Monday - Preparation

Today we are still waiting for final clearance for holding clinic in San Carlos.  We set up our dental clinic in a private home (with electricity and, we hope, running water) and our medical clinic and pharmacy at the campground that the UMC Panama  is establishing.  It is a beautiful forty acre site with several buildings that will be residences for campers when the camp is finished, ie, when electricity and running water and sanitation are available.

The dental clinic is very impressive--does your dentist take care of you on a shaded veranda with surroundings of palm trees and bougainvillea?  Loree and Heather and Pete are really lucky, but champing at the bit to get started.  Tom was so excited--he got to see our first patient, a young man who got something in his eye.  The patient was very happy to be treated by Los Norteamericanos.

Loree and Pete are all smiles!

  

Austin greets the campers while Rhett and Pablito look on

Don't you wish your dentist had this set up?

 It is hot, of course, and the afternoon was spent prepackaging medications and vitamins and with Amanda and Austin playing soccer with a group of about a dozen schoolchildren under the supervision of Kristen and Pablito.  We expect to get our clearance tomorrow and start giving well checks and dental cleanings until we hear from the commissioner.  We drank all of our water in the course of the day and used up all the ice by 2pm.  We have to get more supplies and are all hoping for a swim this evening, either in the piscine or the mar.