My Caribbean Home

Well, I'm flying over the Caribbean now, headed for home after a very successful week. This 3 1/2 hour flight is usually a great time for reflection over the trip and all of its heart lessons.  I haven't been able to post daily on this trip because we've had some trouble with the Internet connection. But, every little thing is alright. 

On Wednesday, we held a clinic for the good people of the infirmary.  We were told that a big improvement in their activity levels and alertness were noticed after our last clinic, due to changes to their diagnoses and medications that were in some cases long overdue. So, with feedback like that it becomes even easier and more prudent to love on the residents. 

As we were wrapping up there, at about lunchtime, we were told that the tropical storm that was in the region had changed its course and was now expected to pass over Jamaica in a few hours. So, we rushed to hold an earlier clinic at the hotel for the Jamaican staff there while another mission team that was spending the week along with us set out to implement the hurricane plan. They hung boards over all of the windows facing the ocean, filled containers with water, moved and secured all loose furniture sitting outside, and generally worked up a really good sweat. The hotel where we stay is located high on a cliff, out of the ocean's reach, and the structures are all concrete. So, we were feeling very safe.  Of the most concern was probably that we were nearly guaranteed to lose power for what could be an indefinite amount of time. But, after all of that preparation, God steered the 'breeze' as the Jamaicans call it away from the island. We saw only rain and a few thunderstorms. God is good. 

The next day was our off day, and we spent it at Somerset Falls in Portland Parish.  I was there last year, and swam down the river to watch the students jump off the cliff and waterfall into the pond below. So, since I had done that already and our day was a little chilly, overcast and rainy, I chose to spend it under shelter.  I had a good book to read, music to listen to, and rum to sip. The rain poured down all around to create a perfectly delightful day.  

That brings us to yesterday, which we spent at the Robins Bay clinic.  It was by far the nicest location that I have been blessed to work in Jamaica. It was within a stone's throw of the ocean, right on the coast and so extraordinarily beautiful. The clinic building itself had been updated 2 years ago by various groups in conjunction with the Peace Corps, and so it had good lighting, good bathrooms, and fans!  Imagine that, I had a fan at my back all day long. It was wonderful!!  Chiropractic was popular there, and I was as busy as in past clinics. And, it seemed I saw a wider range of cases. I worked with Dr. Guy to refer a woman to a hospital in Kingston to see an orthopedist with a suspected significant rotator cuff tear. It was good to be a part of connecting her to what she needs, and I pray that it works out well for her.  I also saw a woman with what I think was an adductor muscle strain, or a 'groin pull.'  She was in a lot of pain, but seemed to respond well to the treatment. 

We wrapped up there a little early, so we were treated to a stop along the coast at a really extraordinarily beautiful patch of coastline. It was all made of volcanic rock, and the waves were crashing really high on it, spraying saltwater far inland as we walked by. It was gorgeous, as was the view along the coast. We spent the rest of the night hanging out, enjoying our last night together, first around a bonfire at the beach, then around the Jerk Stand with Guinesses' in hand and Bob Marley in the air.  It was a good day, and a good end to a good trip. So much goodness!

Rolling Waves

Greetings from Jamaica!  

Things have been going very well. On Monday, we worked at the Long Road clinic, and I found that I have a healthy practice established there. It was so great to have more than half of my 23 patients that day as return visits.  I'd seen them on previous trips, and so I could follow-up on their care. Super cool.

We had good weather, and were showered by grateful patients in gifts of mangoes and in chilled jelly coconuts. That's a young coconut that hasn't yet dried out to the form that we are probably most familiar with.  They lobbed off the top of the coconut and placed a straw inside, and we all drank our own coconut full of coconut water. It was such a treat!!

Since it was my birthday, I was serenaded on the bus on the way home and treated to a Red Stripe ... or two.  It was a great day!

