Only if you’re a mosquitooo. keekee. (Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite?)
Soo..I came back with 15 mosquito bites. 4 on my face, 3 on my neck, the rest on my hands (including palms). It was all over one night and I really think it was just 1 mosquito. I hope she exploded from her gluttonous act.
Other than that, the factory trip went very well! :) I had such a great time and wasn’t ready to leave. We basically went to an area across the border in China that is heavily populated with factories and provided free medical care to one of them. We set up our stations on cafeteria tables (gotta work with what we have!). One was for registration, the doctors, the pharmacy, and an evangelism team who shared the Gospel while patients waited for meds. I ran the pharmacy portion with a wonderful translator (one of the factory workers) and a resident. Over the couple days, 205 patients were seen and 11 of them accepted Christ.
Apart from the medical aspect, it was an eye opening experience to briefly step into the life of a factory worker. I only heard about sweatshops and factories. These are young people and old (high school, college, and up) who left their families miles away to live at the factory, to make some income to send back home. School bells ring at meal times, where they can eat/rest. But other than that they work like crazy, at least 6 days a week, many times over-time. More than half of the patients complained of dizziness and muscle pain.
This particular factory made buttons (the shiny shell looking ones on button-downs). I hope those buttons will always be a reminder to me...to remember these sweet people and to pray for them. I never would have thought that buttons on my shirts were coming from a factory filled with over-worked people. I’m so ignorant on all kinds of levels dude. Sooo Ameri-centric.
Slowly but surely, I feel God reviving my passion for global healthcare and for pharmacy, and just taking me back to the roots…why I'm here, why I went into pharmacy/healthcare in the first place. And it got me wondering if my job as a pharmacist will ever be as meaningful practicing in the states as it would be somewhere like Macau and China. I’m not saying this b/c I think I have so much to offer (in fact, I feel inadequate), but even the little training and knowledge I have retained goes a long way in a place like here.
I know we all have our complaints about healthcare in the U.S., but man, we have it great! Standardized medical care, a good understanding of Western meds used, the importance of quality assurance and patient counseling by pharmacy is non-existent. In fact, you can buy antibiotics and all kinds of stuff (other than controlled substances) without a prescription at any pharmacy. It’s also been revealed to me that there are some freakn unethical things that are going on in some of the hospitals in Macau (not our clinic). The worst part is, they get away with so much of it, things that would never fly in the states.
I know I’m not here for 6 weeks to facilitate miraculous changes in pharmacy or the clinic. But as God reveals things to me and gives me a burden for certain things in the realm of patient care and pharmacy on this side of the world, all I can do is pray that He uses that burden for His glory somehow…regardless of whether I feel or see it or not. I don’t want to bore you with pharmacy stuff so you can ask me on the side more about what’s going on and what I’ve been working on. :)
Next mainland China trip is Monday-Wednesday. About 6 of us will be going to a more rural area this time, again to provide free medical care and share the love! There’s gonna be a lot of traveling involved in this one, if you can remember us in your prayers. :)
p.s. I can’t believe I only learned 3 Chinese words since I got here. It’s so hard!
“Hi.” “Thank you.” & “Jesus loves you.”
p.p.s. Health update: Still having stomach problems! I’m really gonna consider the stool test if this persists through next week…yuck.
Soo..I came back with 15 mosquito bites. 4 on my face, 3 on my neck, the rest on my hands (including palms). It was all over one night and I really think it was just 1 mosquito. I hope she exploded from her gluttonous act.
Other than that, the factory trip went very well! :) I had such a great time and wasn’t ready to leave. We basically went to an area across the border in China that is heavily populated with factories and provided free medical care to one of them. We set up our stations on cafeteria tables (gotta work with what we have!). One was for registration, the doctors, the pharmacy, and an evangelism team who shared the Gospel while patients waited for meds. I ran the pharmacy portion with a wonderful translator (one of the factory workers) and a resident. Over the couple days, 205 patients were seen and 11 of them accepted Christ.
Apart from the medical aspect, it was an eye opening experience to briefly step into the life of a factory worker. I only heard about sweatshops and factories. These are young people and old (high school, college, and up) who left their families miles away to live at the factory, to make some income to send back home. School bells ring at meal times, where they can eat/rest. But other than that they work like crazy, at least 6 days a week, many times over-time. More than half of the patients complained of dizziness and muscle pain.
This particular factory made buttons (the shiny shell looking ones on button-downs). I hope those buttons will always be a reminder to me...to remember these sweet people and to pray for them. I never would have thought that buttons on my shirts were coming from a factory filled with over-worked people. I’m so ignorant on all kinds of levels dude. Sooo Ameri-centric.
Slowly but surely, I feel God reviving my passion for global healthcare and for pharmacy, and just taking me back to the roots…why I'm here, why I went into pharmacy/healthcare in the first place. And it got me wondering if my job as a pharmacist will ever be as meaningful practicing in the states as it would be somewhere like Macau and China. I’m not saying this b/c I think I have so much to offer (in fact, I feel inadequate), but even the little training and knowledge I have retained goes a long way in a place like here.
I know we all have our complaints about healthcare in the U.S., but man, we have it great! Standardized medical care, a good understanding of Western meds used, the importance of quality assurance and patient counseling by pharmacy is non-existent. In fact, you can buy antibiotics and all kinds of stuff (other than controlled substances) without a prescription at any pharmacy. It’s also been revealed to me that there are some freakn unethical things that are going on in some of the hospitals in Macau (not our clinic). The worst part is, they get away with so much of it, things that would never fly in the states.
I know I’m not here for 6 weeks to facilitate miraculous changes in pharmacy or the clinic. But as God reveals things to me and gives me a burden for certain things in the realm of patient care and pharmacy on this side of the world, all I can do is pray that He uses that burden for His glory somehow…regardless of whether I feel or see it or not. I don’t want to bore you with pharmacy stuff so you can ask me on the side more about what’s going on and what I’ve been working on. :)
Next mainland China trip is Monday-Wednesday. About 6 of us will be going to a more rural area this time, again to provide free medical care and share the love! There’s gonna be a lot of traveling involved in this one, if you can remember us in your prayers. :)
p.s. I can’t believe I only learned 3 Chinese words since I got here. It’s so hard!
“Hi.” “Thank you.” & “Jesus loves you.”
p.p.s. Health update: Still having stomach problems! I’m really gonna consider the stool test if this persists through next week…yuck.
Pictures in this order: pharmacy, Dr. Sides, evangelism team, and all of usLast picture: Dinner. (everything in China is served with the head!)
jenn. that last picture is NASTAY. >.<
ReplyDeleteyour bites remind me of my missions trip... but i'm also allergic to most mosquito bites so my legs got swollen and looked like someone beat me with a bat :( deet girl...use the deet. the higher% the better ;)
miss yah~ will pray for your health!
:) i'm so thankful you are experiencing and learning so much dear. praise the lord!
ReplyDeleteugh i HATE mosquitoes with a PASSION!!!! ALL MOSQUITOES MUST DIE A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteanyway, i'm so glad that you update your blog i LOVE reading it!!!! btw you look SO cute in your scrubs. i just want to EAT you! (not suck your blood, i will never stoop so low as those blasted mosquitoes!!!)
praying for you love! will send an email soon. you're coming home soon, anyway...but yeah. i'll still write. love you! <3