In 1998, Hurricane Mitch ripped through Nicaragua, decimating the landscape, homes and businesses. Near to our compound, a small town was completely wiped out; all that remained of the town was fallen trees and rubble. Vision Nicaragua took this village of Bethel, bought block-making machines and constructed homes. What they do now other than constructing the occasional home is run a sponsorship program for the children of the town to go to school and onto college.
The other main ministry is what they call “sick men”. Sugar cane is a staple crop for Nicaragua. Unfortunately, a pesticide outlawed in the ‘70s in the US is used on the fields and causes kidney disease. This affects thousands of the male population. They are called sick men because they are basically waiting to die. They can barely find work because no one will hire them knowing they only have so much time to live. The life expectancy has lengthened a little due to better medicine and the availability of dialysis in a town not too far away but this disease is still crippling to the families affected by it. Vision Nicaragua helps in two main ways. First, on the compound they employ the sick men. They pay them a fair salaried wage, unheard of for these men. The other way they help is through the clinic here on our compound. A doctor is here Monday-Friday for the town of Bethel. Through this clinic, the better medication has been distributed, giving these men a chance to be with their families a bit longer.
Today, Rae and I got to work in the clinic! Rae used to be a CNA and is able to do the basics like take blood pressure. I can speak Spanish and count pills so together we made a pretty good team. When a patient came in we would take their blood pressure, temperature and weight. After the doctor saw them we would fill their script in the “pharmacy” or the back room with all the medicine. It was really great to be tangibly helping these people. One man came in and Rae thought his blood pressure was way too high. It turns out he was a sick man and the kidney disease was causing it. It breaks my heart to see people suffering consequences that they don’t deserve. Sometimes giving out pills and keeping these men in my prayers is all I can do.
Katie
