Pallatanga Medical Team October 2018

We had a great time serving in Pallatanga with the medical team. We had the clinic Sunday (Oct 7) through Friday (Oct 12). Before I get into details about the trip, I want to share this:

Unworthy Servants
Luke 17:7-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

I've been thinking about these verses since I read them (for the who knows how many-eth time) a couple weeks ago. As a follower of Christ, I am only doing my duty when I share His gospel, His love, His hope. I am only doing my duty when I encourage and pray for others in Jesus' name. I am an unworthy servant.

I think I can speak for everyone involved with this team that we don't want any credit or recognition for "doing our duty". Our duty in Pallatanga was to share and show God's love to that community through medicine, glasses, hugs, laughter, prayer, smiles, listening ears, and true concern for their needs.  God did that through everyone on the team, and it was awesome!

The team was big - about 40 people! There were missionaries, translators, medical doctors, nurses, eye doctors, and members of the La Vina Pallatanga church.  We made a great team - everyone doing their part and doing it well.

I translated for one of the medical doctors and Hannah translated in "triage" for one of the nurses.  Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the whole team was together in one location (a commercial center that has several floors and shops, and the BIG market on Sundays) in the center of Pallatanga.  

Lots of people wanting appointments!

Triage - Hannah translating

Steve translating for one of the doctors (not Santa Claus!)

Pharmacy

Waiting room

Eye exam

On Wednesday, part of the team went to a nearby community and part of the team stayed at the same location in Pallatanga - Hannah and I were part of the team that stayed.  

On Thursday, the whole team went together to two different communities - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 

Thursday morning clinic

Thursday morning - Triage

Thursday morning - Pharmacy

Thursday morning - 3 doctor's "offices"

Ever been to a doctor's office that had a goat?

Thursday afternoon - Triage

Thursday afternoon - waiting room

Thursday afternoon - doctor's "office"

Thursday afternoon - Pharmacy

On Friday morning, the whole team went together to an elderly care facility in Pallatanga.  We did general medical and eye appointments for the residents and for the staff.   And, the Camp Pallatanga cooks came and prepared lunch for everyone!      

Friday morning - our team with the nursing home staff

Friday morning - Triage

Friday morning - Pharmacy

Friday morning - doctor's "office"

      

All told, our team served about 1,000 people! Each person experienced some sort of "touch" from God.  Many people were prayed for and many people heard the Gospel.  Several prayed to accept Christ in their lives for the first time.  I had the privilege of praying with 2 of them. 

All of these people have the opportunity, if they want, to hear more about God's Word and get involved in the local church in Pallatanga where our OMS co-workers are involved.  Please pray.

Many kids were there.  Before and after their time with the doctor they, and their parents, would just hang around the area to be part of the "action".  Fortunately, one of the translators that came was an Ecuadorian gal from Guayaquil.  She loves working with kids, and she's very good at it.  Her ministry in Guayaquil is primarily working with kids.  Once it was found out about her passion for kids, she spent her time blessing those kids with songs, puppets, and sharing the Gospel.

God is working in Ecuador.  God is working in Pallatanga.  

Here is a link to many more pictures from the week.  Medical Team Pictures.  Many of these pictures were shared with us by another member of the team.  God bless you.

April and May Activities

This is what we've been up to the last few weeks:


Medical Teams

1) Pallatanga

Pallatanga Medical Team - medical doctors, eye doctor, nurses, pharmacist, missionaries, and translators.

Front of the building where we had the clinic.

Steve translating for the doctor.

Hannah translating in the pharmacy.

Hallway between the pharmacy and the doctor's rooms.

Minor procedure to remove this young girl's skin tag below her ear.

It was a great week.  All together we served more than 500 people!  It was such a good opportunity to take care of their physical needs but more importantly share with many of them the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Serving with the medical team made me think of 1 Corinthians 12, where the Apostle Paul talks about the body of Christ being one body, but many members.  Each part has a function, and each part is important.  Each person of the medical team had a function, and each function was important.  We needed some to set the appointment schedule; we needed  some to get the initial information from the patient and take blood pressure and other readings; we needed some to listen to the patients and diagnose; we needed some to translate; we needed some to make sure everything along the way runs smoothly.   Each person of the team could only perform their function if another person performed their function.  We had to work together.  We needed each other.


2) Yacuambi



A group of nursing students and doctors from the University of Indianapolis came to do a medical clinic in Yacuambi and Yantzaza.  Several of our OMS Ecuador team joined them to help with translation and other needs.  Unfortunately, they were only able to have the clinic for one day, as they had to change their plans due to an unforeseen suspension of the medical clinic.  Thankfully, the team was able to find other opportunities to serve through some of the other ministries OMS has in Ecuador.

They only had the clinic for on day in Yacuambi, but they were able to see over 80 patients.  Some of our national partners were there to talk to the people, counsel them, and share the Gospel.

This is the area of the hostel where they had the clinic - curtains were later put up for privacy.

Coffee Plantation- Pallatanga

Our fellow OMS missionaries that live in Pallatanga have gotten to know the owner of a nearby coffee plantation.  He was kind enough to take us on a tour of the property.  He's coming up on only his 3rd harvest, and the 2nd harvest won the prize for best coffee in Ecuador!  We asked him to what does he attribute his success, and very confidently he says "God".

Coffee plantation owner.

Culto Unido

We had a great Sunday service on May 6.  Our church hosted 3 other churches from the association for a combined church service - "culto unido".  This was also a fund-raiser for our church's building project.

Great to see so many people attend.

Great food after the service.

We made cookies to sell.

This is where the tent used to be.  The new church building is under construction.