  The most common diagnoses included worms, urinary tract infections, and upper respiratory infections.  One family was treated for scabies, and Alex, our resident burn ICU nurse, even treated secondary burns on a young boy's shins from a motorcycle accident.  The dental clinic was swamped all day, as well, and treated over 30 patients.  Dr. Mulvany and his team extracted 17 teeth, 2 of which were surgical cases.

 

Since Novo Remanso is the largest community we'll be visiting this week, we will be returning to the town tomorrow.  After the sun set, we all gathered on the upper deck of the boat to organize the medication and count pills in anticipation of another flood of patients tomorrow.  With Bob Marley playing in the background and bugs dive-bombing us in the dim lighting, there couldn't be a better way to end our first day of clinic in the Amazon.

 

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org.

International Medical Relief has arrived!

From Saturday, October 30

 

After a full day of traveling, we are thrilled to say that the IMR team to the Amazon has arrived in Manaus, Brazil!  We spent our first day adjusting to "river life" on our boat, the "Linda Esperanca" ("Beautiful Hope" in Portuguese): from the thickness of the hot, humid air to the colorful hammocks strung from the rafters, every detail of our surroundings is a reminder of the amazing week we have ahead.

 

After getting settled on the boat at 3am last night, this morning was a much-needed opportunity to rest and relax.  Despite airline delays, we were so glad that Andrea finally arrived in Manaus, and soon after her arrival, we began our journey east on the Rio Negro.  About 1.5 hours downstream, we crossed the " meeting of the rivers": an amazing place where two waterways--the dark, muddy waters of the Rio Negro and the lighter Amazon--converge.  For hundreds of yards, the waters remain separate like water and oil... a phenomenon so unique that it is only found one other place in the world.  Today was also our first opportunity to drink in the deep oranges and rusty reds of the Amazon sunset.  All in all, it's been an amazing introduction to life on the river.

 

The major success of the day, though, has been getting to know the rest of the team--dare I say it, team bonding!  Conversation and laughter are never lacking, and even though we have spent just under a day together, it already feels like we've developed a real sense of comraderie and friendship.  Jed, the Executive Director of Amazon Outreach, promised that we'll be like family by the end of the trip--and I suppose that given our overlapping hammocks and the cozy quarters of the boat, it's only to be expected.

 

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org

BAPTISM on the Amazon, July 2, 2010

What a glorious morning on the Amazon!  Shortly after sunrise at exactly 6:15 A.M. the Linda Esperanca came to a gradual stop.  On a secluded beach surrounded by red rocky cliffs our youngest member of the mission team was baptised in the Amazon River.  Nine-year-old Megan Nicole Hudson was immersed in the water in Christian baptism by her father, Dr. Kevin Hudson.  Megan gave her heart  to Jesus when she was six years old, but she chose this special time and place to show the world the picture of her decision to follow her Savior.  Megan has been one of the hardest workers on this trip.  She did not come to play.  She came to serve.  She has the sweetest spirit and the most willing heart.  Cecil Jackson prayed for Megan following the baptism.  Members of the mission team clapped and cheered as they looked on.  We all look forward to watching Megan grow and to see how God will use her for His glory.

 

We will spend the rest of this day moving toward Manaus.  We will have a blast shooting balloons filled with candy (bonbons), little toys, and Portuguese Scriptures to the people who live along the river.  We use a giant sling shot to send them great distances. 

 

The CWBC Amazon Mission Trip is coming to a close.  God bless you all for caring enough to read our blog!  Ciao!

 

 

Monday Continued and Tuesday - Thursday, June 29 - July 1, 2010

...CONTINUED FROM MONDAY NIGHT, June 28, 2010

What is a mission trip without a little suspense and a little adventure?  Late Monday afternoon the Linda Esperanca got STUCK on a sandbar!  The crew used the small motor boats to transport all the passengers to a large pier where we sat for about an hour watching the skilled sailors try and try again until finally they were successful.  One of our young ladies was in the shower while all of this was happening, so she was a little surprised to find that she was the only one on the boat.  After dinner we went alligator hunting.  There is nothing more thrilling than launching out into the wide Amazon in the night in a small boat with only the stars and the moon to guide us.  Each boat that went out came back with a gator.  One group brought back a giant jacare and the other boat caught a beauty that was a bit smaller.  The post hunt festivities went on into the night with laughter and photo sessions until we finally released the gators back into the river.

