Mountains and Mercy

Another week of working in the hospital has come to an end, and looking back I am amazed at how much I've learned in such a short time. The doctors and nurses are wonderful to work with, as they are always willing to take time to teach me new things or explain a patient's diagnosis. I am truly excited to spend a whole summer learning from them and also having fun with them!
To provide an idea of what my my average day looks like, I thought that it would be helpful to provide some context for the area and people I work with daily. Cubulco is a relatively large town surrounded by beautiful mountains (or hills, depending on what part of the states you are from). The lush mountains are home to many individuals of Achi Maya origins, and so Spanish is often their second language. While we regularly see patients that live within the city, oftentimes we have patients who have walked for hours to receive treatment at the clinic. What would be a 20-30 minute car ride becomes several hours of walking. Because many live great distances away and lack transportation of their own, they rely on a buses to take them into the city. These buses only run on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, so often those are our busiest days. During this time of year, heavy rains wash sediment into the rivers, contaminating the water system, and many of the patients we see come with infections resulting from drinking this contaminated water. (I also experienced the results of contamination, but I won't go into the details... Suffice it to say, I am glad I am working at a hospital!)
Unfortunately, the distance and cost of care is a hindrance to many families, so they do not seek health care as soon as they should. For example, on Friday, we saw a six month old baby with pneumonia and diarrhea. When we asked the parents how long he had been sick, they said approximately three months! Half of this little boy's life has been spent being very ill. Unfortunately, this happens more often than not (like the one month old baby infected with amoebas from contaminated water). It breaks my heart.

As I shared last time, I have felt a little out of the loop when patients come, as I feel the language barrier hinders me from relating and talking them like I would want. Because of this, I was feeling pretty discouraged, and was spending time in prayer asking the Lord to give me courage and to also bring patients in whom I could connect with. A few days ago, a little boy came in with a bad cut on his arm. He was crying, and I could tell that he was very scared. I also noticed that his father had said a few phrases to him in English, which I thought was odd because the father was noticeably Guatemalan and spoke in a thick accent. I decided to talk to the boy in English, despite my reservations. I discovered that he lives in Texas with his mother but is visiting his father who was deported back to Guatemala. It was his first day in the country, and he had hurt his arm while playing with his cousins. My heart ached for him, as I could tell he was scared by the unfamiliar surroundings and unfamiliar language (he did not speak any Spanish). I held his hand and talked to him while the doctor sutured his arm, and I could tell that he felt more relaxed the more that I talked to him. It was only after he left that I realized God had sent him to me that day to remind me that He is in control. Even though it may seem like an insignificant event, the visit of that little, scared boy changed my mindset for the rest of the week. I began to feel a deeper peace take root in my heart, which impacted my interactions with the other patients and doctors.

Please continue to be in prayer for me in the next seven weeks. Pray that I do not dread talking to patients for fear that I might botch my Spanish. Pray that I will have a confidence that comes from the Lord, and that others may see His love through me. Above all, please pray that His will be done in Cubulco, in Guatemala, and the ends of the earth!