Thanksgiving 2012

Today the med team went to a HUGE batey...1000s of residents. Saw more patients today than any other day this week (138). It was an uneventful clinic -- meaning no emergencies -- though Emma B., Hannah D. and Lauren F. did have to dress an angry looking and infected wound on a little boy. The construction team worked very hard breaking apart miserable, orange-red claylike rock in order to tamp down more subfloor in a house on Batey 50. After our work day ended, we had a quick tour of the Good Samaritan Hospital, the organization that coordinates all of the medical clinics on the bateys. Then we visited the same orphanage we have gone to on previous years and many team members have special friends that live there. It is emotional and poignant to have such sweet reunions on Thanksgiving. By far the highlight of our night was having a massive Thanksgiving party with our hosts, who obviously don't celebrate Thanksgiving, at a private villa at a local resort. We had a dance party, learned the meringue and went night swimming in a beautiful built in pool. The contrast to the days we have spent with the extremely poor on the bateys was stark. Hope all our CT friends and family had wonderful Thanksgiving holidays.