Visitors

 Last week, we hosted a group from Journey Church in South Carolina, including an eye doctor named Justin. This was Justin's second visit to a community where cataracts are rampant, eye infections are quite common, and reading glasses are a virtually unmet need. It is always beautiful to see him taking care of our patients, especially the "frequent flyers" who show up for their appointments now brimming with pride as they flash their brand new glasses.

 

Justin and his wife Megan saw all the eye patients while we ran regular clinic in the next room. They treated eye diseases, gave out sunglasses and preventative advice, outfitted patients with reading glasses, and got prescriptions for others. On Justin's visit 6 months ago, he went back to America with a list of 20 patients who needed prescription lenses and on this trip, he brought those 20 custom-made glasses. He'll do the same every time he comes, probably twice a year.

 

Another member of the group was Erin, a physical therapist. Erin spent her first couple days going on home visits with Samuela, one of our nursing assistants. They visited all the elderly people who are in our blood pressure/TLC program and Erin worked on excerise regimens for them, especially the ones who have had strokes. She also saw a number of handicapped children in clinic, working with them and showing the parents how to improve their kids' function.

 

In the afternoons when clinic was over, Erin and Justin took turns teaching our clinic staff from their expertise. We are now adding a well-baby and chronic pediatric needs afternoon into our schedule for children like MC, a 4 year old with seizures and Evens, a little blind boy. Thanks to Erin, our staff know much better now how to help these children develop physically.

 

 

Justin taught the staff how to choose reading glasses for patients and when to make referrals for his bi-annual visits. He is committed to providing the clinic with sunglasses for cataract prevention and reading glasses for our adult patients, so we are adding a monthly eye check-up day on the last Friday of each month. I'm excited about another entire set of needs being met for the community of Jubilee!

Both Erin and Justin also taught classes in the nursing assistant school that I now run...more on that later!

For now, we'll just leave it at this: Thank you, Journey Church!