El Salvador Day 3 - 2015

Sunday is a warm up day.  It is a bit like spring training.  Our schedule includes a mini retreat and clinic time for a half day.

During our retreat we reflect on compassion and service, recalling that Christ had a human heart: He cried at times.  Compassion is how we can be 100% human, exactly what is says on the back of one of the shirts the local team has provided for us.

I am privileged to work in triage, greeting the patients, making them smile, and taking temperatures.  You might think hmmm, what joy could be found in this job?  The answer is plenty!  I am working with Marcela, who is volunteering for the mission the first time.  I take the opportunity to explain what an opportunity we have in the job we have been given. 

 I decide to pray for each each person whose temperature I take and I ask Marcela to do the same.  Often I tell the patients exactly this as I place the temperature sensor in their ears: "I am praying for you right now." They are so grateful.  But I am grateful too.  Soon I am a overwhelmed with compassion, wondering what it is like for them.  What are their greatest worries?  What would it be like to not have health care they could afford?  Emotion wells up in me as i reflect and pray, and then I see what an opportunity we have here, to be fully human and be compassionate.  As we make small talk with everyone, we receive smiles.  And as a continuation of a joke once played on me by my angel interpreter, I willingly tell the crowd that if they clap I will sing for them.  I sing and we all smile afterward.  And our prayer is that this small act of love will somehow boost their spirits.  Who knew such incredible joy could come from something so simple and beautiful.  Like Mother Teresa said, small things with great love.

Here is a picture of the last few patients waiting after we have taken down their information:

It's a short half day clinic because soon triage is done and I begin to work in crowd control, helping patients reach the proper doctor and solving little problems.  I have a chance to serve my teammates and it is so sweet to me.  Later I work in the pharmacy filling prescriptions.  Here are a few pictures of our Pharmacy area.

We share stories of our day as we share a wonderful meal of traditional Salvadorian food.  We are tired but can't wait for tomorrow.