Mobile Dispensary

On Saturday I had the opportunity to go out to a village on the outskirts of Kolkata to a mobile dispensary the Missionaries of Charity set up twice a month. Men, women, and children pack themselves into a gated church property established by a Czechoslovakian man about 30 years or so ago.

As we pull up to the gates, the Sister in charge tells us the regular 1,500 people will not be here today because they did not announce dispensary like they usually do. Today there would only be 500 patients waiting for treatment. 

I was assigned to the wound dressing section, even though I had never dressed a wound in my life. I learned quickly. As the droves of people came in a line to our little, dark room, they were given a bag of some pain relieving cream, and a bag of Calamine lotion for their itching. Then they came to me, a French medical students, and a Chinese nurse who were waiting with our gloves and gauze. We soon found the needs far outweighed our abilities. Rashes, open wounds, crushed bones, bug bites, ear infections, mouth infections, discoloration...we gave the same treatment for all, all that we had: clean with hydrogen peroxide, disinfect, put on antibacterial cream, then a bandage if necessary. Such a short term solution for long term illnesses. Babies came in with holes in their heads, terrible ear infections, scrapes, and bites. But all we could offer was  a bandaide. However, with my new found experience with scabies I was able to diagnose a few ladies with scabies and give them the right medicine and explain what to do. No one spoke English though, so we did a lot of charades, pointing to the places that hurt, scratching where they itched, pantomiming putting lotion all over.

The journey back home was silent as we were all too tired or sad to talk.  I prayed God would bring miracles out of that antibiotic cream and multiply our efforts. 

Thank you for your prayers, friends. 

My scabies is seeming to get worse, even though I am using the lotion for it.  I may have to go to a doctor this week if it doesn't get any better in the next few days. 

Please also keep praying for Ahad. Pray for the Holy Spirit to do a great work within him, for God to show him how much He loves him, and for Ahad to be open to receiving this love.