Twenty-three Americans worked in Guyana, South America, under the direction of Partners
In Progress, conducting a medical clinic for 4 days at Canal Number Two with the
assistance of local Christians from the Clay Brick Road Church of Christ. Eight hundred ninety-three patients were examined and treated.
Nearly every patient was taught the Gospel and given religious literature. Hundreds of Bibles were distributed. Maximum attendence at the nightly preaching service was 137.
Twenty-three people obeyed the Gospel.
A detailed account of this mission follows:
There were 16 Christians who arrived at the Fort Smith airport around 5 a.m. for departure for Guyana on our 12th annual medical mission on Saturday, 1 June. Airport security was more thorough than in the past, but pleasantly none of our suitcases or boxes of supplies had to be opened. Three men from Oklahoma and Kansas joined us at Dallas-Fort Worth on our connecting flight to Miami. At Miami we were joined by four additional Christians from Missouri, Georgia, and Michigan. We had a 2-hour layover in Trinidad then arrived on time at 11 p.m. in Guyana.
We made it to our hotel rooms on the compound of the Russian Embassy in the capital city of Georgetown around 1 a.m., getting to bed before 2:00.
For the first time, this year we purchased the majority of our drugs from ECHO [now Durbin] of England. The shipment arrived in Guyana by air freight the week before we did.
After a reception with the hotel management and supper, we met for the usual orientation with the in-country director Steve DeLoach. Afterward we divided into medical workers and Bible teachers to discuss last minute details.
On Monday morning, 3 June, we met for breakfast at 7 a.m. We learned that the suitcases of two women arrived along with four boxes of our supplies on a BWIA flight Sunday night.
It was raining till mid-morning, but it seemed to have little effect on the number of patients who came to be seen. By mid-afternoon the temperature reached 86°F, with high humidity and very little breeze.
Our Bible teachers worked under a big tent behind the church building. All patient encounters included a spiritual interview. With those patients who expressed an interest, a simple Bible lesson was given while they were waiting to be examined. Generally, one American studied the Bible with one Guyanese. It was made clear to all that there is no requirement to study the Bible.
At various times in mid-day, lunch breaks were taken by team members. Cokes were available in our break "room."
A couple team members were transported in late morning on Monday to local public schools to discuss the possibility of some of our team members doing Bible teaching in the classroom in the afternoons. One headmistress, a devote Muslim, wanted considerable paperwork before allowing Bible lessons in her classrooms. The other nearby public school welcomed our teachers, and 4 were transported to teach at 2 p.m. The children were taught using a vacation Bible school approach. (This public school meets in the same building where we conducted our first medical mission in 1991.)
At 3 p.m. we closed the gate with no one left waiting in line. Our first van departed for the hotel at 3:45, the second at 4:15. Our physicians saw 118 patients. Our ophthalmic assistants provided eye care for 83 people. We witnessed the conversion and immersion of 3 souls.
Supper was at 5:30 at the hotel, then we departed for Canal Number Two at 6:30. A couple team members remained at the hotel in bed. Dr. Younger manned Operation Guyana's permanent clinic this evening, seeing 8 patients by appointment.
Evening church services were conducted under the tent used by our Bible teachers during the day. When we arrived at the Clay Brick Road church, we found the locals singing. Dr. Armstrong led songs for 10-15 minutes, then Roy Dunavin preached. The vans returned to the hotel around 9 p.m.
On Tuesday morning, 4 June, we awoke to heavy rain. After breakfast at 7:00, we left the hotel by 8:00.
The temperature was 77°F at the clinic when we arrived. We were quickly able to begin seeing patients, but the rain kept the crowd down till late morning. At first it was too dark inside the clinic due to the cloudy sky. When it was raining hard, it was too noisy on the building's tin roof, and in places too much water was dripping onto the medical team. In the Bible teaching area it became very muddy in many spots because of a few small holes in the tent. Because the land in this area was reclaimed from the sea by the Dutch during colonial times, water can be released from the ditches and canals only during low tide. Heavy rain during high tide often results in flooding of the low areas, which are all below sea level.
After the rains stopped on Tuesday, the temperature rose to only 82°F. There was more breeze today than on Monday.
We again taught Bible lessons at a nearby public school in the afternoon. The headmistress was especially hospitable toward our teachers after they were finished.
We saw 184 patients and 6 baptisms on our second day at the clinic. Leaving the clinic about 3:30, we returned to the hotel by 4:15.
One of our physicians, Dr. Armstrong, saw 22 patients Tuesday evening at the permanent clinic by appointment. The rest of our team returned to Canal Number Two for services. Before Roy Dunavin began his sermon, Gary Brown led the children (and adults) in some VBS-type songs. We returned to our hotel shortly after 9 p.m.
In mid-afternoon Gary Brown, Jeannie Cole, and Amy Payne went to the school to teach 11 to 16 year olds a Christian lesson about making good decisions. We saw 212 patients at our clinic and baptized 8 today.