 

TUESDAY IN SAO BENEDITO, June 29, 2010,

The unique village of Sao Benedito brought many surprises.  The entry to the eighty-family village has been nicknamed "The Thigh Master" and "The Stairway to Heaven".  We had to walk across a long, rustic plank bridge and then straight up the steepest set of stairs yet.  There were 65 double-side stairs that shot straight up to the sky.  Our calves and thighs certainly got a workout!   Many of us discovered our divine appointments in this village.  We had the great privilege of seeing sorrow turn to joy right before our very eyes.  Listening and obeying the voice of God was a great lesson learned.  After five encounters with one extremely sad woman, we realized that we were in the midst of some serious spiritual warfare.  The day ended with this precious woman accepting Christ as her Lord and Savior.  The clinics, VBS, and the men's and women's ministries were very busy and fruitful all day long.  The father of one of our translators previously established a sports ministry in Sao Benedito.  It reaches out to 85 kids ranging from ages 7 - 20.  Our team enjoyed playing soccer with these young people. 120 photographs were taken of the families in the village and presented to them in homemade fun-foam frames that were made before the trip.  We fell in love with these warm and loving people.  Many found this village very difficult to leave. 

 

WEDNESDAY IN AMANDIO, June 30, 2010

The village of Amandio was extremely picturesque .  Fifty-seven families work hard to keep their colorful village clean and tidy.  There were houses painted in shades of pink, blue, purple, and green.  Exotic flowers were in bloom everywhere.  Pet parrots and monkeys entertained us as we walked the paths visiting with the people.  There were 112 precious children in VBS.  They showed their respect by removing their shoes before entering the small wooden church building.  43 women had a meaningful afternoon in the Women's Ministry.  They studied the Bible, heard testimonies, and made name bracelets.  It was heartwarming to watch the single-file trail of proud women toting pink bags on their way to their homes.  Each woman received a pink bag full of useful things such cup towels, hot pads, and sewing kits.   The Men's Ministry was especially powerful in Amandio.  A large group of men gathered to talk about Challenges Facing Our Families.  It was good to find these men willing to talk about their concerns.  They received much needed pocket knives, fishing line, fish hooks, and ball caps.  The Evangelism Team spent the day meeting new friends and talking to them about their lives.  They were shown alligator meat hanging on outdoor poles to dry.  They heard one very sad tale about a little boy who had been carried away by an alligator while his mother washed clothes in the river.  The alligator was so fast that there was no chance of saving the child.  At one house a little boy was in a lot of trouble because he had accidentally spilled his chocolate milk into the only generator shared with several families.  The child was distraught, but the story ended well due to the patience of the adults. Everyone on the mission team agreed that this was the hottest day so far. The people of Amandio were receptive at the outdoor worship service.  We all returned to the boat very tired but with full hearts. 

 

THURSDAY IN PARI, July 1 2010

Thursday began well before dawn for some of our more adventurous people!  The word was out that the village of Pari is home to the ancient and very rare Strangler Fig (Apuiceiro) tree.  We dressed in the dark, gathered rain gear, and set out in the misting rain in search of this natural phenomenon.  After several disappointments, one was spotted.  It was impressive to touch and photograph this tree that we had only read about in books about the Amazon Rainforest.  We spent the morning in the calm and peaceful village of Pari.  Two toucans delighted us as they flew overhead!  Cows ambled throughout the village.  At one point it looked like they were going to try to get on the boat to come home with us.  The people were gracious.  The children were very well behaved and appreciative.  In VBS the children were adorable as they donned elaborate costumes and put on the play of the Birth of Christ.  They made their own jeweled crowns and wore them the rest of the day.  Even the adults were wearing these bright and glitzy crowns around the village.  One woman in the village was trying to matchmake her grandson with one of our beautiful American princesses.  It seems that we connected wholeheartedly with these charming friends.  We had our usual ministries, and many say this was their very favorite village of the entire trip.  Back on the boat, Cecil washed the feet of all the people on the mission.  This is a very humbling and touching experience.

