The medical team is now in Saigon and staying at the Rex hotel. Over the years the Rex has been very generous to Children of Peace. It is a wonderful respite for a tired and weary group of folks, it also highlights the contrasts that exists in so much of our world. Editor's note (Barbara Munter).
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We were up at five, showered, dressed and ready for leading devotions at 5:45. Jeff read about Jesus feeding the five thousand. His devotion was about how the people were tired, the disciples wanted to pack up and go home, not enough provisions, etc, etc. Somehow it all seems to fit at 5:45 in the morning facing another big clinic day!Then we walked the marble halls, carpeted steps, spotless lobby, perfectly quiet elevators, and found ourselves transported to this huge breakfast layout that would have made a king salivate and for sure fed at least five thousand orphans! No we had not died and gone to heaven, we had just gone up five floors at the Rex Hotel!
Thirty minutes later we were on a large bus heading for the oldest school for the deaf in Vietnam. At that time of the day more mopeds than have ever been made formed rivers of humanity on their way to build all the stuff we buy at Wal-mart, Target, Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. How a huge bus can thread its way through this incredible traffic is a wonder to behold. It is truly a dance with its own Asian rhythm to the music of restrained honking of the horns, and hugging one another with an intimate one or two inches to spare between cars, mopeds, trucks and buses. After a while we hardly notice the death defying moves of late to work moped riders trying to call the office on their mobile phones.
An hour later we arrive at the refuge for the deaf children. It is hidden on a narrow street. There are several large two story low profile buildings with large rooms, dormitory, school, etc for over 300 deaf children from all backgrounds in Vietnam. The Nuns are the usual kind, pleasant and very efficient people we have grown to love and respect in this country. They, like the children, have lived through tough times with only their faith and wits to chart a course into the future. Binh's mother used to come to this place many years ago, bringing binh with her to help care for the children.
It was the best place we have had so far to set up the clinic. The process starts with registration at a table with a nun filling in the name, age, etc. of the child and pinning it on the child's shirt. Next binh talks with them to see if there are any special needs or problems and of course set a safe atmosphere for the kids. At the end of this table is a dentist who checks their teeth and marks the result on the chart pinned to the child's shirt. A small courtyard nearby serves as space for the hygiene team to teach the kids proper tooth brushing, washing of hands, and to receive a pill for worms, etc. From there they walk a few feet to have someone check their ears. Next all their vitals are checked by the nursing students including vision checks etc. The child then moves a few steps more to see a doctor who expands the examination and writes prescriptions for any medication the child may require. Next, the child's chart is checked by someone like myself to see if they need to go to the dentist or on to pharmacy for their meds and a toy.
This process was repeated three hundred and seven times today. Along the way bottled water, coffee, snacks, and lunch are provided for the teams by helpers like myself and several others. There is always a smile and time to put a child at ease and let them know they are important to us and loved. When all is finished it takes a half hour or so to pack up all the equipment, portable dental chairs, drills, sterilizers, meds, and a hundred other things into the many large storage bins. From there they are placed on a small truck in the correct order for the unpacking at the next clinic.
At the end of all this there are heartfelt goodbyes, expressions of gratitude by the children and ourselves for a marvelous day etc. Then we walk to the main road to board the bus for the ride back to the hotel in the evening rush hour traffic.
I can't say enough about the marvelous team we have and how well everyone works together and enjoys each other. The interpreters are also outstanding individuals and become an extension of ourselves in all communication. We are blessed is so many ways, and we pray that we are a blessing to all we serve.
It starts all over again in the morning for those who choose to come to our room at 5:45 for Pastor Jeff's devotions...
Jim
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