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Rx ConneXion-Nicaragua
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Nicaragua by
Teresa Miller, W MI |
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Healing Hands is a VIM team of Medical
professionals from both Michigan's Conferences. We answered
the call to serve the people in the Savanna area outside
of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Due to incredible rains,
it is only safe to go into the region in Feb/March.
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During our week of clinics we saw 1500 people in the villages
of Lapan, Sinkapin,Ulu, Wawa boom and Botania. We treated
every person for worms and saw first hand their long term
effects. In Botonia, the children were so undernourished
that they didn't play, they were so listless. They also had
multicolored hair that was brittle and of course the big
bellies. It was a shame that they were the last community
we saw and we were out of shirts, toothbrushes and diapers.
We did have meds. |
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The homes are all built on stilts, many with
thatched roofs – just a custom of that area and not
due to flooding. To our surprise, we heard this several
times "he was fine until he fell out of the house." The toddlers commonly
fall out of the houses.
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We saw God at work in so many ways. We were kept safe on unsafe roads and during
challenging travel conditions. Our main vehicle was a hand crank started Russian
truck left from the revolution. It was an open MASH-type, they loaded the front
half with all our medical supplies, 24 huge water bottles, food, etc. and then
had three boards across the back half that we sat on for many hours at a time.
The roads were so rough at times we bounced off the boards into the air. They
also had to stop and put more water in the radiator every 45 minutes or so.
We had a day of extreme rain fall, the next day it was determined we could
not go to the planned community, so as we crossed the river on a barge the
people begged us to stop and do a clinic there. In 30 minutes we had a clinic
up and running and saw almost 100 people. God knew the plan better then we
did.
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In addition to medications we also offer Christ. 137 people came to know the
Lord during the clinics, many had not had the gospel ever presented to them.
The last day we ministered to a man who had a large open wound on his leg.
We took him to the hospital and they will do a skin graft this week. They felt
he was just weeks from losing his leg all together. God is Good.
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| In spite of tremendous needs, the people have a wonderful spirit
that encouraged us each day as we set up our tents in the dark,
and loaded the truck for the umpteenth time. The work Dr. Mirtila
is doing is incredible. She continues to go into areas that even
local Nicaraguan's are not willing to go into. She has a need
for a vehicle, if you know of any resources that can be used
to help her
in her work please let me know. |
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