The time spent in Samaipata was filled with every joy of helping those less fortunate.  The clinic was set up in the hospital and was in good running order by mid-day on Sunday.  (Our late arrival in Samaipata on Saturday prohibited the usual Saturday set up.)  The hospital was smaller than usual, but every need of our team was met.  Our clinic opened at 8 am everyday and closed late in the day, with the last people leaving after 7 pm.  We saw our last patients on Thursday.  We packed after the clinic closed that day.  It is always a mixed feeling of having succeeded in helping some very sweet people and the sadness of knowing that there are so many more left to help.

The team was in place in the hospital by 8 am and there were already lines and lines of people.  Sr. Marco kept everyone under control in the multiple lines and befriended everyone.  The people were taken first to Triage where Christine, Curtis and Pedro patiently asked them where they hurt and who they wanted to see.  With triage paper in hand, each patient left to go form yet another line to wait to be seen by the appropriate physician, dentist or eye lady.   Greg was the "man about campus", helping all. Daniel, Sonny, Jackie and Linda kept the medications flowing in an organized manner from the pharmacy.  Lauren sweetly aided Jorde and Claribel in the pediatrics area; Lisa C did an amazing job with the lab - and anything else she was asked to do!  Dana helped in the OB/GYN area with both Wilma and Walter and, at times, with eyes.  Pam, Lisa M, Mary and Judi listened intently for the word "clarito" to designate that perfect pair of glasses.  Steve, Beverly, Lisa S and Chris gave much needed dental care along with Pablo, Alex and Adolfo. Becky was organizer, trouble shooter, and a part of everything that went on.  Dominick carefully and patiently complied all the data from all of those triage sheets.  And Jefe Rafael, well, he was everywhere, working his magic and keeping everything under control.  The Bolivian doctors worked side by side with the Oklahomans to give medical relief in over 2500 consults. Lots and lots of triage papers!)  Really remarkable when the weather is taken into consideration.  It is winter there and the town is at about the same altitude as Denver.  A cold front came through early in the week.  It brought temperatures in the 40's and 50's, wind and rain.  It broke our hearts to see the lines of people waiting in such miserable conditions.  Even though we were pretty cold and damp the whole time - not even the hotel rooms had heat - we always realized that we had a bus to take us home and that there was food and warm blankets waiting.  Many of the Bolivians had walked 3 hours just to make it to the clinic.  It was usually near dark by the time they were able to return home - walking  3 more hours in the cold and rain to homes that had less than adequate protection from the weather.

Many, many stories can be told about our trip.  Too many to include here.  Samaipata was a beautiful place to be both in reference to the incredible flowers in bloom everywhere, and mostly about the beautiful people we served.  It was a very successful trip and, with the grace of God we will be able to return to Bolivia next year.

Thank you for the many ways we have been supported financially and through prayer.  God bless you one and all.