Today, we saw patients at the Rock River clinic.  It was a super hot, humid day.  Hydration is your friend in those conditions! I saw 30 patients tucked inside a very small room, but I was very grateful to be inside the clinic, instead of outside under a tarp which is sometimes necessary. Plus, we had a nice, private, quiet area to work. I saw a wide range of conditons today and generally worked my buns off. In spite of that, I'm more awake and energized tonight than I've been yet. It's sometimes so rewarding to serve others, you receive so many blessings in doing it, that it doesn't feel like you're sacrificing anything at all.

Even though my brain is awake, I'm sure that I'll have no trouble sleeping deeply tonight! We'll be treated to a night without the AC, and my room is very near the ocean. So I'll be sleeping to the sound of rolling waves. Not too bad, mon!

A Song to Praise By

Off again!  I'm in Jamaica, eager to serve her people for another week. We arrived 2 days ago, and things have been going extraordinarily well.  Our flights were good, we, and all of our supplies, passed through customs without a hiccup, and the weather has been perfectly beautiful.

We began our day yesterday at a local church. On all of my previous trips, we've gone to churches here that have been somewhat Americanized in their presentation of the service. But, this church was in the heart of Port Maria, was a very old church with great Jamaican architecture, and was a much more culturally Jamaican service. I appreciated that, particularly for the way that people here so joyfully, whole-heatedly praise God in song.  They LOVE to sing, and aren't shy about doing so.  In the heat of a Jamaican summer, I was covered in goosebumps as they began their first song, first just saying the words for us, and then having us repeat them so that we would know the song.  And then, slowly it grew.  The choir joined in as they came around to it, then each of the instruments jumped in, all at different times in no particularly organized fashion so that it had this awesome organic effect of a song just rising up out of nothing into this big, full voiced praise and worship at its finest. It was breathtaking!

We spent the rest of the day yesterday preparing our students for their roles here and organizing and stocking our supplies. We have a well-stocked pharmacy this time around!  I even have a few new supplies to give away that have migrated down here - ice packs, heat patches, arnica creams, etc.  So, I'm excited and looking forward to our first clinic today. We're headed to Long Road, which is I think our most remote clinic, about an hour up a long, long road winding up a hill.  

Aaaaand, it's my birthday today!  I think this service is a great way to celebrate this gift of life!!

Even God Rested

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny, just-the-right-temperature day. We had several different groups going to different places, and I went with the group headed to Ocho Rios. We spent a little time in the market bartering for our souvenirs, and then found a really great, airy terrace to have lunch. It was called 'Mama Marleys', and Bob Marley's music was blasting, his videos were playing on the big screen, and, to top it off, it was Jamaica's Independence Day and one of their national cultural celebrations was being televised. The bartender was very proud to share lots of information about the cultural displays, and he made a wonderful coconut rum cocktail! I had a goat curry for lunch. That's right, I jumped in and tried the goat, and it was great!

After that, we spent the afternoon at Dunn's River Falls.  It was really a delight to see, and to see the pictures of it makes it seem crazy to me that we climbed this river-waterfall at all.

What I probably enjoyed more, though, was that I got to break away from the group for a little while and took pictures all over the beach and up the falls.

When we got back to the hotel, we were treated to rum cake, a big meal of jerk chicken, rice and peas, and sweet potatoes. Then, we had just a really spirit-filled closing meeting around a bonfire on the rocky beach area at the hotel. We shared about our experiences of the week and our gratitude for all of the specific things that each of us contributed to the work this week. Then, under the bright moonlight reflecting off the ocean, waves crashing and bonfire blazing, we sang all four verses of Amazing Grace, and I swear that I heard the angels singing along.
Glory be to God, and what a fitting end!

Jamaican Jellies of Gratitude

Yesterday was another awesome day. We saw patients at Brainard, in a church. The chiropractors shared the alter with 'Dr. Eyes', as we've called the willing servant with is who is a farmer back home, and our patient data entry specialist, or the Canadian graduate student studying history, as he's known back home. It was a tight squeeze for the entire clinic, and it was LOUD in that church. I'm actually a little hoarse today from talking so loudly all day long with my patients. No problem!

