Happy Monday Morning!
Good Morning! For those of you reading my blog to avoid work just a little longer, I hope it is satisfying!! ha, ha – hope you had a great weekend!
What a great day yesterday! We attended church which was extremely long by any Catholic or Lutheran standard, but the two hours flew by like two minutes, and it was exciting to be able to worship and understand in a different language! There were about 25 people from the town there yesterday, so our group doubled the size of their congregation. They set up a special tent outside just to to have churh. Silly me thought I was ” out of the sun” until I got back and saw the beautiful shade of red on my arms and chest! I had an opportunity to meet a number of people from Condevilla, where we’re having our clinic, and they are so excited for us to begin today. My Spanish skills have never felt so useful or so fulfilling. Words really can’t describe translating prayers – it’s a very powerful and moving experience. I did find out quickly that I’m not sure how to begin or end a prayer in Spanish, but I have been taken care of and added all the appropriate words to my vocabulary!
We’re leaving the hotel this morning at 8:00 to drive to Condevilla, and set up the clinic to start at 10:00. We found out yesterday that we have 1,470 appointments set. The quick math turns out to 1 patient every six minutes per doctor over the next four days. Amazing by any standard, so if we can keep it up, it will be awesome! Our medical team is fantastic – two family practice docs, two ER docs, an orthopedic surgeon, and a GI doc. We should have most concerns covered, although we still have no good way to explain that sickness DOES NOT come from drinking cold drinks or sitting in front of a fan. This is a common concern here. 
Quick weather update – it’s hot, hot, hot. No idea how hot, but I’d guess in the upper nineties. Combine that with the comforts of our tent, and we should be well into the hundreds. Not to worry, my hotel room has air conditioning, but I’ve realized that I’m going to spend very few hours there in the next couple days! It rains about an inch per YEAR in Lima….and it rained last night. It certainly didn’t last long, but it was like the oasis in a desert.
I scored some great finds at an Indian market yesterday, and found out the hard way that the money changer will not take my American dollars if they are torn or have any kind of markings on them. I had a $20 bill with a black line on it that he wouldn’t accept – - which was solved by wheeling and dealing with a purse vendor to buy something in American dollars. Yes, Mike, this means I bought a purse. It’s great. Jill H. – you’re going to like it, I thought of you right away!
Last note – this computer is in the lobby of the hotel, and it’s got great quick access. However, the music selection overhead is quite odd. At the beginning of this posting, I was listening to a pan flute version of the Beatles hit Let It Be. Hmm……now I’m listening to a breathy lounge singer do her version of Hey Jude. Both good songs, but I can’t say I ever thought of either as mood music.
Ok – on with the day! Yikes – I just realized this was another super long posting. Sorry, but I hope you enjoyed it!
Saludos,
Meredith
