The Georges in Peru

Many of you have been praying for Manuel, a friend I met running who lives in our neighborhood.  He is deaf but is the most enthusiastic Bible student I've ever had.  We worked through all of Genesis, Exodus, Matthew and Romans in about 2 weeks!  

Today, I accompanied him to see a medical specialist.  Since he is deaf he needs someone to go with him to write down what the doctor told him.  We left our house a bit before 6:30 am to go get in line at the hospital.  We waited in the first line 45 minutes to be told when we reached the counter to sit down and wait to be called.  This happened about 6 times before we got his medicines and went home.  It was like waiting in serial lines at Disney World without having nearly as much fun at the end of the wait.

At the end, we waited in line an hour to make his March appointment, only to be told that the system doesn't book that far in advance.  Manuel has to go back February 4th, just so he can wait in line again to get an appointment for March!

Friday, Sarah graduated from Peruvian high school and had prom that same night.  Graduation is not like in the US.  They do have several speeches, but there is no cap and gown and the graduates don't walk across the stage.  We were proud of Sarah for getting the highest score in German class (since it is a German-Peruvian school, that gets special notice) and she also got the highest scores for her class overall for the year.  That night we all went to prom.  "You can't overdo it."  We were told by another missionary when we asked what to wear.  Most of the graduates were dressing trying to look 5 years older and most of the parents were dressing trying to look 20 years younger.  This was the chance for the graduates to walk across the stage and be acknowledged one at a time. The parents were served a fancy dinner while the graduates had a dance and cute little snacks.  It was a bit stressful, since we didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be a pleasant event.

Why can't you ever see this in Nebraska?  Because there is no shadow!  At 11:29 am yesterday, the sun was directly overhead.  Since Peru lies between the tropics on the globe, twice a year the sun goes directly overhead.

Yesterday I visited Alejandro, the crippled, 83-year-old that we help.  He had gotten hit by a car (luckily, just his crutch that was poking into the street got hit, knocking him down, and the driver sped off) and his crutch was broken and he was sore from head to toe.  I got him some Tramadol 300 mg extended-release tablets, which I nervously gave him (it's a high dose), but he is in so much pain the benefits outweighed the risks.  Today he was smiling from head to toe and when I gave him his crutch that I fixed he smiled even more.  He said his pains were all gone!  Of course, when the constipation sets in he might not be so smiley.

As the US government shuts down for lack of foresight (couldn't see that coming, could you?) , the Peru economy continues to get stronger.  Paying for one's health care is very much within reach of most average people, and not because medical missionaries are providing all of the care!  Today, yours truly needed some lab work done.  At my favorite lab the desk clerk asked, "Have you had lab work done here before?"  "I don't think so.  I've sent a lot of patients here, however."  She looked at my doctor's order and said, "You're Dr. George!  We get lots of your patients!  Some of them don't speak any Spanish and I have to use what little English I know to communicate."  "Sorry about that," I say, averting my eyes, "I really like your lab and how you send me the results by email.  Very handy."  She put all the lab orders into the computer and told me, "Please take a seat and the tech will call you."  "Do I need to pay first?"  "No.  It's on the house in appreciation for all of the patients you send us!"  "Wow.  Thanks!"  my first kick-back! I think to myself.  

Later today, Mia needed her foot Xrayed.  I doubted she had anything, but after 10 days of a sore 5th metatarsal base, I was starting to worry about a Jones Fracture or stress fracture.  We got the normal Xray in about 10 minutes after walking into the room.  How much?  $7.  Mia didn't believe me when I told her how much it would cost in the US.

My lab was all fine btw.

Today was Day 1 of the Christ Community work team here in Peru.  They are helping build a desperately-needed bath complex with 12 showers, and 8 toilets at our camp about 1 hour outside of Arequipa.  At times we have over 200 people at camp using one bath complex and the lines can be long!  Every year we have bigger and bigger groups wanting to use the camp.  

I am so proud of the team as they are such hard workers.  Each of the guys make me look like a wimp!  I think the Peruvian foreman is amazed at how much they got done on the first day.  (We ran out of some materials)  A huge pile of heavy rocks was converted into the entire foundation of the complex in one day.  The camp directors have warned me they need to slow down or they will get sick, but I've pointed out that several are construction workers, one just got out of the army and they come from Nebraska where they are enjoying 97-degree heat!  I think they'll be just fine, though the hardest part might be the cold showers!