 

HOMEWARD BOUND

As this blog is being written, we are having a relaxing cruise down the Amazon heading toward Manaus. A school of pink river dolphins are very near the boat at this moment.  The sun is setting, and it will be our last time to see this splendid sight until next summer.  It will be a very long trip (twenty-four hours from the time we began).  All the supplies have been sorted, and the things we did not use were given to the full-time missionaries who live and minister to the people along the river.  We are having a dinner party tonight honoring the very fine crew and translators on the boat.  The music is setting the mood and our teenagers are decorating the tables with palm trees and flamingo blow-ups.  Without our Brazilian partners we could not do what we set out to do.  Our plans are to stop early Friday afternoon at "Stuckeys on the Amazon", the floating outdoor market where we will purchase some souvenirs.  We have some rooms reserved at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus where we will take hot showers and change from our river rat clothes into traveling clothes.  We will not spend the night this year due to our flight times.  We have heard that Erika, Vanderley, and little Emmanuelle  (missionaries from previous trips) are already in Manaus and will meet us for a short visit.  Everyone is anticipating a dinner at Galucho's, the original Brazilian steakhouse where they serve meat on swords.  We will go straight to the airport for the long flight home.  It will be sad to leave, but we leave with a great sense of accomplishment, renewed faith, and a deeper relationship with our Lord. 

Monday Continued and Tuesday - Thursday, June 29 - July 1, 2010

...CONTINUED FROM MONDAY NIGHT, June 28, 2010

What is a mission trip without a little suspense and a little adventure?  Late Monday afternoon the Linda Esperanca got STUCK on a sandbar!  The crew used the small motor boats to transport all the passengers to a large pier where we sat for about an hour watching the skilled sailors try and try again until finally they were successful.  One of our young ladies was in the shower while all of this was happening, so she was a little surprised to find that she was the only one on the boat.  After dinner we went alligator hunting.  There is nothing more thrilling than launching out into the wide Amazon in the night in a small boat with only the stars and the moon to guide us.  Each boat that went out came back with a gator.  One group brought back a giant jacare and the other boat caught a beauty that was a bit smaller.  The post hunt festivities went on into the night with laughter and photo sessions until we finally released the gators back into the river.

 

TUESDAY IN SAO BENEDITO, June 29, 2010,

The unique village of Sao Benedito brought many surprises.  The entry to the eighty-family village has been nicknamed "The Thigh Master" and "The Stairway to Heaven".  We had to walk across a long, rustic plank bridge and then straight up the steepest set of stairs yet.  There were 65 double-side stairs that shot straight up to the sky.  Our calves and thighs certainly got a workout!   Many of us discovered our divine appointments in this village.  We had the great privilege of seeing sorrow turn to joy right before our very eyes.  Listening and obeying the voice of God was a great lesson learned.  After five encounters with one extremely sad woman, we realized that we were in the midst of some serious spiritual warfare.  The day ended with this precious woman accepting Christ as her Lord and Savior.  The clinics, VBS, and the men's and women's ministries were very busy and fruitful all day long.  The father of one of our translators previously established a sports ministry in Sao Benedito.  It reaches out to 85 kids ranging from ages 7 - 20.  Our team enjoyed playing soccer with these young people. 120 photographs were taken of the families in the village and presented to them in homemade fun-foam frames that were made before the trip.  We fell in love with these warm and loving people.  Many found this village very difficult to leave. 

