LSU Medical Team

Hello Everyone from Rainy Guatemala,

Well at least a night. Thank God we have finally gotten the rain we needed so badly here. Our cistern is full of water and so we can all take showers as long as we like, even up to five minutes if you really wanted to. (I can't imagine anyone would but who knows).

We just had a team of medical students here from LSU (That is Louisiana State University). They were first year medical students and it was my first time hosting med students. Fortunately I had Dr Bill Schnurr here helping me and he had mentored students for years when he was the chief of surgery at his hospital in Michigan. I have to say, I was a little concerned at first because they were not a typical church missions group. So I did not know if they were wild drug crazed hippies or who knows what, now a days. But, to my surprise they were the most mature and respectful young people I have ever had the pleasure, no, honor to work with. They treated me and my family along with the Guatemalans we saw with total and complete respect.

For some of these students it was the first time they had actually ever done hands on patient care.

They made me proud to be an American. I applaud the ethics and values I saw in these young aspiring medical students. Thanks to the LSU medical Team, Job Well Done!

Actually I wanted to share some of the things we saw and did while they were here. The temperature was close to 100 degrees most days and the humidity also at 100 %, but people walked (some for hours) to get medical attention. In 6 days we saw and treated 1,182 people.

OK so sometimes they were not so mature.

They got to do some minor surgery.

They were in heaven.

For some it was their fist time to get to actually treat a patient.

Dr. Schnurr teaching Buddy, one of the med students.

Actually a few days before the team arrived Dr Schnurr was helping me with the boat and hit his head on a piece of metal and cut his head open enough to need sutures. So I stitched him up and then when they got here they got to remove the sutures. They were pretty nervous having to remove the sutures of the Dr. who would be their teacher all week.

They got to see some interesting cases that we see in 3rd world countries that they would probably never see in the States.

So again it was a pretty interesting week for them and I think they learned a lot. One of the things they got to experience was a new village. Twenty five years ago some Guatemalans fled the civil war here and moved to Bolivia. Six months ago they returned to Guatemala and the government built them some block homes. But it is in the middle of no where and no resources for them. So we went to this village to do a medical clinic.

After the clinic, these med students went out and played the universal love language in most of the world, soccer. The people of this village had been living in the middle of absolutely no where and had no stimulation of any kind except to survive. When these young guys challenged them in soccer the whole village came to watch. It was fantastic.

Again I was so proud of these young folks. I really wanted to go out there and show them how it was done. But my ankle, uh, I mean my back, uh, no my shoulder was really hurting, yea that's it my shoulder was really bad that day, so I let these guys play in the 100 degree heat of the sun. Oh how I wanted to show them how to play. But I just turned 50 years old and so I must be getting too old huh?

So all in all it was a very busy week and lots of patients but it was as always a rewarding time.

I want to share something that is very exciting for Riechelle and I. We now have the video presentation of our mission on the web site. Thanks to David Harrison our Web Master. (He was here for a week helping us with our computer stuff and he kept telling me I had to bow to him and say, "Yes Web Master." I think he is taking the 'Master' thing a bit too far.) smile……

Anyway, if you would like to see the DVD that we have sent out to those who asked for one just go to my web site at www.Junglemedicmissions.org. Go to the bottom of the front page and click the link that says Junglemedic Missions 2007.

It will take you to David's link and you will see a screen with the presentation. Click the bottom where is says: Click to play video. A lot of you folks are in the video so have a Kleenex handy, you may need it. If you would like a DVD of this presentation to show folks about the work we are doing here in Guatemala, just e-mail me and let me know and I'll see you get one. It is free, but if you order today, I will send you a CD of me playing the pan flute and Marimba at the same time while singing Amazing Grace. This CD has sold more albums than the Beatles and Elvis combined. It is yours today only for FREE. So order today!

OK, all kidding aside, I know this was a goofy news letter but hey sometimes you got to laugh a little bit, (I know you are saying who does he think is laughing).

Got to run, but God Bless and thanks for all you guys do for us, we appreciate your love and prayers.

God Bless,
In His Service,

Bryan & Riechelle and Kids

Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America

E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/

This page was last updated 06/26/07