Can You Say Mountain?

Little did I know what I was getting into last week when I volunteered to drive a truck to a village to haul medical supplies and team members for a medical clinic. I had driven this truck before so I thought "no sweat". No one told me where this village was so I just followed the leader....straight up a mountain. Did I say straight? Strike that....there were hairpin curves, one after another. By the time we reached the village, at an elevation of 8,000 ft., the truck was overheated and steaming. To add to the problem, when we got in the truck to return, I smelled brake fluid. My thoughts were of all those curves and while the scenery was beautiful, I didn't want us to end up a part of it rather that just looking at it.

It was a good day though. The doctors attended to about 190 people with everything from coughs, sore throats, and ear aches to athletes foot. The doctor who treated the athletes foot said it was so severe that the fellow was near to losing some toes. One lady who came to the clinic wanted treatment for her two little boys who were not eating and were sad. I was helping translate for the lady taking names, ages, and problems, so we put down depression for her boys. I thought this was kind of strange for two little boys until the doctor told us later that her husband, their father, had been killed in the landslide that occurred in Guatemala City a few weeks ago.

There were several doctors in this team as well as nurses and a pharmacist. As well as treating the physical ailments of the people, they also covered them with prayer. Our table was set up outside, but I managed to venture inside the building a few times. More than once, I saw the group who was treating someone praying with them.

We closed up shop about 4:00 and started back down the mountain with me holding my breath, as though that would help if we had no brakes. However, everything went fine and we met up with the rest of the team at Paulino's Restaurant in Tecpan for some wonderful food and fellowship.

This team was the third one in three weeks and now it is back to putting the mission house aright in anticipation of the next team later this month.

Luisa