Mobile Clinic

"Lord, Let the glow of Thy great love through my whole being shine."

Amy Carmichael

This was my prayer for this trip and especially the time spent in the mobile clinic. We would visit remote villages in the area and give medicine, vitamins, and heath education to the people. The group consisted of 2 doctors, 1 nurse with a Masters in Community Heath (our MPH degree), one nurse assistant and 1 dietitian (me). The nurse, nurse assistant and I would walk the village to inform the people of our services and then they would follow us back with sick kids, aching backs, fevers, etc. The MD's would check them out and give the appropriate meds.

Once a large group gathered my job was to start talking. If mothers were present I would discuss feeding babies, prenatal care, postnatal care and general vitamin info. If the group consisted mainly of children, I discussed personal hygiene, healthy eating and very basic vitamin info. I usually don't discuss hygiene in America but it is so needful here. Most of the children had no shoes and were running around in pure filth. After talking to a group of kids, one little boy walked over a piece of rusty metal with his bare feet.

The response from the workers and the patients was very good. The mothers seemed to enjoy the time of group discussion. One lady told me that she felt she could talk to me easier, being a woman, than to the 2 male doctors. Especially in this culture, I can definitely see that.

Some specific cases we saw were of pregnant women 'eating down', femoral seizures, and a very tiny 1 yr old. The practice of 'eating down' is used here by expectant moms because they feel that gaining weight will cause more pain during child birth. They will almost go to the point of starving to not gain the weight needed for their growing baby. I talked a mom for quite a while about this practice. A child had femoral seizures one night and was brought to the MD. Another baby was so tiny I thought she was about 3 mo old. She was actually over 1 yr. She was so frail and thin. She didn't even look like a baby that was premature and just needed time to 'catch up'. She truly looked sick and unhealthy.

It was a great experience and one I will always treasure. The best part, though, was answering their questions of why I came from America to India, "Oh let me tell you..." That's where the Amy Carmichael quote came in. The nurse, Demi, and I became instant friends and she says I have to come back and we can do this again, that was only after she allowed me to return home. :)