From Mary

Pharmacy

Huong, our very own Vietnamese pharmacist

Gay Lynn's starting her first mission like a veteran

Gift table

Dr. Nancy Alexis

Tien

See how nicely the patients are in the waiting room!

This woman came in with symtoms of a heart attatck and being assessed by Dr. Lynn Taylor. After we gave her an IV, turn out that she is just thirsty

Mick is giving out reading glasses to the elders

Kimberle with her patient, this woman has late stage ovarian cancer

The team of 33 from the US and Viet Nam


Nov. 12,2008

Dear ones,
Sometimes, medical missionaries make a difference. Sometimes, we can't -- and that hurts. Today we experienced both during hours of clinic at Tan Hung, a village 1 1/2 hours west of our headquarters at My Tho Town. I'm still very much out of whack regarding jet lag! My roommate, Glenda Condrey, and I both woke up at 3 a.m. today. (Yesterday, we woke up at 4 a.m. and I made us hot chocolate, which we enjoyed as we talked) We had a team meeting and prayers at 6, then a while later left for our mission. We rode 1 1/2 hours through this flat country with vivid colors: canary yellow flowers, turquoise houses, emerald green grass, scarlet dresses on ladies. Many buildings flew the Vietnam flag, distinctive with its yellow star on a red background. The Catholic churches were majestic and the temples were ornate. We saw thousands of scooters driven by people mostly helmets but a few in coolie hats. A surprising amount wore surgical masks too. We saw mostly one-story homes, some two to three story and a couple five story businesses. We saw some familiar signs such as Pepsi and Mobil gas but also ones we didn't know like Saigon Gas or Petro-Vietnam. By the time we got to the village, hundreds of people awaited us. We set up our stations in an open-air meeting place and got to work. Nine hours later, we had taken care of 458 sick, needy people. There's something delightful about practicing simple medicine near a palm tree as skinny chickens cluck nearby. Mrs. Cluckles (my chicken puppet who has gone round the world with me) brought smiles to people's faces too. This was an unforgetable day. I watched our medical leader, Dr. Nancy Alexis, work her gentle and wonderful magic on people of all ages. Now THAT'S how all doctors should be! I watched Dr. Lynn Taylor make crying children laugh. I also watched the blue eyes of Kimberle Deller, a nurse practioner, darken with pain at the suffering of some of her patients. Mostly, I realized that we can do a lot but not everything. Kim Deller had a patient in her early 30s, who was dying of advanced ovarian cancer which was discovered last year when the woman gave birth. Too poor to afford all the treatment she needed, she grew weaker and sicker. Her husband carried her in today, telling us that she hadn't eaten or drank anything in 20 days. An intravenous line provided some hydration but, Kim estimates, the woman likely only has weeks to live. Dr. Taylor and I had an 87-year-old woman with a colostomy which turned out to be OK and an abdominal scar which was not, The woman only had about five teeth but she never stopped smiling. Her daughters said they had no money to get her to a doctor for needed treatmen. I gave her $500,000 dong (Vietnamese money) and they were thrilled. We also had a 12-year-old boy with a rather severe ear infection, a man with possible neurofibromitosis and a variety of unusual skin rashes, muscle and joint aches and more. Around us, one volunteer distributed free eyeglasses to those in need and 2 pounds of sugar to each adult, two others distributed gifts and all team members gave love. Mostly, I saw a group of American and Vietnamese Christian medical professionals dispensing both medical care and God's love. I'm learning about unusual diseases, about lots of medicines and about life itself. My heart swells with pride at this wonderful team and I'm so happy tobe part of it. Along the way, I've come to realize that my calling as a missionary nurse is the most important thing I do in this life. Well, it's time for a cold shower -- that's all we have but it gets one clean too -- and some sleep. Stay well and I'll write again. God bless you and God bless America! Love, Mary