Cheers

I was very fortunate this week to meet an amazing group of people from Upper Michigan. They came down to Nicaragua because their church is partnered with the church here in Matagalpa. The group came to provide basic medical to several communities and just show good faith. It was a blast. I got to work as a translator and spend my fair share of time in the pharmacy.

I originally met up with the group way back in November when they passed through San Dionisio. I remember I was out playing soccer on la cancha when a group of chavalos came running up to me to tell me that my friends were in town. I was of course confused because I had literally been in site 1 week and knew no one that would come visit me without notice. I followed the kids and quickly realized that my ¨friends¨were in fact a group of gringos working in town. For Nicaraguans if you are a gringo you somehow know ever other gringo in the country. Well that one contact snowballed and here I am in June working with them again. This time around it was a new group and we got to see several new locations around Matagalpa.

I cannot speak highly enough of my experience with this group. Each person is amazing and so selfless. Four doctors came down to consult with the locals, two nurses, a pharmacist, and other volunteers to lend a hand. It was a huge operation with over quarter a million dollars in drugs. We went to places such as Terrabona where one of the volunteers live, to the jail, the the garbage dump, San Ramon, and San Isidrio. Each day brought forth a new challenge. No town is alike and with that no town shares the same illnesses. For example in San Ramon we saw tons of scabies, while in San Isidrio we saw tons of stomach infections. Perhaps, the most interesting experience was going to work at the Nicaraguan jail for the morning. Talk about scaring you straight, it is not a place I would like to spend the night. The guards did not look like they had any hesitance to shoot a prisoner and the conditions were horrendous. Yet, our most demanding day was in San Isidrio where we saw over 500 patients in one day. Even with the four doctors, Jamie, Karen, Nicko, and me translating we still worked until about 8pm. We set up shop in the church and had to barricade ourselves inside. We learned that the priest had announced the visit over the radio and thus the entire town showed up in force. The doors had to be bolted shut and at one point they were forced open and it took 5 people to slam the door closed again. It was an intense situation but I guess exemplifies the lack of medical care that most Nicaraguans receive.

I just want to thank the medical trip again for all their hospitality and contributions to Nicaragua. It is definitely not easy work and is often thankless. As a member of a town that they have once visited, I know what a lasting positive impression these trips make. Everyone was so positive and I hope to meet them all again.