by Macy Alexander | Summer 2023 |
While in Piura, Peru, I had the opportunity to help set up a clinic in a vacant building and shadow various physicians (e.g., pediatrician, family practitioner, nurse practitioner, dentist, pharmacist, etc.) in order to gain a better understanding of the health field and all that it entails. I also had the chance to walk throughout the community we were located in with our public health team. During this time, we got to speak (via our amazing translators) to locals and survey them about their lifestyles, health, and more.
It was during my time with public health that I met a woman who desperately needed immediate relief and education towards the development and betterment of her health overall. When we walked into her home, her dwelling was less than perfect, to say the least. She had a dirty, sunken-in mattress, she was constantly covered in flies, her ceiling and walls were covered in cobwebs, her floor was so caked in dirt that you could no longer see the tile that was underneath, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. This woman was left almost completely immobile, using a rope wrapped around a column to help her sit up and lay down. She had only one woman (her nephew’s ex-wife) to take care of her, but even this woman could only visit briefly, about twice a day, since she had to work in order to provide for her six children. This sight was absolutely heart-wrenching, and it still pains me to think about it; however, it is through situations like this that God does some of His most amazing work.
A small team of us picked a new mattress and sheets for this woman, cleaned out her house, and brought in a means for her to have a fan (to help her keep cool and keep the flies off of her). It was more than just a single lightbulb to see by at night, a pull bar to help her move, and it taught her about physical therapy so she could regain her strength after all this time. Now, she can pass on the mission we shared and the knowledge she has gained throughout her community! This same excitement goes with the rest of the mission trip, as well. While getting to shadow our family physician, I noticed that there were several people who all had back and/or leg pain. Rather than prescribing Tylenol for the pain, the physician would hand out packets full of stretches people could do to increase strength and motility in their bodies so they don’t get the pain so badly in the first place.
Overall, this experience was incredible. Not only did I get to help these people, but I also got to witness and experience first-hand just how meaningful and effective intentionality can be! Building relationships with these people, praying for them, and educating them have improved so many lives in such a short time. I can only imagine how continuing for longer amounts of time could help, and I can’t wait to experience this again in the future.
