St. Catherine’s Mission Team
On March 20, after a year of being stateside, Adam, Jess, and family, made it back to the Dominican all with a clean bill of health! One week later a team from Saint Catherine's all girl high school in Detroit arrived. The team spent the week with us at the El Chivo preschool, going to our mobile medical clinics, and spending time at the Missionaries of Charity. We are thankful for their ongoing support.
Home for Easter!
Right after the team left, I flew home to meet my new and first nephew Callen! He is adorable! I was also able to attend my great Aunt Betty’s 90th birthday party in Warren. This trip was special because it has been 6 or 7 years since we have all been together to celebrate my siblings’ birthdays and Easter together!
Clinic Update
Some exciting news: we painted the clinic!! The outside is blue and the inside walls are white. Having paint on the building has completely changed the look of it inside and out! Government paperwork for the clinic has been slow, but we are still in the process of finishing the approval for Public Health. We hope to have this done soon.
Clinics continue to be held in the mountain every Thursday with consultations. Currently, we have over 5,000 patient records now with people coming from communities even further away.
Frequently, we get patients who need to be referred somewhere, whether it is to be seen by a specialist or surgeon. Over the last few months we came across three patients that needed surgery; one with a cleft lip and palate, and two with severe burns from boiling water. Our missionary friends in San Juan had a team of plastic surgeons come at the beginning of May. I spent almost that entire week at the clinic with them prepping for surgery, waiting with the moms during surgery, and post-op care. Since the surgery, we have been working with each patient with proper post-op care while they are back at their homes.
St. Francis University Team
Mid May our team from St. Francis University was here! This team is a group of Medical, Veterinary, and Psychology students. The team always has such good chemistry, and it is fun having a medical clinic run alongside a veterinary clinic! This year we also had a visit from two Veterinarians from Santo Domingo who helped for two days at the clinic.
Summer Dance Camps
At the end of May, our long term volunteer Olivia had 4 interns come down. Three of them were her sisters. They were here to help her with the end of the year dance presentation, which was fantastic. They also helped run some summer dance camps!
AND THE MOST EXCITING NEWS…… THE TRUCK IS FINALLY HERE!!!!!
On June 5, I went to Santo Domingo to pick it up. Then the truck got its first real test on the next day when I drove it up the mountain to the clinic. It was a great test of the truck's ability, because it was raining and the road was very slippery. It rode smoothly and went up the mountain very easily. I am so thankful for the financial support, and for all of the prayers for this truck. It is truly a blessing.
Prayer Intentions:
-The three surgery patients as they continue in the recovery process.
-Public health paperwork for the clinic. - Renewal of my residency.
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