Surgery in a Third-World-Country

The Mission has a hospital with one doctor and a few locally trained nurses. Visiting medical groups often come to help with free surgeries.

Well, Katie's (Our local Missionary friend) parents came to offer free eye surgeries. Dr. Chris Wallyn and his wife Cathy Wallyn R,N, along with Surgical Tech David, wasted no time and were performing numerous surgeries each day.

The group scheduled surgeries for the entire time they were to be in San Lucas and Katie was bummed that she wasn't going to be able to show her Mom the nutrition projects she has been working on. 

However, once they found out that I am also a Registered Nurse they asked that I help out as the surgical nurse and translate so Katie and her Mom could get some free time together away from the operating room..

After reminding them that I am really a psychiatric nurse, they offered their confidence and said, "You can do it!"

Well, after a few prayers I jumped right in: Starting I.V.'s, passing supplies into sterile fields, translating, administering medication, etc. Sure had to brush off those old medical skills.

The surgeries were amazing.

We removed such mature cataracts that those with them were not able to see at all before the surgery.

But what I enjoyed the most was spending time with these wonderful Mayan people. All of them had serious eye conditions and had no means of paying for surgery.

Dr. Wallyn has been doing this, up to six times a year for decades, changing lives and charging nothing.

Thank you for allowing me to be a very small part of something wonderful, sharing gifts, and reflecting God's love while expecting nothing in return.

Loving Missionary Life