Friday, February 13, 2009

Have you ever seen a nurse on a motorcycle speeding up a very bumpy mountain trail? Or a horse hitched to a stop sign? These are just a couple of the unusual sites we experienced today.

Today’s journey took us 2 ½ hours out of Managua into the mountains over rocky roads that gave us a bit of a taste of what bull-riding might feel like. Arriving at a small rural community school in El Cerro, we watched in awe as Dr. Laura examined a young boy’s ear and throat. As she worked, she was also teaching Jacqueline, the community health promoter how to do an exam. There were also 3-4 other ladies who serve on the local health committee looking on. Dr. Laura isn’t just a doctor, she is a teacher par excellence who is on a mission to enable the local people to do “triage” care. This frees up her time to reach a larger region and a greater number of people. Jacqueline is just one of 15 health promoters serving in 23 hard-to-reach communities. Her region serves villages up to 1 ½ hrs. from her home. She dispenses medications and does basic first-aid.

During our visit at the school, we interacted with the 18 students by making parrot puppets, singing songs, handing out treats and serving them lunch. We also handed out school kits provided by White Cross funds. The students, ages 5-13, were all taught in the same room. They were thrilled when we gave them colored markers for their puppets. The regional nurse, Rosita, was also there giving demonstrations of proper hand washing and teeth brushing which promotes better health.

We were invited to Jacqueline’s home, a two-room mud-hut with dirt floors, tin roof, outdoor kitchen and latrine, and no running water. Our hearts were touched by the obvious needs of this family as well as others living in this community. Here we delivered one of four over-the-counter medical supply boxes also provided by White Cross.

Dr. Laura is known to literally run from San Jose de los Remates, the location of one of their region clinics, to El Cerro School, a distance of 1 ½ miles. She loves to run, she loves to climb mountains, and she loves working door to door with the people. They serve approximately 9000 people from this region alone. There are four other regions where they serve.

On our return trip through San Jose de los Remates, we were passed by the Nurse, Rosita, speeding by on her motorcycle. Dr. Laura gave us a tour of the AMOS clinic and the pharmacy located there. Just before we drove out of town, we were startled to see a horse tied up at a stop (ALTO) sign.

Through the power of God this ministry has been expanded beyond the city limits of Managua to the rural mountains and plains of Nicaragua.

“…I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me…and you came to visit me. I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me.” Matthew 25:36; 40

—Sue Fitzgerald and Pam Davies