Trinity Lutheran Church
Stillwater, Minnesota
Many professionals arrived with this group, and they worked all over the place!
Day 1. The group arrived early at the construction site for a brief orientation with volunteer coordinator Traci, and Lyn. Part of the group began working with Ezequiel to layout the new construction materials storage building. The medical volunteers returned to Hotel Bambu to bring the suitcases of medicine to donate. Two pharmacists created the inventory sheets of their donation. Dr. Kevin Bjork began seeing surgical patients and later he worked with the builders at the job site, only to be called back to the Hospitalito for an emergency surgery. Antonio, who is working in the pharmacy while Rosalia is on vacation, asked for help from volunteer Pharmacist Cindy. Gwynn and Deborah offered to paint Cuarto 1, a patient room that has a mold problem during rainy season. Fredy set them up with bleach water to wash the walls before painting.
Day 2. Dr. Kevin performed his first surgery in the “operating room with a fireplace and a view”. Cuarto 1 was occupied with a patient, so it couldn’t be painted. The group assembled wheelbarrows purchased for construction and painted inventory codes on all of the new tools. Duane began checking computer problems.
Day 3. Cindy continued in the pharmacy, while Dr. Kevin and Deborah were in the OR. Four of the men got busy building the new metal building, and it went up FAST! At 4 PM, the group’s soccer enthusiasts joined Dr. Chuc and Jose Reanda for a game in the Bahia, and afterwards dinner at the Posada.
Day 4. Cuarto 1 was finally empty and the women quickly put on a new coat of blue from the Fairfax California donation. On the construction site, the volunteers install lighting in the new building. Arq. Molander and Gaspar Mendoza, the contractor chosen to build the new hospital, met to discuss plans for start of the foundation, next Monday. At 1 PM, a special traditional farewell lunch, pulik with suban was ready in the education room. After lunch, the architect and builder discussed future plans with Mission Director Tom Thiets and other engineers and specialists for return trips with more professionals.
