Friday January 30, 2015

Good Evening!

Greetings from a wet San Carlos.  There are many people who haven't ever seen rain when they have come here, and they are getting introduced this year :) We are having a nice down pour, even as I write this, so am not sure that I will get it posted tonight.

Mat was out with the Medical Team for their first half day session.  (I have not been doing well health wise, so it was felt it would be wiser for me to stay back today and do some other things so that I can get involved tomorrow and next week.)  They saw 107 people which was very good for a dreary wet day here in Mexico, most things go slower on wet days, almost like our snow days in Canada. ;)

I have some pictures to post from last week, and we will get some from these next few days. Just wanted you to know we are still enjoying our time!

Blessings!

Friday January 30, 2015

Good Evening!

Greetings from a wet San Carlos.  There are many people who haven't ever seen rain when they have come here, and they are getting introduced this year :) We are having a nice down pour, even as I write this, so am not sure that I will get it posted tonight.

Mat was out with the Medical Team for their first half day session.  (I have not been doing well health wise, so it was felt it would be wiser for me to stay back today and do some other things so that I can get involved tomorrow and next week.)  They saw 107 people which was very good for a dreary wet day here in Mexico, most things go slower on wet days, almost like our snow days in Canada. ;)

I have some pictures to post from last week, and we will get some from these next few days. Just wanted you to know we are still enjoying our time!

Blessings!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

We got to go with the team and help with two of the children’s groups and then go and do a little manual labor on the house that is being built for this very purpose J

This children’s group has meetings 3 times a week, and they have English classes, a movie day, and teaching on hygiene and things like that on different days.  Each morning this children are also given breakfast.  They are picked up from different areas of the neighborhood in a van and brought to the church where they have a good time.

There were close to 60 children that were there on Thursday.  

 We watched one little girl, maybe 6 years old, move to another table to be able to feed her younger sister.  She left her meal until she had fed her sister then ate herself.  

Some of the children eating.

This is one of the girls who had to wait for surgery as she had a cyst on her head, surgery happened a few years ago, and she is doing SO well!

The building project... This is the house that is being built for this children's ministry, they will have a place to feed the children and do clubs;  and then a place to live upstairs.

Afternoon kid's club - the dogs were contained on the roof :)

There were songs and a story, then face painting, balloons and colouring :)

Wednesday Afternoon

On Wednesday, we spent our morning trying to get more things organized for next week with the Medical Team. 

In the afternoon and evening we were able to go with the team and spent time in Guaymas.  In the afternoon, we went onto the street with 500 Coca Cola, and spent about an hour handing them out.  People in every country are surprised when they are given something free J and who doesn’t like a Coca Cola.  Along with the Coke, people where told that God loves them, and with some conversations were started and others carried on with their day.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015... a late update

Good Morning!

How are you all doing?  Hope that you are all doing well!  We are enjoying some sunshine J

We have been trying to get some pictures uploaded for you since Saturday, but our email connection has been quite poor and when we have time to sit down and work on it, it is not able to upload.  We are trying again…

Last week we were able to do some things around the center, cleaning and preparing for the next team, as well as doing some sight seeing and hiking.  See pictures below...

On Saturday morning, the full team arrived, and we went with them down to the Centro de Sueños.  This group works with homeless folks, and they give them food each week.  They also have people there to cut hair and spend time with these people.  We were able to give out some bears as well, it was quite cute that not only the children wanted a bear. We have a couple of photos for you of that too J

It was such a good day to be able to bless these people with some food and stand and talk with them and see them smile.

Sunday morning was quite busy with 2 different church services. Donna was able to do some translation in the second service into English.  It has been a long time since she has done much of that for a large number of people but it did go well.

On Monday, we had a few meetings with people to start getting things set in place for the Medical Team that comes in ONE WEEK!!!  We are excited to see things being set in place; to see and be involved in the planning that happens before the team arrives is wonderful.  Mat will be involved with the volunteers more, and Donna will be assisting as much as she can before hand and then be involved with it when she isn’t translating for the team. 

Another meeting was with the doctor who is in charge of the hospital in Guaymas.  We met with him in regards with some of the patients that were seen at the eye clinic that need a medical work up before they have eye surgery.  The doctor was very gracious and helpful in not only that but many other ways especially willing to help with paperwork that has to be done in the future.

After this, we went to a very poor part of town and visited with people there and gave some food to some families. 

Yesterday we worked on paperwork and today we are heading down to hand out some CocaCola on the street this afternoon. J

Hope your day goes well!

 We were able to hike into an oasis that Donna had been to when she came here the very first time.  It has changed, but is still beautiful!

 A little friend we found on our way up to the oasis.

The view from the oasis :)

People waiting for food on Saturday morning.

