Medical Mission in Nicaragua

Some images from the Medical Mission trip to Nicaragua


A home just outside one of our clinic locations



A secondary school where we held clinic one day



Part of our team at the airport


The pharmacy at one of our clinic sites


Dr. Phipps writes a script

Dr Phipps assessing a patient

Dr Phipps and our translator, Emilio, with patients

Boy naps in hammock outside the clinic back door

Beautiful!

Baby displaying typical sign of ear infection pain--tugging at her ear.

The children outside the clinic LOVE having their photo taken then clamor around me to look at themselves on the small digital screen.

The first day of clinic

Abuelas

I'm just finishing a quick medical mission trip in Nicaragua. It has been an amazing education and a refreshing look into a new culture for me. The people are lovely, amiable, passionate, loving, patient and generous. We North Americans have much to learn-- in a positive outlook, an unselfish lifestyle, a non-materialistic mindset and generous heart --from them. Each day we set up a 'mobile' clinic in a different location in the poor areas of the capital city of Managua. Four physicians, a chiropractor, a massage therapist and five nurses made up the medical team. We saw an average of 90 patients a day. A shocking 20%-30% of the population of Nicaragua has Type Two diabetes. Gastritis, hypertension, fungal rashes and bronchitis are also very common.

I learned much from the physician I was paired with--Dr. Phipps. When he saw my enthusiasm to learn he became a very patient teacher. I learned about all kinds of conditions that I do not get to see in my hospital work setting such as common ear infections, scabies, urinary tract infections and growing pains. I'm so thankful for this quick view into medical missions. The conditions under which we assessed, diagnosed, educated and treated were far from ideal--but I am certain a lasting difference was made for many--most importantly that God's love was seen in our eyes, heard in our voices and felt through our hands.

"Kind words are jewels that live in the heart and soul and remain as blessed memories years after they have been spoken." --Marvea Johnson