Friday, February 15, 2019
The brotherhood of Team Sus Manos and the FOBF team came together in a beautiful way this morning as we gathered one last time for a family photo. Through the week we saw God's love transcend language barriers as we came together to live out our team mission: to be "His Hands".
As we ventured to our final community, we met a muddied road riddled with deep rivets caused by the rain from the past few evenings. Despite the incredible skill of our bus driver, Raul, our bus came to a halt on a steep incline just 15 minutes away from our destination. Concerns circled about afternoon rain making the road impassable on the way out. But our combined familial community pressed on. The bus was parked, and the team walked the rest of the way up the mountain. The mission was simple: get to the community, serve the families we meet, and return home.
With quick thinking and help from the community we were going to serve, our supplies arrived on site. We were met by villagers already lined up at the church ready to register for their first ever visit from FOBF. The eager faces we saw displayed a mix of anticipation and excitement for medical attention that was so desperately needed. The clinics were quickly assembled and our team got to work. Within only a few hours, the general clinic saw 75 patients, children were weighed, measured and treated with deworming medication, fluoride treatments were dispersed, eyes were checked, and dental extractions were made. With solid teamwork and intention, our goal was made.
Reflecting back on the trek we had to make up the mountain by foot, Tricia stated how much perspective was gained from making the same walk on the muddy road that many of our patients have to do daily. The experience, while both enlightening and humbling, also highlighted the absolute determination of FOBF to serve the mountain communities no matter what natural barriers may occur.
At the end of the day, we arrived at a compelling observation so beautifully wrapped up by Virginia: “We all see God in different ways. This week we have seen Him in the joy of children playing, the faces of older people marked with hard lines of a difficult life, and in the camaraderie built with FOBF staff. We must remind ourselves to always see God in both the good and the bad. We must let the light of God shine through us.”
~Mary Riddick