Dr. Cole, Kathy Monk, and Pat Veatch saw 18 patients in the evening clinic. The service at Clay Brick Road had 124 in attendance.
Thursday, 6 June, was our first morning without rain when we went to breakfast. It started sprinkling as we left the hotel and continued raining all day.
We saw 142 medical patients and 88 eye patients before locking the gate at 2:30 p.m.
When everything was packed up, we sent a van load of our people back to the hotel. The truck arrived about 3:30. The rest of us left after it was loaded.
The generator wasn't working tonight at the service, so everything was done in the dark. Fortunately, many people had flashlights. One young man was baptized before we returned to the hotel.
Dr. Armstrong was a guest lecturer tonight for the Guyana Medical Association. He spoke on neurosurgical emergencies to about 120 physicians.
Dr. Younger and Kathy Monk saw 18 patients in the permanent Operation Guyana clinic on Thursday evening.
After everyone returned to the hotel, we enjoyed all the pineapple we could eat.
On Friday, 7 June, we met for breakfast as usual at 7 a.m. By 8:00 we began counting, packaging, and labeling the medications that will be used by the team coming next to Guyana. We finished by 10:15. The hotel provided us with a snack before we departed for the airport at 11 a.m.
Twenty-two of us arrived about noon at the airport and checked in without problem. None of our checked luggage or supplies had to be opened for security. Because of an air traffic control strike in Trinidad, our plane was late arriving in Guyana. We landed in Trinidad about 1 1/2 hours behind schedule.
Getting cleared through customs with our 3 boxes of eyeglasses considerably slowed us down as we tried to leave the airport in Trinidad. We were eventually transported for about an hour to our hotel, Cara Suites, which has the same owners as Cara Inn, our hotel in Guyana.
Arriving around 7 p.m., we were able to quickly check in to our hotel. An excellent supper was provided to us at 7:30.
On Saturday, 8 June, two from our group left early for the airport, to return to the States today, though their tickets were for Sunday's flights.
The 20 of us who remained in Trinidad met for breakfast at 8 a.m. Five women departed for an all-day shopping tour at 10:00. Eleven of us went for a couple hours to a big shopping mall about 30 minutes drive from the hotel. Two in the group went on a tour to the Caroni Swamp. Supper was served at 7 p.m.
On Sunday, 9 June, the hotel provided a light breakfast after 5 a.m. We began our devotional and communion service at 5:30. By 6:00 we were in the bus on our way to the airport, where we arrived about an hour later. A few had to open luggage or supply boxes before check in with BWIA. Three uneventful flights returned us joyously to our homes.
It is truly our desire that much good seed was sown by our team in Guyana and much spiritual fruit will be made manifest to the glory and honor of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Reedemer. Thanks be to God for His infinite mercy.
Larry Armstrong, D.O.,
Michael Blasdel,
Missy Blasdel,
Gary Brown,
Richard Bullard,
Jeff Cohu,
Jeannie Cole,
Michael Cole, M.D.,
Joyce Dunavin, R.N.,
Roy Dunavin,
Glenda Hodnett,
Rebecca Holloway,
Nancy James,
Bob Jones,
Mary June Lewis, R.N.,
Darrell Markley,
Kathy Monk, R.N.,
Amy Payne,
Charlotte Pinedo,
Mary Jo Russell,
Tim Watts,
Jeannee Wilkerson, R.N.,
Steven Younger, M.D.
by Michael S. Cole, M.D.
10 June 2002
The personal luggage of three team members did not arrive with our plane. Also we were missing a few tote boxes of our supplies.
On Sunday morning, 2 June, we met for breakfast at 7 a.m. We departed the hotel in 2 vans at 8:30 for the 45-minute trip across the Demerara River to the village of Canal Number Two, where we met for Sunday school and worship with the Clay Brick Road Church of Christ. Roy Dunavin taught class and Gary Brown delivered the sermon.
After returning to our hotel for lunch, we had time for rest or a nap. At 3 p.m. we gathered to count and package medications needed for dispensing from our pharmacy this week. The job was completed in just over 2 hours.
We left the hotel about 8 a.m., arriving at Canal Number Two before 9 a.m. We had the clinic set up inside the church building by 10 a.m. The building was divided into 3 exam "rooms," a pharmacy, and a break room using bedsheets draped from ropes. We also made space for eyeglass fitting and a waiting area inside the building, using up every square foot. We "installed" a [screen-door type] hook and eye to lock the door on the outhouse.
typical houses near Canal Number 2
On Wednesday, 5 June, there was a gentle rain that stopped shortly after we opened our clinic around 9 a.m. The temperature was 77°F when we started and 86°, humid, and sunny when we left about 3:30.
Bob Jones remained in Guyana to work with the next week's medical mission team, which included those from Kentucky who worked with us in 2001.
Canal Number Two, Guyana, on this trip:
