THE SMALLER PICTURE - LORA

I’ve been working out at a very small, humble clinic in Wichanzao, an area on the outskirts of town - a 20-30 minute commute from our home. Wichanzao is in a very needy area where many people are in extremely harsh economic conditions. Our clinic is a short walk from the foothills of the Andes which are dotted with squatters and shanty towns. 

We work in connection with the church and we try to serve the people with compassion that isn’t found in most other Peruvian facilities. We employ a Peruvian doctor, two nurses, an obstetrician, a lab tech, a pharmacy student, and a dentist. The staff is wonderful. They are full-time and work hard and whole-heartedly for a competitive pay of $50-70/month. It’s amazing to see the genuine love they share for the people out in Wichanzao. We charge minimal fees for our services, and many times let the patients pay what they can if they cannot afford the full amount. For instance, we charge the equivalent to $1.75 USD to see the doctor, and $0.75 for a consult with the dentist. Our pharmacy is able to sell medication donated from doctors in the U.S. for next-to-nothing, which is an incredible blessing. We also host American doctors who volunteer a week or so at a time to treat patients in the clinic. Peruvians travel far for the luxury of being seen by an American doctor. I’m consistently amazed at the turnout for our “campañas” or medical campaigns when American medics grace our clinic. These weeks we lower our fees and often go out into the community to treat those that may not be able to come to the clinic. 

I’m working at the clinic 5 days a week helping with daily tasks. I register patients as they come in, handle the payments of patients as the walking cash register, etc. I have also recently been put in charge of tracking the daily ‘ingresos y egresos’, or, keeping up the clinic’s financial spreadsheets. It’s exciting learning more and more every day and gaining more and more trust from my new Peruvian friends. I am also translating between American doctors that come to volunteer and the patients they attend. Although I’m still waiting for some of my spanish to come back to me, hands-on translating in a third-world clinic may be my favorite part of the job...

I also love organization and administration and hope to, in time, help think through and revise some of the  antiquated systems to help the clinic run as efficiently as possible. (The clinic recently got a computer and I’m in the process of entering two years worth of patient information into the system!!! :) ) It’s exciting to be a part of something in the infant stage and dream along with others of what it just may be in the future...

Please pray for:

• Protection and Safety - Wichanzao is a somewhat dangerous area. Young women are often targets of theft, and at times physical and sexual assault. Please join us in prayer for protection in my daily commute. 
  

• Relationships - That the Lord would bless the relationships with my Peruvian co-workers and members of the Wichanzao community and continue to grow them. 
  

• Diligence - That the Lord would allow me to work well and truly contribute to the development of the clinic.