 

WEDNESDAY IN AMANDIO, June 30, 2010

The village of Amandio was extremely picturesque .  Fifty-seven families work hard to keep their colorful village clean and tidy.  There were houses painted in shades of pink, blue, purple, and green.  Exotic flowers were in bloom everywhere.  Pet parrots and monkeys entertained us as we walked the paths visiting with the people.  There were 112 precious children in VBS.  They showed their respect by removing their shoes before entering the small wooden church building.  43 women had a meaningful afternoon in the Women's Ministry.  They studied the Bible, heard testimonies, and made name bracelets.  It was heartwarming to watch the single-file trail of proud women toting pink bags on their way to their homes.  Each woman received a pink bag full of useful things such cup towels, hot pads, and sewing kits.   The Men's Ministry was especially powerful in Amandio.  A large group of men gathered to talk about Challenges Facing Our Families.  It was good to find these men willing to talk about their concerns.  They received much needed pocket knives, fishing line, fish hooks, and ball caps.  The Evangelism Team spent the day meeting new friends and talking to them about their lives.  They were shown alligator meat hanging on outdoor poles to dry.  They heard one very sad tale about a little boy who had been carried away by an alligator while his mother washed clothes in the river.  The alligator was so fast that there was no chance of saving the child.  At one house a little boy was in a lot of trouble because he had accidentally spilled his chocolate milk into the only generator shared with several families.  The child was distraught, but the story ended well due to the patience of the adults. Everyone on the mission team agreed that this was the hottest day so far. The people of Amandio were receptive at the outdoor worship service.  We all returned to the boat very tired but with full hearts. 

 

THURSDAY IN PARI, July 1 2010

Thursday began well before dawn for some of our more adventurous people!  The word was out that the village of Pari is home to the ancient and very rare Strangler Fig (Apuiceiro) tree.  We dressed in the dark, gathered rain gear, and set out in the misting rain in search of this natural phenomenon.  After several disappointments, one was spotted.  It was impressive to touch and photograph this tree that we had only read about in books about the Amazon Rainforest.  We spent the morning in the calm and peaceful village of Pari.  Two toucans delighted us as they flew overhead!  Cows ambled throughout the village.  At one point it looked like they were going to try to get on the boat to come home with us.  The people were gracious.  The children were very well behaved and appreciative.  In VBS the children were adorable as they donned elaborate costumes and put on the play of the Birth of Christ.  They made their own jeweled crowns and wore them the rest of the day.  Even the adults were wearing these bright and glitzy crowns around the village.  One woman in the village was trying to matchmake her grandson with one of our beautiful American princesses.  It seems that we connected wholeheartedly with these charming friends.  We had our usual ministries, and many say this was their very favorite village of the entire trip.  Back on the boat, Cecil washed the feet of all the people on the mission.  This is a very humbling and touching experience.

 

HOMEWARD BOUND

As this blog is being written, we are having a relaxing cruise down the Amazon heading toward Manaus. A school of pink river dolphins are very near the boat at this moment.  The sun is setting, and it will be our last time to see this splendid sight until next summer.  It will be a very long trip (twenty-four hours from the time we began).  All the supplies have been sorted, and the things we did not use were given to the full-time missionaries who live and minister to the people along the river.  We are having a dinner party tonight honoring the very fine crew and translators on the boat.  The music is setting the mood and our teenagers are decorating the tables with palm trees and flamingo blow-ups.  Without our Brazilian partners we could not do what we set out to do.  Our plans are to stop early Friday afternoon at "Stuckeys on the Amazon", the floating outdoor market where we will purchase some souvenirs.  We have some rooms reserved at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus where we will take hot showers and change from our river rat clothes into traveling clothes.  We will not spend the night this year due to our flight times.  We have heard that Erika, Vanderley, and little Emmanuelle  (missionaries from previous trips) are already in Manaus and will meet us for a short visit.  Everyone is anticipating a dinner at Galucho's, the original Brazilian steakhouse where they serve meat on swords.  We will go straight to the airport for the long flight home.  It will be sad to leave, but we leave with a great sense of accomplishment, renewed faith, and a deeper relationship with our Lord.