Tuesday, June 20th, 2023
Today was an exciting day for our team as we were to be the first medical team from Friends of Barnabas to visit our particular mountain village for the day, Germania 1. The number 1 is specifically indicated for this village, as there are multiple villages in the area named Germania. Germania 1 was nestled on top of a mountain surrounded by a myriad of coffee bushes and fuscia-painted bougainvillea.
Our team's endeavors to use the new electronic medical charting system were rewarded as we became more familiar with how diagnoses and treatments were listed. Many of our patients today were malnourished and dehydrated, resulting in many of our patients, including the children, to have multiple tooth extractions. In fact, the dental clinic was so busy today that Dra. Ondina lamented that her arm was getting tired from pulling so many teeth! Yet, there were still smiles to be had as our excellent teammate, Abigal, took the time to paint all of the girls' nails that came in with their families.
A dichotomy of sorts left an impression on me today. One of my patients told me that she had recently had a miscarriage. All I could do was listen to her as she cried, and pray with her, reminding her that God is now taking care of her baby. As she was crying at my table, at the very next table sat an overwhelmed and anxious mother crying because she found out she was pregnant again. Both loving mothers to their existing children, both wanting the best for their families, but both not understanding why they both were in such difficult situations . The contrast and the similarity was very poignant, and honestly, it's difficult to understand and/or know what to do or how to react to these moments in life. All I know is, God was somehow present in both, involved in both of the women crying, for opposite things, yet the same...
As Hagar cried out to God in the wilderness, weeping over her child, God replies, "I see you and I hear you" (Gen 21:16-18).
~Mary Hannah
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