We were much busier and stayed longer at the clinic than on previous days, and it was a joy. We had many repeat patients from the year before who were requesting to see either Dr. Kent or I specifically, because that is who they saw last year. There were even people who presented to the clinic just for chiropractic, not to see the medical doctors or dentists at all. That is really rewarding to see, as it means that we've had enough consistency here that they're learning what chiropractic is and it's value. Maybe we have a budding Jamaican practice on our hands! Applied Chiropractic of Jamaica?

Often we have patients through the entire clinic who want to give us fruits from their farms as an expression of their gratitude, which is such a lovely gesture. Yesterday, I had a gentleman on my table who when we were finished told me, "I still need to see Dr. Eyes, but if I can do that quickly, I will have enough time to go to gather a couple dozen Jellies for you." Jellies are young coconuts which you slice the top off of and drink the coconut water inside. So, I interceded to scoot him to the front of the 'Dr. Eyes' line, and on our trip home, as our bus was rolling down the hill, we found this gentleman with his wife and child holding so many coconuts for us! They just sat their patiently waiting for us to drive by so that they could share them with us. And we appreciated the treat!

Today we are finished with clinics and begin reflecting on what has been accomplished this week. We'll do that while enjoying the beauty of Jamaica at Dunn's River Falls. I'm excited to share some gorgeous photos with you!

Infirmary Clinic

Yesterday was a gorgeous, sunshiny day. We spent it doing various odd jobs, mostly related to the administration of medical missions here. We also held a clinic at the infirmary, or 'Poor House'. It's something like a nursing home that is state-funded and is the end of the line for people who don't have the money or the people around them to care for them. We brought our normal clinic set-up to them, and it was really great to be a part of that really important service, as these people probably needed most to see us of anyone that we've treated yet this week.

Then, last night we finally had enough spare time to spend a little time relaxing at the Jerk Stand with a nice cold Red Stripe, the Jamaican beer. Not too bad, mon. Not too bad.

Can You Help My Friend?

Good Morning from Jamaica!

In this post are a few pictures that I've taken this morning, both of the Jamaican sunrise and of where I'm sitting as I write to you today.

We had a really awesome day yesterday. We were at the Enfield clinic, and it went really well. Dr. Kent and I are not seeing the volume of patients that we have on previous trips, but the quality of the interaction between us and our patients has gone up immensely because of it. I've had time to both treat thoroughly, and to just open up and chat with patients as they're on my table. To ask about their lives. To get to know them. To let them know that we care about them. It's been really rewarding to hear so many inspiring stories.

One gentleman that I talked to, Lester, was in a bad bus crash, and injured his foot many years ago. He's had foot pain ever since, so he was seeing the foot specialist that we have along on our team this trip. She sent him to us to help him further with rehab exercises, etc. In talking to him, I learned that he's a mechanical engineer, but there's no work for him here. He's also really interested in service and in mission work and has been researching various international mission trips. And so, I asked him if he'd ever been on a mission trip. And he quickly replied, "That takes money." Silly Jen. It's just sad to see someone who's highly trained and willing to work, but who is limited severely by his poverty. Then, as we were about to leave and were just loading the last things on our truck, this gentlemen came hurrying up to me, "Jennifer, can you help my friend?" He had his friend with him who had just been poked in the eye with a stick, and who now couldn't see out of his eye. It was a pretty serious injury. Long story summed up, Dr. Guy stepped in, gave him a seat on our bus, dropped him at the local hospital, spoke to the eye specialist in Kingston, and handed him cab fare to get to the eye hospital there, as there are few to no ambulances in Jamaica. We've laid many prayers over him since.

Today, we're in for a different sort of day than we're used to. We're going to hold a clinic at the 'Poor House'. It's sure to be transformational for everyone in the team.