The last lap...

These last 2 days are going to require that we dig deep for our "second wind" like runners on the last lap.

We had a GREAT day in medical camp yesterday. I looked into the eyes of people about my age. I tried to imagine what they have been through. Most of the people we saw yesterday have been freed from slavery sometime in the last 2-3 years. They are making a way in lives as free men and women. Most of them are "daily laborers" which means they find manual labor work somewhere, but now they are actually paid for what they do. It still isn't easy, but they are free!
Katie and I manned the pharmacy, with some extra help from Jessica now and then. One after the other came with scripts for tylenol and ibuprofen for joint pain, arthritis, back pain...and my mind kept thinking about the years of back-breaking labor they were forced to do, and honestly, as I counted out 20 or 30 pills, it felt so inadequate... after all they had been through. I somehow wanted to erase their experience, to undo what had been done. Bit I couldn't. Sometimes the internal challenges we experience here....I struggle to describe them. It's like I have no pathway in my brain to process the painful reality that I am seeing before me.

On the other hand, as I handed out those medicines, I watched as many of them proudly showed off their new reading glasses (thanks to Jane and her heart of gold, and thanks to Dr. Pape for his donation of many pairs of reading glasses). We had to give instructions several times that they should not wear these for distant vision, because each one wanted to wear their new glasses right away! They were soooo excited to have help with their vision! In fact, once a few people left the medical camp with new glasses, several others started showing up....evidently good news spreads quickly!

Once again, Celeste, Amy, and John did great jobs taking special care of these precious people, and since we had smaller numbers, each person received personal attention and plenty of time with a caring medical provider. I cannot tell you the gratitude and joy on each face as they left the medical camp!

Once there was a brief lull in the action and Katie and I wandered across the street to see a little baby that was being held by her grandmother. We asked how old the baby was. The answer: "2 days" Wow! She was a beautiful little girl. We had a chance to talk about the importance of breast feeding, health for the new mom, and just bless them with our admiration of this new little life.

Now for the final lap....Tomorrow, the medical camp will be bigger. The team will be stretched since Stan, Nate and I are back in Bangalore. I will be visiting Jeeva's Training Center for Women. Nate and Stan are doing training and handling computer maintenance. Nate put in a VERY long day yesterday and got a lot done. He said he could use a few more days, but will do his best to get everything up to par before tomorrow evening. Those of you who know how frustrating computers can be and the snags that come up, you know how to pray for Nate! The team will return tomorrow evening, we will have dinner and debrief with our hosts, then return to the hotel to clean up, pack up, and check out by about 11 pm. We'll head to the airport, go through a very chaotic and long process of customs, check-in, security, etc. And then wait for our flight which leaves at 3:40 a.m.

We can feel your prayers, and we would not be able to do this without you!