monte plata journal pages part 3

July 6,  2011

Today clinic was in Don Juan. It was in a church. The church was dirt floor, with bare cement walls. The roof was ½ finished it seemed, open in the middle. I had wondered what it would be like when it rained, and boy, did we find out! It poured in the afternoon, and the floors flooded. The patients needed an umbrella to go from the sala de espera to the consulting area and the pharmacy and the integrated health area. There were a lot of patients. The singing before we started the clinic was beautiful. I got a video of this one woman, who had her eyes closed and swayed along with the song of praise to God. We got our integral health box for children and we were able to do teeth brushing and fluoride treatment for 18 kids. They were beautiful and kind. I met Dolores, whose brother was Lino Gomez. He worked with dad back in the days of Santiago. It was really neat to meet her. She is trained as an optometrist and has worked for MMI for 11 years. 28 years as an optometrist. She said that dad gave her the money for transportation so that she could get her training. I was so sorry that I didn’t bring my pictures with me, but I will see her again on Monday. I must remember to put those in my day pack, because it’s the second time I could have given some away.

clinic in the church in El Dean. The sun roof is always open.

an audience looking in on our health education area

the dental clinic worked out of the neighbouring house's front patio

Dolores, optician

Tonight after dinner Barry and I went into the town center, about 3 blocks away. We went to Helados Bon and had a treat. It got dark pretty quickly, so we didn’t linger in the park. Tonight in the dining room the young people are playing a loud and boisterous card game. I don’t fit in at their table. But it reminds me so much of all those years of playing nertz after dinner. So many fun memories.