Peace and Presence

Reentry back into the States always feels like more of a crash landing, but it is nice to spend some time reflecting on our experience in Cobán this year.

Our days were jam packed from sun up to sun down, but the beauty of this is that it allowed me a chance to be more present and remove the daily distractions that often plague us. When you take a minute to slow down, when you look up from your screen, you’re forced to face the humanity in front of you. That’s exactly what occurred this week as I interacted with our team of medical professionals and students, our partners at Ciudad de la Esperanza, and our beautiful patients that traveled from near and far to be seen in the clinic. 

It’s always such a blessing working with a group of people committed to improving the healthcare for our brothers and sisters in Cobán. We arrived very late on our first day of clinic due to some unforeseen traffic, but without fail, we unpacked over 30 suitcases filled to the brim with supplies for the year in record time. It was amazing to watch in action as everyone moved in lock step to get everything organized so we could begin seeing patients as soon as possible. So we began another great week in clinic. Throughout the week, so many miracles happened because of these efforts and the skills and talents of every member on our team. Many patients were gifted the ability to see better thanks to our Global Vision 2020 eye glasses kits. Our incomparable engineer, Matt, was able to 3D print a prosthetic prototype for a little girl with no legs and create walkers. Perhaps the biggest miracle for me; a 4 year old girl who was excited to see the dentist! The list is endless. 

It was also so special to talk to and get to know our incredible group of students who grew so much as individuals and future healthcare providers. I could see them progress throughout the week as they grew their clinical skills and the courage to speak more Spanish! They were able to see what collaborative healthcare looks like and witness the incredible soul and resilience of Cobán as they made every effort to connect with our patients. 

We shared many tears and laughs in our nightly debriefs as we discussed some of the patient cases that had come in that day and wrestled with the reality and challenges that many of our patients faced. There were so many examples we heard of about how this community supported one another. Neighbors checking in on elderly in their community. A child taken in by a family that was not his own. A family doing everything they could to find resources for their youngest boy with CP. 

This week taught me many things but most importantly, it taught me the importance to slow down and to be present. To witness the humanity around me and see the God in others. 

Christian Alegria, DMD