Clinic day one is officially over and all I can say is "wow." If you have ever been on this type of mission trip, you'll know it is physically and emotionally exhausting. But it is the kind of exhausted you want it to be. Our morning started off a little hectic with forgetting some of our key suitcases at the house. We had to wait on our supplies to be brought to us and then start wading through the growing line of people waiting to be seen.
In the dental clinic, we really found our groove today and stayed busy once we had all our tools! I gave a lot of shots...A LOT of shots! I learned a lot and I surprised myself a lot. I guess I had forgotten from the last visit about how tough these people are. The want for the pain to be gone outweighs the temporary pain of an injection. I would give shots that people in the States would really give me a fit over and these sweet people, although some are nervous, would just simply... take it. There's no way of putting that any other way. Dr. Joel and Beth did such an amazing job with the extractions. In situations that became frustrating and chaotic, I felt God provided our dental team with peace, compassion and a little bit of humor to push through.
The medical team and Dr. Kim our Ophthalmologist were diligent in meeting so many needs today. My favorite moment today that literally has made the whole trip thus far... came from Dr. Kim's part of the clinic. A woman named Cornelia came in to the dental clinic crying. Lydia, our translator, rushed to her side in fear that she was terribly nervous about her dental visit. Just the opposite. This precious woman of 69 years of age got her first pair of glasses. She could FINALLY see clearly, for quite possibly the first time. Glasses are very expensive and often any money earned does not get spent on one's self but necessities like groceries or bills. Therefore money for glasses, dental work and doctor visits are rare to come by. Cornelia wept in sheer happiness and cried out loud that only with God was this possible. She praised God to those around her while she waited without ceasing and of course, my heart was flooded with joy and the tears began to flow. Things that are luxuries: glasses and sight, we take for granted because we are afforded them at much lower costs and we have insurance to help. There may even be an app for that! This sweet woman was beside herself. God painted the most beautiful picture of Cornelia, that I cannot even think about with out getting teary eyed (even as I type). She was given a bible. as she opened it, she began to touch the very words that her faith has been based upon... just by sight alone. She began to read God's holy and precious word aloud and continued to cry in sheer praise to our Creator. Never will I forget that moment. I know that the sound of her voice reciting God's word was the sweetest sound to His ears and to mine.
My quiet time was Philippians 4:6 where God asks us the think upon things that are noble, right, true, lovely and pure. If it is excellent or praise worthy... think on it. This day can be described with those words and I know... I will forever be thinking on it. God is good.
Pray for our 2nd day of clinic. Now that word is getting out in the village, we will become increasingly busy and our prayer is that we will meet all of the needs in Feldioara.
Live. Laugh and Praise God for seeing clearly... Possibly for the first time.
Melissa
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