Site Spotlights: Medical and Physical Therapy

Medical

Site Leader:  Fernando (MD), Rachel (PA), and Katie (Nurse)

Team Members:  Laila and Daniel

“Hi, this is Daniel and Laila from the Medical Site.  We have had a very dynamic and interesting time in our site.  We started out by meeting Rachel and Fernando and Katie, who are medical missionaries here in the Dominican Republic.  They shared with us what it’s like to be a medical missionary here and what our time in the site is going to look like.  And, with that, we got to participate with them in serving the community as well as its people with two other students from the other group that’s here, Horizon Church in Arizona, Holly and Mindy.  We helped in an OBGYN clinic, and we did multiple house visits with patients who have diabetes (Joana, Lourdes, and Chepe).

Here in the DR, medicine (and especially SI’s medical clinic) is not just an “in and out” service where we see the patient and then they leave quickly.  Rather, similar to what is seen in Dominican culture in general, we show hospitality to each patient, getting to know them, becoming friends, spending time with them, and maybe even taking food and/or coffee with them.  In this way, we not only strive to help them physically, but also to help them grow spiritually as well.”

Physical Therapy

Site Leader:  Silvio

Team Members:  Angela and Star

“Each day at the Physical Therapy site, our team treats patients of varying ages with appropriate exercises to improve their physical health.  The sites our team contributes to are a nursing home, SI’s special education school, and a clinic that is run by our amazing site leader, Silvio.

At the nursing home, clinic, and special education sites, we assist the members in doing their daily exercises.  Although we were expected to help them, they have helped us so much in the way they talk, live, and dance!”