Two of the little ones that were there and wanted bears :)

And one of the ladies back in line for food with her bear.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Yesterday, we got to go and see one of the many places that Samaritan's Purse sends all those boxes that are lovingly packed by so many.  This is one of those churches located in Hermosillo, that got sent numerous boxes. Pastors and people from their churches are waiting to take them back home from all over the area.. The churches request a certain number, and are given a 2 hour session explaining how they are to be distributed and how the Gospel is be shared at the time they are distributed.  The people are accountable to report back to whom these gifts are given.  Most of the time the number requested is more then the amount available to be given. 

Some of the boxes leaving to head to the vehicles and be taken back to the village or town they will be distributed in...

There are about 16, I think that is what was said, in each of these big boxes...

People waiting for their numbers to be called...

More boxes...

A few pictures for our first week in Mexico :)

Just wanted to share a few pictures of our arrival and our first week here in Mexico... Hope that you enjoy them, and let us know if you have any questions or if we can explain anything a bit better :)

Carlos is ready to go on his trip to Mexico! 

Carlos arrived in Mexico and is at the church where the clinic is being held.

A few of the doctors for the clinic and the co-ordinator of the team...

This was our first full day with the clinic happening... This is the station where the glasses were fitted and given, and the last station where you could talk to us about your experience and the Gospel was shared, or people were prayed with.

 Check in... Carlos decided to try and checkin with Bev, one of the team members :)

 Some girls that came to the clinic getting bears after the eye drops were put in... 

 Dr. Dave with Maria one of the patients who needs surgery and advanced care.

The amazing line up.  This was only one of the days that there was a line. It was longer a couple of the days. 

Another little patient that uses quite thick glasses and needs stronger ones.  He is 5 years old. 

This little guy with Mat came with his brother who had eye problems.  Juan Fernando has had NUMEROUS surgeries to try and correct his arm, but is still waiting for more.  He was a very talkative little guy who loved to smile :)

On the day the team left, after cleaning and making tons of beds, and we decided to try and walk up the hill behind the house.  After a half hour walk up we got to see this view!

The way down included a couple of small falls and sticks :) but it was worth it!

The mustard coloured house behind the bus is where we are staying for our time here.  It is a house that is well used and houses thousands of people throughout the year.  This last week had 55 :)

We have way more pictures we want to share, and are hoping that one at a time they may upload faster :) I will try again later!

Hope all is well :)

Sunday January 4th

Well, it is day three in Mexico and we have a moment to write to say hello...

Let us tell you a little bit about what is happening in our days.... The "Eye" Team got here on Thursday and jumped into work.  The team has 21 members, 4 of whom are doctors and the others are working hard to help them get their job accomplished quicker and get things checked in. The team had been hoping to see 200 patients everyday, but have found that it is nigh unto impossible. ;)  

The surgeon who wanted to come and do cataract and other surgeries was unable to, so the patients that were being seen were getting a full check up and fitted for glasses as best as possible.  It is incredible the things that are being discovered.  

On Thursday, we had a "little" clinic to see how things would go.  It was supposed to be a couple hours, which went into four.  We then returned to the Centre for some supper and off to bed to be up at 545 for the next day.

Friday was the day when we saw it was going to be impossible to see so many patients.  The clinic started at 8 and was supposed to run until 5, but we didn't leave the clinic until about 830 at night.  Wow, what a line up when we arrived in the morning.  There were hundreds of people waiting to get an appointment.  We had given out numbers to about 160 people but unfortunately due to the complexity of the cases it was impossible to see them all.  100 patients were seen when we left at 830.

On Saturday, another hundred people were seen which created a long day for the team.  We were at the clinic from 8 am until 10 pm.  When we arrived, there was once again a huge line up.  Some of these people had been waiting there since 530 in the morning in order to be able to get a number.  It was a super long day; a day filled with difficult cases for the doctors who would find such advanced stages of disease and then have to inform the people of what was going on with their eye health.

Most of the patients that we had seen have had issues with their eyes for years, and due to lack of funds were unable to afford an appointment with a doctor.  There are so many people that have difficult cases, either due to disease, accident or birth defects.  It is amazing how true the saying is that the “eye is the window into the soul.”  This is true not only of the soul but also ones overall health. 

We are so blessed to be a part of this team, to be able to talk with these people and to help them in other ways with their health.  Although the days were tough, the people we treated were so amazed with the care, compassion and patience they were being treated with. 

Today was a day without a clinic; we were able to attend a service at the church where the clinic is being held and to relax a little.  We are looking forward to three long days coming up, so may not be able to connect with you all until the team leaves.  It seems as though the internet is having issues connecting as well as by the time we arrive back at the Center, we head directly to bed.  We hope that your first few days in 2015 have been good!

We have tried to upload photos, but haven't been able to  at this point. We will try again asap :)