Today, Sunday, September 19, 2021, we send you the final Team 700 Blog. On Friday night we had our going away dinner at the hotel in Antigua to honor our United States Team Volunteers. We had arrived in Guatemala last Saturday as individuals with many separate talents. The dynamics and interactions at dinner made it apparent that we had become more than just individuals. We had joined with our Faith In Practice Staff and our Guatemalan Volunteers to all become Team 700 who had served 728 patients plus family members and had given all we had throughout the week. The original goal was that our Team of 18, one-third the size of previous years would see 500 patients. We crushed this goal, and this is why the Pharmacy ran out of many medications and the Medical Program Director, Felipe went out and purchased additional medications as needed.
The different Medical Services often working together saw:
General Medicine – 444 patients
Gynecology – 93 patients
Pediatrics – 84 patients
Referrals – Processed 402 patients
Mobility – 95 Adult Wheelchairs, 6 Pediatric Wheelchairs, Canes, Walkers and Crutches
To accomplish these numbers it took three Physicians, two Licensed Physician Assistants and the two excellent Interpreters. Each service saw more than just their own patients when time permitted.
Our wheelchair assemblers Joanie and Maggie, novices on Sunday, with the help of Mynor, the Wheelchair Technician, became experts and constructed over 100 wheelchairs. Also, the mobility Clinic patients were seen by Josh, our Mobility Clinic Director and Jackeline our Physical Therapist.
None of our accomplishments would have been possible without the inspiring Morning Devotionals of Vera and Joe, the founders of Faith In Practice who then did patient triage during the day.
The Pharmacy Group found creative ways to fill so many medication orders and finally sang songs learned in Vacation Bible Schools to facilitate their work.
The Nurses, Beverly and Jill did many lab tests each day as well as wound and ear procedures.
Referrals was extremely busy each day, but they treated each patient so graciously.
Even our bus drivers helped Daniela, our Faith In Practice Senior Coordinator from Casa de Fe, who came to help with COVID symptom screening and line control. They were also busy in the Pharmacy.
Hector, our Cook, and Sarbelio a “Red Hat” volunteer worked so hard in the kitchen to kept us well hydrated and nourished throughout the day.
We thank everyone for their important contributions.
We close by thanking Terry, our Team Coordinator, who did so much before the trip to fill out team with competent members and Supervised the Clinic functioning. Without her capable leadership none of our work would have been possible.
Our Clinic would never have been so successful without the leadership of Felipe, Medical Clinic Director and Tagni, Medical Clinic Coordinator.
On Saturday morning we left beautiful Antigua for Guatemala City and our flights home.
It is fitting that we conclude our blog by saying a big Thank You to our Donors, Family and Friends.
They have supported us with generous financial contributions prior to our trip and prayers and love during our “Life Changing Medical Mission.” We will always remember and hold near in our hearts the beautiful people of Guatemala we served who came and placed their faith in us and allowed us to become part of their lives if only for a short time.
Thank You.
Misty (Hilda) Porter,
Photojournalist
