Philippines trip with HealthCare Ministries

I was part of a medical mission team through HealthCareMinistries. Our team meshed immediately and we were a very efficient clinical team made up of docs, dentists, an eye doc, pharmacist, nurses, local nurses and students, interpreters and I went as the group's health educator. From Manila we flew to Naga and then drove a few hours to Peracale where we set up clinic in a school compound.

This was the Registration area where people had to chose to see either a medical doctor, an eye doctor or a dentist - tough choice. some people came back the next day for another visit.























Everyone went through Triage seeing Carol or Rachel for vitals, history, etc. We saw around 600 people in the four days of Clinic.



















Amelia was happy as pharm tech. We used the student tables and chairs and were happy for the electricity and fans. It was 98 degrees plus humidity making it 105 degrees. Big change from Alaska.
























here's Elaine in loving action!




















There was alot of waiting around in hot temperatures. The people were patient and used to the heat.



















I floated between Health Education on the Medical side to Pharm Tech and counseling. This is Dr. Bill who was lots of fun to work with. This lovely lady turned 55 on clinic day.

























Debbie (missionary), Amelia RN, Dennis OD, Paul our fearless HealthCare Ministries leader, Carol and John, MD and Diane. Morning discussion and clinic planning.



















We had great partners who have the hard work of following up with all the folks that we met and enjoyed take care of. This is a local pastor and his wife, lovely people.






<

The second of our two-day clinics was at the base of perfectly conical volcano Mt. Mayon. Village was Camalig. We saw around 300 people there, too, for glasses, dental work, medical exams and treatment, meds, love and healing.

We were all humbled by the sweetness of the people and their gratitude to get some professional medical help. Dennis had the rewarding job of fitting people to glasses after they had visual acuity screening by local folks. All that we did was richly rewarding.




















Meet Dr. Ryan Nielo from Naga. Along with Drs. Bill and John they provided great family medicine. We saw just about every ailment that effects the human body from head to toe!
























This is our Health Education Department! We all spent time with folks helping them prevent diabetes, hypertension, oral decay and deal proactively with infectious conditions.





















This is Dan the Pharmacist. He made a full-fledged pharmacy out of the suitcases we brought. He was very patient with his pharmacy assistants.




















I liked filling prescriptions.
























We had a chance to get out and explore a little in the city of Daet as we went from one clinic site to another.


















This is Rachel, intrepid nurse from Kansas City who was also on her first HCM trip.


















Here's a young lady named Ruth that helped me count and split pills and prepare them for dispensing.


















When the clinic part of the trip was done we flew back to Manila and took a day to explore the island of Corregidor and learn about its role in World War II. Very interesting history including the setting of Macarthur's "I Shall Return," the Malinta Tunnel, ruined barracks.


















The trip was very fun, rewarding, humbling and challenging. I'm real grateful that none of us melted from the heat or got sick. I'd go again on another volunteer healthcare ministries trip in a minute.