Chapine Staff Highlighted!
Faith in Practice medical missions teams sees hundreds of patients a day. How does that happen? First-hand observation of the clinic departments showed me ‘how.’
One of Faith in Practice (FIP) successful departments is the mobility team. Few team members arrive with first-hand knowledge of how to build a wheelchair. Bryon, a FIP staff, patiently teaches them how to go about it – starting with opening the box. His speed and efficiency motivate the volunteers!
Wheelchairs are expensive and hard to obtain, unattainable for most. When a patient is fitted for just the correct size and ‘wheels’ for the first time, the immediacy of the life change is unmistakable.
While our family practice clinic provides immediate care and medicines for most of the needs on-site, some patients need additional services. To arrange this additional care, Julissa leads the referral team of three. During clinic weeks, this team schedules further treatment and explains where they will stay and what to expect during their care and after. FIP is associated with two hospitals, Obras Sociales del St. Hermano Pedro and Hilario Galindo. Extended care is provided by Casa De Fe (House of Faith) in Antigua.
Julissa routinely sees lives transformed, but her first witness has stayed with her. The patient, a young boy, stayed shyly behind his Dad’s shoulder. Later, she saw him excitedly pacing the halls, turning his head proudly, displaying hearing aids. His countenance had changed! Hearing had opened up a whole new world.
I might be dating myself, but did anyone have a Mr./Mrs. Potato Head? (Yes, you are right, this is an odd way to start a theological reflection.) You could arrange the spud with great creativity. While that might have been fun, one arrangement of parts might serve Mr. and Mrs. PH the best.
Paul tells us, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and everyone, it is the same God at work.” But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design. (1 Cor 12:4-6,18 NIV)
If you have been following us this week, you realized that the Estes team comprises Guatemalans, known as Chapines, and American guests, working together in harmony. Different abilities and talents in a confluence of care. That care includes you, the donors, and our prayer support at home. Thank you, Lord, for the wide variety of gifts. May they always be used for your glory.
Day 5 ended, and it was good.
-Suzanne
To support this team and their commitment to our patient’s visit:
