Ecuador 2011 Video

Welcome Back to School

Welcome back to school! I hope you find that the BCM at UTHSC can be your home away from home. We have several ways in which you can get involved while you are at UTHSC for school.

• Noonday Lunches ($3.00) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00-12:45 with a devotional


• Bible Studies and discipleship opportunities


• Local ministry projects such as our Mouth Guard Ministry which will be held at East High School this year, working with St. Jude in the Spring, and other area ministry opportunities as they present themselves


• Foreign health-field mission trips during the summer


• Fellowships throughout each semester: cook-outs, Redbirds games, bon fire, Thanksgiving at the BCM, BCM Christmas Party


• And you definitely don't want to miss the Beast Feast! (our annual fundraiser/wild game dinner)

I hope to see you soon. We are located at 757 Court Ave. Next to the campus police station.

Wrap up from Ecuador part 2

Wow! Where do I start? My limited Spanish background has come back to me pretty quick as I realized how important communication is for dentistry. Thanks to our amazing translators, I was able to brush up on at least my dental spanish during this trip. Here is an example of how most of my my time in the dental clinic (church) has been talking with the kids who came to see us...

Me: Hola. ¿Como Estas? (Hello. How are you doing?)

Patient: Bien. (Good) ...typically followed by a shy but sweet smile.

Me:¿Como te llamas? (What is your name?)

Patient: Maria

Me: Me llamo Mateo. ¿Cuanto años Maria? (My name is Matt. How old are you Maria?)

Maria: Siete (Seven)

Me: ¿Te duele algun diente? (Do any of your teeth hurt?)

Maria: Si (Yes) ...and she points to a lower tooth that is badly decayed.

Through an interpreter I explain to her that we can make that tooth stop hurting by doing a filling but first we must ´put the tooth to sleep, and to do so she will feel a small pinch in her mouth for just a second. Maria understands and agrees.

Me: Mira hacia arriba y abre la boca muy grande por favor. (Look up and open your mouth really wide.)

Maria: Tilts her head back despite being a little nervous.

Me: Cierra los ojitos. (Close your eyes.)

I then proceed with ´putting her tooth to sleep´. Once she is numb we finish her filling, say our goodbyes, and start the routine all over again with the next patient. Most kids were like Maria, however we definitely had our fair share of children who didn´t handle the shot (or extraction) as well. For these we simply did the best we could for them through patience, explanation, and love. I think we only had one or two children all week who wouldnt let us finish the dental work they needed.

My highlight of the day had nothing to do with dentistry at all. It came through the beautiful smile of an 8 year old Ecuadorian girl. Her name was Pamela (Pah-mella), and the time I spent with her made the 2,400 mile trip here all the worth while. We taught each other the names of different colors in our own native languages....rojo, azul, verde, amarillo, y naranja for red, blue, green, yellow, and orange. Then, we would test each other and laugh when one of us forgot the name of a color or celebrate when we got them all right. We shared candy, smiles, and hugs. She was a beautiful little girl, and you could tell she really enjoyed having us there. She already knew about Jesus thanks to the preacher there, SIFAT, and Compassion International. It is so great to be a part of a movement that is already impacting lives and spreading the Gospel rather than just providing dental relief.I hope I made as much of an impact on Pamela as she made on me. I definiely had that lump in my throat as she came out of the church to wave goodbye as our bus pulled out for the last time.

Our devotionals have been great this week. Bryan, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Darren, and Brent have all had an overlapping theme of mentorship with the key verse being 2 Timothy 2:2...´´And the things you have heard in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.´´ These are some of the apostle Paul´s last words from prison as he was passing on the torch of Christianity on to one of his disciples Timothy. As Bryan mentioned in devotional tonight, mentoring is very similar to a relay race. There is a time in which the person who started the race carries the baton alone, there is a time in which the baton is being passed (at which point the two are actually running together), and there is a time in which the person who started the race must let go of the baton and let the next in line go ahead alone. As I reflect on my time in dental school and where I am now, I realize I have come to the point at which I must let go of some of the things that were started during my time at the UT Baptist Collegiate Ministries. I must let the younger students carry on the baton and entrust them to continue the race in the way it should be ran. It is suprisingly easy to turn the reigns over to them. Not because of how ready I am to move on, but because of what strong Christians there are in the classes below me. Just like a good relay team saves their best runner for the later part of the race, the younger students I have spent the past week with have the potential for far greater things than I could ever do for the BCM.

As I pass one baton on to the younger students, I feel as if I am in the process of receiving the baton of my next race. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Darren have been great mentors to me, and they are what I want to be professionally...Christians who are dentists, not dentists who are Christians. They both have a heart for the Lord and doing mission work. They have helped instill in me a desire to devote at least a part of each year to mission trips abroad yet have constant awareness of opportunities to show God´s love the other 51 weeks of the year. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be mentored by these men, and I hope to partner with them and the UT BCM for future mission trip opportunities.

In closing, I would just like to say how amazing it has been to serve with our team under Bryan´s leadership. I have learned so much from Bryan regarding being in a position of leadership, but more importantly how to be a man of God. Thank you Bryan. I want to praise all of the students who went on this trip. This trip wouldnt have been the same without Charlie and the pharmacy ladies. You all have been amazing and I can see your love for God through your care for others. I couldnt be more proud of all the dental students. We did a great thing here in Ecuador for God´s children, and I believe our mission has been accomplished for this trip. We treated over 430 mouths, but hopefully we touched just as many hearts. Lastly, it has been an awesome experience to close out this chapter in my dental career by doing this mission trip alongside my good friend Hunter. Thank you for going on this trip...it wouldn´t have been the same without you. Thank you to all of those reading these blogs and keeping our team and the people of Ecuador in your prayers. SIFAT has been amazing to work with, and they would welcome anyone who wanted to come down here to serve in whatever way God may lead you.

