Chinch Alta Day 1

Sunday, VERY, very early in the morning - the team arrived at Union Biblica's Camp Kawai. After a few hours of sleep we rounded everyone together and got our group organized for a full day of clinic preparations and a "trial run" clinic with the Girasoles boys. By the end of the first day (with only a few hours of sleep) we had completely organized our inventory of medications and supplies, participated in a Church service with the boys at the Casa Girasoles (there are over 45 boys at the home this year because Union Biblica has merged their house in Lima with the Kawai Girasoles house in Mala), and conducted a clinic. It was a full day.

The team worked together magnificently. We were really very smooth and efficient - all things considered. Especially in light of our 4-hours of sleep. It is an understatement to think that everyone's eyelids were open at the first team meeting on Sunday night.

Sunday night was a well deserved rest. Monday morning came rather quickly and we started our day with breakfast at 6:30 am. Our first full day of school outreach was in the town of Chincha, an almost 2-hour drive from the Kawai Camp. We loaded the buses and packed our team into the tight space and tried to catch as much sleep as possible in our commute.

The school in Chincha was just off of the town square. In spite of our long commute (and a bit late start) we managed to get the clinic started at 9:30 am. The first few hours were mayhem - with children and their parents everywhere. The day quickly settled-in and we found a good rhythm for working together.

In just under 6-hours of clinic we saw over 150 children - many of whom were attended by a physician and a dentist. The team was great. Our massage therapist never stopped. She, TJ, was the favorite stop for all of the teacher; even if they were a bit unsure about massage therapy when they first got on the treatment table, by the end of the first minute of treatment - the snoring was a dead giveaway that they were really happy with the care they were receiving.

Our team of dentists, two Peruvian and one North American, were busy right up until the time we boarded the bus to head back to Kawai. This, in spite of the fact that we left a valuable piece of equipment for the dentists back at the camp - and had to have a taxi drive the equipment the 2-hours to our school outreach site.

The medical team, a mix of Peruvian and North American providers did awesome. We had a few wrinkles to start out - but thanks to the direction of Dr. Bob Gehringer, we quickly smoothed things out.

It is a huge understatement to say that everyone was extremely valuable. This is a great team and we are already working together with a clear purpose. Tomorrow we are back in the town of Chincha - but in a different school. Look for team photographs and more stories on the HBI participant Blog and in this Blog post in the coming days.

For now, I am off to bed. Tomorrow is another VERY early morning and really full day.

Thank you for all of your support.