June(junio) 22nd-xochis!!!

Xochishualacua-i think that's the official spelling but i will probably spell it 20 different ways. i found out later that it means city of flower. beautiful. it's a small town nestled in the beautiful mountains of the state of guerrero, where we are. it's a short hour ride to get there. the ride itself is fascinating, watching everyone in their native dress and seeing how they carry on (i'm hoping to download some picture so you all can see this). the roads are curvy but i haven't gotten really sick, my friends are nice enough to let me sit in the front. we take a combi, which is like a minivan but now picture it with thin doors like a geo metro (sorry, jenny), and no side door. it's like any country bus, similar to the dominican republic, and many other countries. it's hot so the door is always open. mike tried to close it and we realized that hadn't been done in years. what we realized here is that car seats really just don't exist. people just take their babies on their laps. what's even funnier is that at first i didn't think anything of it!!

okay, on to the clinic. we worked with Dr. Carmelo Valtierra Lopez. he seems quiet at first but really is a funny man once you get to know him. the clinic is a humble builing. it is in badly need of repair and especially needs a new roof and better equipment for diagnostic purposes. Dr. Carmelo is visibly frustrated about this so we hope to talk to him more about it later once we know him more. there are two patient rooms, one room where the doctor sleeps overnight if necessary, his office with a bed, "bathrooms", and his office. what's amazing is all of the translating work he does. he is working on translating the entire old testament into the native Amuzgo language. all of this is in a city full of windy streets, colorful dress, beautiful handicrafts, and very very steep hills.

mike was busy in Xochis. most of the problems were dry eyes but we saw cataracts and a possible retina detachment. i think he was very helpful! we had 38 patients today. they were all there to see mike but the three other girls gave all of them a complete physical exam first so we got great practice at that. i mainly served as a translator working from mike to dr. carmello and then dr. carmello to amuzgo, which is what half of the patients speak. so you can see we are very busy seeing 38 patients and half of the time going through two interpreters. dr. carmello worked very well with mike. he even had some of the medicines mike needed and was really helpful in telling us what to tell the patients who only needed glasses. next time, it would be great for a team to come down with reading glasses!

it was a full day but was complete with a great lunch, comida as they call it, at a local restaurant. mike and i had chicken, rice, fresh avocados and salad, and some wonderful tortillas. we all love the food there. there was of course, soccer on the t.v. the restaurants are really small, usually the front of a persons home with dirt floor, open kitchens, and very authentic food. there are always only like two tables but this being a larger restaurant, had three. and, there is always plenty of coke (coca-cola that is) here.

well, that seems like enough for today. we'll learn much more about xochis as we spend more time there, it is a wonderful little town. please continue to pray for our safety especially in travels and to not get sick.

In Christ