The first Precision Clinic for #FaithInPractice (Bair #820), led by Faith in Practice CEO Michelle Bair, was overwhelmingly successful. It focused on Women’s Health, and the care was delivered in the town of San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala. It was made possible with the wonderful partnership of #nursingheart. Nursing Heart is an in-country agency specifically purposed to get medical care into the most remote regions and villages of Guatemala.
In the four days of clinical practice, we saw almost 400 patients. A large portion of patients were women who needed specific care for themselves, but also brought other family members, with a variety of ages and ailments.
On the first day of clinic Volcan Fuego, a local volcano just outside San Miguel Dueñas, greeted the missioners and practitioners with a large plume of smoke. We were delighted to see more than 100 patients (greater than expected) and Day 2 brought even more.
We owe a huge ‘Thank You’ to our in-country partner Nursing Heart #nursingheart for joining with us to bring meaningful healthcare to our brothers and sisters in Guatemala. They accomplished most of the advance work of finding a location, coordinating efforts with the local civic government and cultivating patients from the area. They also facilitated clinic intake and functioned as liaison with the local officials, providing a great space to set up and perform a whole host of clinical functions, ranging from General Medicine to OB/Gyn and VIA Thermo treatment.
Faith in Practice has a great amount of gratitude for the good people of San Miguel Dueñas, especially the mayor and all of the wonderful municipal workers who hosted our location in their beautiful town.
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As a first time missioner with Faith in Practice #FaithInPractice, I had the opportunity to witness the miracle of ‘the Body of Christ’ caring for their brothers and sisters in need of medical care, in a distant land (Guatemala) with such care, grace and respect for the people of San Miguel Dueñas, Guatemala. The first “Precision Clinic” for Faith In Practice was a huge success, due in large part to the partnership of an in-country agency Nursing Heart #nursingheart. They were able to successfully identify a community in need of clinical care (focusing on Women’s Health), enroll a very large number of patients and coordinate with officials in that community to provide a facility for such a clinic to set up and treat almost 400 patients in four days.
The patients included men and children as well and our clinic accepted all who sought medical care.
In my role as photographer/blogger, and as a video producer/director, I was privileged to meet many local citizens/patients who were amazed by and grateful for the care they received at the clinic. I interviewed many volunteer mission workers, as well as in-country Faith in Practice and Nursing Heart staff. Through their stories, I was deeply impressed with the commitment each and every one of them expressed about getting much needed healthcare to these beautiful people of Guatemala.
The partnership between Nursing Heart and Faith in Practice was new, and from what I could see and hear, was an overwhelming success, with plans to move forward together on many future clinics.
-Len Wehrung