By Matt, D.D.S.; 2011 BCM Alum of UTHSC

´´....Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.´´ Psalm 81:10

Wrap up from Ecuador part 1

Our week is coming to an end and I am blown away by Gods constant hand on our lives. Every missions trip I have been on has always had an incredible group of people. People that God brought together. People that were more acquaintances than close friends. And at the end of every trip, I am always wondering how can it get any better than this. But it always does. God brought a handful of strangers together for His purpose. And we are no longer acquaintances and strangers but close friends. Something only God could do. He knew what needed to happen this week and who needed to be here to accomplish it.

He knew we needed Meghan, Lindsey, Suzy, and Maureen to greet everyone at the door with a smile and something they probably have never had: a picture of themselves. And in between pictures, He knew how important it would be for them to sit there with the children and color with them. Simply spending time with them while also distracting them from what lies ahead in the clinic.

He knew we needed one medical student named Charlie who helped in every area of our ministry with a joyful spirit. His love is big and his joy contagious. Many were touched by him this week including me.

God also knew that we needed nine green D2s: Laura, Leesa, Amanda, Anne Marie, Ashley, Jessi, Nick, Cory, and myself. Each one willing to work anywhere in order to accomplish the daily needs in the dental clinic. God also knew that this would be a great learning experience for us. Not only for us to learn how to give injections, pull teeth, and fill teeth but for us to learn how we can use our skills and resources to make an impact in peoples lives.

God knew we needed Blain on this trip to not only add a lot in the clinic but to bring much laughter and entertainment to all of us throughout the week.

He also knew that we needed Terrah and Jessie to be here to listen to the people of Ecuador who have experienced a loss of a loved one. For them to sit and listen to them talk about and express things that they have never shared with anyone before. Jessie and Terrah both were valuable to this team but mostly to the people they listened to and were able to minister to.

God knew we needed two dentists that graduated last week to help lead this team in a very unselfish way: Matt and Hunter. Both could have come here and used this trip to gain experience and develop their skill. But instead they chose to use this trip as an opportunity to invest in the 11 dental students that came. This trip would not have happened if it weren't for their leadership and involvement in BCM.

God also knew we needed a leader to lead this team. But He knew it had to be Bryan. Someone who not only is fun to be around but someone who is intentional in everything he does. Someone that would be an encouragement to us but also a true servant.

God also knew we needed both Darren and my dad, Nelson, to make this trip really special. Aside from their constant humour, they provided 13 of us the opportunity to practice dentistry here in Quito. They prepared months in advance by gathering supplies, chose to spend a week away from their wives and children, and to spend the week teaching all of us. They could have gone on other trips but they choose to go with the BCM. We needed them to have not only a successful dental clinic but an unforgettable experience. An experience that taught us all ways we can be intentional with our lives and invest in others. They have been blessed much. But they showed us that it is not so they can accumulate but so they can bless others.

Lastly, God wanted Brent here. He knew he would be an asset in the dental clinic. But mostly, he wanted Brent to share with us something that he has been recently learning. And that is the importance of making disciples. Jesus spent 85% of His time on this earth investing in 12 individuals. And Jesus's last words to them contained only one verb: to make disciples. Not to go. But as we go, we are to make disciples. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, need to invest our lives into others. To be intentional in all we do in order to spread the Gospel.

It is amazing to me how involved God is in our lives. He wanted all 23 of us here for a reason: to meet physical and spiritual needs. But to also change us and the way we view His people. The people here probably believe they received the biggest blessing. But I know that we are leaving the most blessed. Blessed by the people of

Ecuador's love and joy despite their circumstances. More than likely, this group will never be together again. But we will always remember each other and what God did through us and in us during our week in Quito together.

By Rebekah, 2nd year Dental student

Amazon Rainforest Zipline...it's like you're there

Here is what it looks like to ride a zipline through the Amazon Rainforest.

Amazon Rainforest Zipline

Bryan, BCM Director, going through the Amazon Rainforest on a Zipline. Our whole group went on the zipline today as part of our free day. It was an amazing experience.

Viva Quito!

Let me start by telling you about our bus driver Lennin. This muchacho is a magician behind the wheel. Known for having the sharpest left turn in Quito, his 20 foot whip commands the road. I told him he had amazing driving skills and he replied, "You hadn't seen nothing yet." I didn't really think about this statement until later in the night. After dinner we were told we had a surprise. We walked around Quito and heard this band playing on the top of a 1960's school bus with no doors. My initial thought was, “Huh, that is pretty interesting.” I look closer and guess who is behind the wheel? It’s Lennin! (this is Lennin's second job).

Turns out this is our surprise, and I wouldn't be more surprised if I woke up with my head sown to the carpet. So, naturally we pile in and cruise the streets of Quito blowing whistles with the band, which played the same chorus over and over at least 100 times. I asked Charlie to comment on the ride and he stated, "viva Quito!" Words can’t describe this ride but I’ll tell you what I've learned about Lennin. One is that he is everywhere. Second he gets me around safely and third and most importantly he knows how to throw a party on a bus.

By Brent, 4th year Dental student