Twenty-five Americans worked in Guyana, South America, under the direction of Partners In Progress, conducting a medical clinic for 4 days at Stewartville with the assistance of members of the local Church of Christ. Eight hundred fifty-two patients were examined and treated. Most patients were taught the Gospel and given religious literature, including many Bibles. The maximum attendance at the nightly preaching and teaching service was 162. Twenty-three people became new Christians.

A detailed account of this mission follows:

Preparations for the 17th annual Guyana medical mission trip of the West-Ark Church of Christ began in June 2006. Team members were recruited. Medical and teaching supplies were collected. Money was raised to cover each person's travel expenses which varied from $2650 to $3000, depending on domestic airline tickets. Team meetings were held at West-Ark every week for 3 months. An inventory list was made of our supplies and sent to Customs officials in Guyana. Several on the team spent the evening of Memorial Day (28 May) getting team supplies ready to go to the airport.

Twenty-one people on our team began arriving at the airport in Fort Smith at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, 2 June 2007. Our flight on American Airlines departed on time shortly after 6 a.m. After changing to a much larger plane at Dallas-Fort Worth airport, we arrived at Miami about 11:30. After finding some lunch we checked in with Caribbean Airlines (formerly British West Indies Airines). Our flight departed on time at 4:45. After an hour stop in Trinidad, we arrived in Guyana soon after 10 p.m.

We cleared Immigration, found our luggage and supplies, and proceeded to Customs. For the first time, several of our supply bags were opened for inspection. It was only a formality. We were soon on our way to the Grand Coastal Inn, about an hour's ride from the airport.

We began our day on Sunday morning with breakfast at 8:30. Two vans transported us on the 55-minute trip across the Demerara River to Stewartville, where we arrived at 10:45. The Church of Christ has a nice, big building right on the highway.

About 11:00, Roy, from our team, taught Sunday school from James chapter 1. Basil, the minister at Stewartville, preached. We departed for the ride back to our hotel soon after 1 p.m.

We did not have to pack pills on Sunday afternoon as a full set of our formulary was already available for us. At 5 p.m. we met for 1 1/2 hours for team oriention by Operation Guyana director, Steve DeLoach. We then ate supper and had the rest of the evening free.

Monday, 4 June, breakfast was served at 9:30. After a brief devotional by Richard, we returned to our rooms with enough time to brush our teeth. We departed for Stewartville about 10:15.

The rain was so heavy that we could not unload our supplies from the truck for about a half hour after our arrival at the clinic site. We set up the indoor area as much as we could while we waited for the downpour to lessen. When everything was ready, we began seeing patients at 1 p.m.

The rain stopped about 2 p.m. With the messy weather, the high temperature in the village was only 78.

We have learned to anticipate the first day will have fewer patients. In spite of the wet weather, we treated 115 patients from 24 villages on Monday. Six people were baptized.

We closed up at 5:30 and began packing our medications, eyeglasses, Bibles, and other supplies. Everything was locked up in the room we used for breaks.

As it was getting dark, around 6 p.m., we began singing, led by the local song leader and later by Jim from our team. Roy preached, using the portable public address system that we took with us to Guyana in 2006. An outdoor class for 37 children was led by several on our team while the adults listened to a sermon about Jesus Christ and Paul's book of Romans.

We left Stewartville about 7:15. After the 45-minute ride back to the hotel, we all enjoyed a tasty supper. A good night's sleep was well deserved after everyone on the team worked hard in the various tasks assigned to them.

We were praising God for the blue sky and sunshine on Tuesday morning as we were going to breakfast. The rain that fell while we were holding our clinic was typical rainy season weather -- brief showers that provided episodic relief from the tropical heat.

We treated 187 patients and witnessed 5 baptisms.

One of our team members became so ill that we sent her back to the hotel about 5:45, along with her roommate, a doctor, and a nurse with the nurse's husband.

Ashley was originally scheduled to travel with the team, but her passport did not come in time. She arrived in Guyana late on Tuesday, joining her parents and sister.

Also on Tuesday night, Dolton's lost luggage came to the hotel with Ashley.

On Wednesday morning we drove through several flooded villages on the way to Stewartville. The sun was shining, giving hope that the high water would soon flow into the Atlantic during low tide.

We arrived at our clinic site at 11:10 and once again found that things had been set up by the local Christians for us to begin moving our supplies into place. We began seeing patients shortly after 11:30 a.m.

No rain fell at Stewartville while we were there on Wednesday. Without rains, the temperature reached 87F in the afternoon with very high humidity. Those from the States felt like they were melting after hours without the cool breezes that follow the rains.

We cared for 273 patients on Wednesday. The doctors saw 147 and 126 were fitted for eyeglasses. Our Bible teachers taught those who were willing to listen to the story of Christ's crucifixion. We witnessed 6 baptisms for remission of sins.

Our evening service began shortly after 6:00. Songs were led first by a Stewartville Christian, then by Jim from our team. While Roy preached on repentance, several on our team taught the many children adjacent to the outside of the church building.

On Thursday, 7 June, we ate breakfast at 8:30, an hour earlier than usual. The team left the hotel at 9:30 for a short ride to the Ministry Center where Operation Guyana Bible Institute conducts on-campus classes. After a tour of the facilities, we were transported through downtown Georgetown to see the beautiful architecture from the 19th century.

We arrived in Stewartville 11:15 and were seeing patients by 11:30. We saw 277 patients by 5 p.m. Then we began packing up all the supplies, separating materials staying in Guyana from what was to return with us to the States. The truck was loaded and departed for Georgetown at 5:30.

The 82 adults heard a sermon by Roy about our blessings as Christians, and simulteously a lesson about Daniel and the lions' den was taught outside for 83 children. Thursday being our last night in Guyana, with sadness we said our goodbyes to the wonderful Guyanese friends we had made. We left Stewartville for the last time at 7:10.

After returning to our hotel at 8 p.m., we attended a reception with the Minister of Health and the Georgetown Hospital administrator with guests from the American Embassy. After a late supper everyone returned to their rooms to pack for departure.

On Friday, 8 June, the team left for the airport at 3 a.m. to catch the flights to Trinidad and Tobago. We spent Friday and Saturday nights at a resort hotel on the beach in Tobago.

On Sunday, 10 June, the team met for communion, prayer, and singing in a hotel conference room at 4:30 a.m. Then we began the long journey home, changing planes at Port of Spain, Miami, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Arriving late in the evening, we were welcomed home by friends and family who met us at the airport.