For months we waited for the Cessna 182 to be ready with Bolivian registration, but the months passed by and we still are waiting; the doctor Romulo Urquiza, who was with us on the last mission trip to the Chimane or Tsimane (in their language) communities was calling us for help, we couldn’t wait any more and finally we decided to do the trip by land.
Everything was ready for the medical mission trip, on Saturday night, April 28 we began the trip to San Borja, the 17 book boxes were carried by bus with two of us and the rest of the team with the medicine went by car. On the trip we need cross the Mamore River, and because it doesn’t have a bridge we were waiting for the barge, in 40 minutes we were on the other side of the river. The road to the communities was in bad condition because the days before were raining, the car that was leading us and our car were stuck in the mad, so many times until we got to the first community, everybody was helping to push the cars, also the kids of the community came to help us.
The trip took 26 hours from Santa Cruz to the first community.
The weather forecast said that it will rain the entire week, very worried the whole team prayed many times during the trip and wonderfully, in our stay in the communities it did not rain. Praise the Lord!
The entire community was waiting at the school, we set up the equipment and the doctor Kevin and Sinai began with the free medical attention and the dentists , Tanya and David, began doing the free dental attention, and at the same time we gave the Bibles and “Step of Christ” books for each family.
Sarai as a nurse she worked in each community with the children, teaching them the oral hygiene, she passed a toothbrush to each child, they were more than happy. Also, she told them Jesus’ histories, coloring and was singing with them. The language that these communities speak is the Chimane and because some of them didn’t understand the Spanish, Sarai needed to ask for a translator. Also, Federico and Sinai were working with the children.
In this mission trip we visited four communities, the first three were of Tsimane indigenous: “El Triunfo”, “Tacuaral del Matto” and “Los Manguitos”, and the four one was a farmer community “Tierra Santa”, it was a Catholic community. In this picture we were working in the Tacuaral del Matto community.
The doctor Kevin Moye Hurtado, who is in charge of the medical attention in the indigenous communities that we visited he was with us all the time, he had kindly been our guide and strong emotional support; he by anticipation informed by radio to the communities that dentists will come to dental attention, and they were ready waiting for us. Sinai our missionary doctor worked together with Dr Kevin doing the nature treatments, teaching prevention and the 8 Law of health.
The dentists Tanya and David did a great job. The director of the Tacuaral del Matto’s School, asked if all the 110 students could receive a free dental check, Tanya agreed and because it was too much work for the dentist in a day almost all the team was involved on helping at the dental office, Sarai, Federico and Sinai came to help with the oral cleaning. There was only one portable dental chair that we brought with us, the most of patients used a regular chair for the treatment. Miguel was helping with the water filtration and on the sterilization of the dental instruments, and Federico was our cameraman.
In total in these four days of dental attention the dentists used 300 anesthesia and more than 300 dental cleaning treatments. Also was able to give more than 650 toothbrushes.
For our surprise in the Tierra Santa community, we meet this lady, she is 112 years old, she was walking and talking normally and she also visited the dentist. In each community we were able to deliver Bibles, Step of Christ books, the Glow “Letter of Jesus Love”, list of bible verse promises and the pamphlet of The Three Angels message.
In total, of Christian literature that we gave was 384 Bibles and 390 Step of Christ Book.
In this last community the kids were at the school in their classrooms, the teachers with thanks approved to give us the rest of the time for medical attention. Also, the teachers asked if we could give a Bible to each student in the Bible class, they wanted each student to have their own Bible to read. With joy in our hearts we leave these Bible to them.
In “Los Manguitos”, after we gave the Bibles to everybody I went after lunch to wash the dishes and I found in my way this lady reading her new Bible, I run to take my camera and take the picture. Seeing her reading the bible with two daughters in her lap was for me the trip paid.
The blessing on this trip was to have our own transportation, thanks to Sarai and Federico that they put their car to the trip. We were able to bring a propane tank and a stove to cook, we didn’t have to make fire with wood, and it was also a great blessing.
Thursday, April 02 at 5:00 pm, we finished the medical and dental attention in “Tierra Santa” and returned to Santa Cruz, it took us 27 hours. We arrived in Santa Cruz on Friday 8:00 pm, a very long trip, everybody was so tired but happy because we were achieving the gold for this mission trip.
From left, Dr. David Flores, Mirta & Miguel Farias, Sinai Aramayo, Sarai Rosales & Federico Francovich and Dr. Tania Salas Burgoa. Thank you everybody for your hard work during the trip.
Thank our heavenly Father for His guidance, protection, support and love during all the trip. To God be all the Glory! Thanks to Dr. Kevin Moye Hurtado, he opens the door in every community for us to work with the people.
The medical Mission Trip is over, and our job now is to pray for all these people that receive medical, dental and especial the word of God. We pray that they through the Bible could know more about Jesus and the amazing love He has for us that He came and died for us.
Thank you so much for your prayers during the trip, we saw many times the answer of them. Thank you for the donations and support!
God bless you!
Miguel & Mirta Dupertuis Farias
