Steph in Peru: To the Jungle!

A short 35 minute plane ride from Cusco city to Puerto Maldonado in June (probably the shortest plane ride I've ever taken) means the difference of frosty nights, brown-dry Andes mountain-tops to the hot and humid, flat land of lush, green jungle.

Walter and I signed up months ago to be translators for a Medical Mission Campaign serving low-income locals for four days at the end of June. Working alongside some 64 doctors and med students from the U.S., we alternately worked in triage and with a doctor team translating from Spanish to English (and sometimes Quechua). Walter and I both were struck by how many father's came in with their children, and were very involved in their child's health and life (not as common to see in the Andes). The most common complaints appear to be gastritis and back pain (these also chief complaints in the Andes). The second is marked by lives of hard physical work, and I find the first especially interesting as to the why and why so many are affected, since I have also developed gastritis living in Peru.

One morning, still getting organized before the campaign start

The last patient that my team attended was a local lady in her early 60's who was diagnosed by the doctor as having Bell's Palsey. She was so relieved to know that this unknown paralysis of half of her face that had mysteriously appeared one morning upon waking has an explanation and is treatable! The focus on this medical missionary campaign was not only on assessing physical health needs, but spiritual also. This Bell's Palsey patient also eagerly accepted Christ in her heart following the invitation by Devi, one of the medical students, to pray to know Jesus as Savior.

I realized in this campaign (and have seen the same on the previous ones we have also assisted with) that a lot of Peruvians worry about their health. They worry about things that are just general 'wear and tear', the result of working and living a hard life.

I realized that I, too, have worried too much about my health at times, disillusioned by a lesser energy and overall health than I thought my late 20's and early 30's would provide. But, as one doctor at the campaign iterated, sometimes you need to stop worrying and just go with it... just live life. (This is not to say that you shouldn't investigate when you know something isn't right, or to be persistent at times, but to just not worry about every thing). I am so grateful to know that this body with all its quirks and troubles will one day be replaced with a new one, a pain-free, illness-incapable, glorious one.

Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home. We want to put it on like clothes and not be naked. These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don’t do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die. God is the one who makes all of this possible. He has given us his Spirit to make us certain that he will do it. (2 Corinthians. 5:1-5 Contemporary English Version)

The Bell's Palsey patient now has not only the assurance of her paralyzed face returning to normal, but also the assurance of spending eternity in heaven, of one day receiving a new body that will not suffer or waste away or die!

Other related verses: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Psalm 73:26 Revelation 21:4

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Walter and I stayed in the jungle for a couple of extra days to do a little exploring. We took a 2 day, 1 night tour down the Madre de Dios river to the Tambopata Reserve where we saw monkeys, parrots, and other wild bird and insect life on Monkey Island and near the very simple lodge that we stayed in. We also took a short trek to Lake Sandoval very early on Sunday morning, with a group boat tour around and across the lake that included sightings of various birds, caiman (mostly his eye above water), a family of red howler monkeys way up in the trees, not to be finished without chasing a family of happy otters around the lake as they fished and swam from one end to the other!

I really loved this tour, being in the oh-so-warm climate of the jungle, and getting to see some more of God's awesome creation!