Pediatric campaign in Milagro Monday

Today began at 7 am this morning when I got up to be at the clinic for 7:30…we have a team in from Virginia this week and so our first day of clinic was in the barrio Milagro which is north of Wichanzao on the Pan American. The team has three pediatricians and one physical therapist so we were limited to seeing patients in those populations.

We were based out of a Presbyterian church of another Presbyterian denomination (interestingly started and currently pastured by South Korean missionaries) and saw 70 kids today. Everything ran smoothly but in the beginning we had some difficulty because most of the children that came didn’t have their parents with them. This is because they are all working during the day and usually the kids would be in school but of course the Peruvian schools are having a swine flu scare and just decided to let the kids out a few weeks early. We weren't sure how many patients we would have if we charged for the visits, because this is a very poor area so we saw the kiddos for free. We had a great turn out and had a lot of fun as usual with them...while they waited they got to color, play games and blow bubbles. Very cute!

We finished around 1pm and went to the church in Wichanzao for lunch (always a favorite of mine! The ladies at the church know what Peruvian food the Americans love!) I stayed around until 5 in the library where I have started to volunteer. The Wichanzao Church opened this library in May and I think it is quite the draw! There are always kids and teenagers in there reading, surfing the net or playing chess and checkers (first time I've seen that in Peru!) I will be there on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3-5pm. It is a great opportunity for me to get to know people in the community and talk with the kids, as well as read and learn about Peru. I will help keep it organized and help children with homework or projects, or just talk and hang out. The library is not huge, but it is definitely a blessing to Wichanzao and a great chance for me to get to know people in the community.

Also, on a more comical note I had a bit of an adventure in the collective on the way home. First of all there were 9 people in the car...I was in the back seat by the window when a nursing mother and her Mom got in with me. Okay, roomy enough until another man gets in the back too and so while squeezing in someone bumped the baby..which was by the way the healthiest (fattest) baby I have ever seen. In all seriousness though it really was a sight to see! Anyway...the baby is crying and so the mother starts to nurse her. Not out of the norm here at all, in fact hardly a day goes by when I don't see that, especially in the clinic. However, it is usually not in a car with 9 people, and inches away from my face! I mean literally....whew. Anyway I just had to turn my head and laugh, I love this place! Hah, not a day goes by without something like that happening. They say laughter and a good sense of humor is some of the best medicine for culture shock and homesickness...so I'll take all I can get!