This awesome new rural clinic in Limonal has
Replaced our clinic site in Mata Gorda.
AND!!!! I couldn't be happier!!!
As I head out to my communities I often find myself thinking about what my long term hope would be for my six clinics that are so near and dear to my heart.
Well, in Mata Gorda that hope has turned into a reality.
Allow me to explain. Throughout the DR you can find sporadic government funded rural clinics called Poli Clinicas. They are staffed by residents and attending physicians. Kind of the governments way of taking care of the poor. They serve as primary care centers, vaccination hubs and urgent care sites. They are free to all (even my Haitians!) and also offer medicine. Many times they are short on medicine due to inadequate funding but for the most part they function quite well.
Patients in Angosto, Corocito, Mata de Platano, Sabaneta, Buenos Aire or Mata Gorda have never been blessed by one of these medical centers....until now!!
So join me with excitement! Mata Gorda now has a clinic open to them 24/7 to help provide regular and emergent medical care....run by Dominicans!!!
When Fernando and I decided that this was the solution to this community's health needs we also had to think of the ministry aspect. I can confidently say that many of the spiritual needs of Mata Gorda are being met by a new social work site started by an SI missionary Yohana and a new church plant by her husband Andres.
I don't think there is anything more beautiful from a community development/missionary stand point than seeing a government trying to meet the needs of the poorest of its people and churches being planted and grown....times they are a changin. And man would I like to see that happen in all my communities.
But, until then....Fernando, Caroly, Shaki, our students and I will keep seeing patients, sharing the gospel and now looking for a new community to fill in our schedule.
Stay tuned...
