Ecuador 2012- Katie

       Hola mis amigos! Well today was the second day of clinic, and wow we are all so tired! I never thought I'd be doing so much dental work so soon. First off in the morning I got to pull teeth. Five!, to be exact! With lots of help, of course! But I still pulled the teeth! And then in the afternoon, it was my first time on the hand piece! I didn't think I was going to make it. Extremely nervous! But I ended up doing fine and got more and more comfortable drilling out cavities. So much fun! And then at night, we got to eat at a good restaurant. I think all of us girls were about to starve since we really haven't eaten the food much, but nothing a cheeseburger or steak or chicken kabobs couldn't fix :)
       It really does put into perspective how much we have in America. Seeing the care some of these kids have makes me sad. But that's why we are here, to help. God bless and see you all soon. Adios amigos de Quito!!

Katie
UTHSC College of Dentistry Class of 2015

Ecuador 2012- Emily

       I've only been in Ecuador for 3 days and i've already learned more than I thought imaginable. Today was our second day in clinic and every fear and worry that I had going into this mission trip was put to rest, simply because of the wonderful leadership. I’ve learned so much about dentistry in these past 2 days, but most importantly I've learned from the people in Quito. They are humble, hard working, and have such a passionate love for Jesus Christ. They set a great example for the way we should live and I strive to be more like them. When I start school next semester I’m sure I will be glad that I've gained some experience; however, when I go home what I will cherish most is the times I've spent with the children. I speak zero spanish, and all I know how to say at this point is "Abra La Boca” (Open your mouth). But, when I was coloring with one of the the little girls today she kept pointing at her picture that said "Jesus Me Ama” (Jesus loves me). It was kind of an "Ahhh Ha" moment…and even though I couldn’t have a conversation with her at all, I knew we had something in common. The most important thing in common!! That Jesus’s love is universal and has no limits. This trip has reminded me that God works in many different ways, and I cannot wait to see what he will bring tomorrow!!


Emily
UTHSC College of Dentistry Class of 2015

Ecuador 2012- Jessi

       As a returning member to the Ecuador team, I began this trip expecting to have an amazing experience but also aware that I "knew the ropes" so to speak. That being said, I'm shocked at all of the "firsts" I've experienced in just the first few days.

- I embarked on an international trip with my sister, who is seven years younger than me. We must finally be "grown ups".
- I went on a mission trip with my sister. It awes me at how much I learn through her. It's just proof that you can be a witness to anyone despite your age compared to theirs.
- I experienced my first mid-air plane emergency. That's always fun...
- I ate my first empanada. Muy delicioso!
- I pulled my first tooth, start to finish, without any help.
- I did my first filling start to finish without any help.

       So needless to say, it's been refreshing and encouraging to realize that new experiences are always around the corner.

       However, in spite of all these firsts, there are a couple of things that I've happily discovered to be constant on these BCM mission trips.

       First, the presence of God is real. You see it in the demeanor and positivity of our group. Flight problems and a 3am arrival at our hotel...it doesn't matter...everyone remained positive. I feel like that's not normal with a group of 15+ people. Church service at a local Methodist church...our faces light up just like the local children's faces light up...I like to think its the love of Christ crossing language and cultural barriers to show brotherly love. Working in our dental clinic...it's just awesomely evident in the good that is being done.

       And second, just like the group last year, our group this year just meshes unbelievably well together. Everyone truly gets along and enjoys each and every member's company. We laugh and joke together like we've known one another for years. These trips have probably been some of the happiest days of my life. And this is among people of different professions (dentistry, pharmacy, etc) of different ages and of completely different backgrounds. But we come together truly caring about one another with a mutual understanding that we will not judge one another and we will respect one another. If only real life could be so accepting.

       I'm thankful for both the firsts and constants. It's been a great ride so far, one that has impacted me beyond words. (Bryan, I'm so thankful that you stopped me that first day of dental school two years ago, pushing that lawn mower in 100 degree heat to invite me to the BCM!) And I look forward to continuing this ride...

Jessi
UTHSC College of Dentistry Class of 2014

Ecuador 2012- Photos 2

Ecuador 2012- Taylor

Quito, Ecuador is by far one of the prettiest sites I have ever seen.  This is my first international mission trip, and I believe God led me here for a reason.  The people are generous, patient, and undeniably happy. Without the people of Ecuador and the amazing atmosphere here, this trip would not have turned out to be such a memorable experience.

The children of Ecuador are AMAZING! There is nothing better than seeing a child in need smile at the site of new comers.  No one has ever made me feel so welcomed.

I decided to come on this trip because of two reasons.  First, mainly due to God calling me to missions, and second, because my sister believed it would be a valuable experience for me.  Today, I got to see Jessi and her classmates at work.  No matter whether the patient was easy or difficult to deal with, it was visible that the love of Dentistry was in every student working today.  It has inspired me to find God’s purpose for me.

Ecuador 2012- Corey

       Hola from Quito, Ecuador! After a much needed full nights rest, we began our first day of clinic. I began the day diagnosing patients and administering injections before they were sent to either the operative or surgery areas. I had a blast watching Cayce give her first injections and cutting up with Dr. Foster. He was very thankful for the dental wisdom I was able to impart. I know he is a better dentist today because of the time spent with Student Doctor Cloud. Fun was had by all, and yes I did a little work as well. After a very eventful lunch (I'll leave it at that), we moved to the surgery area. I had the opportunity to pull a few teeth. It still amazes me how well disciplined the kids are here. After multiple shots and a foreign guy with pliers in their mouth, they still don't complain and generally take it like a champ.
       All in all it was a great day. Throughout the day, I was reminded why I am here. Not just to gain dental experience, but more importantly to share God's love with people of Ecuador. Having the chance to give injections and extract teeth is awesome, especially the summer before I begin clinic at the school, but the moments that seem to play over and over in my mind are the conversations and laughter I have with the children.
I'll make this last part quick because I'm thinking a walk to KFC is in order for my after dinner snack.

Highlights of the day:
1. Blain not using his master key to get into my room before 6 am
2. Blain not using his master key to get into my room before 7 am
3. Giving injections without supervision (could be good or bad)
4. Teaching Cayce how to give injections (again, could be good or bad)
5. The potato salad at lunch
6. The little girl fist bumping me after pulling 3 of her teeth
7. Encouraging Blain to eat 6 pieces of cake
8. Knowing I get to do it all over again tomorrow

With much love from Quito,

Corey
UTHSC College of Dentistry Class of 2014

Ecuador 2012- Dr. Thomas

The first day of clinic-

      We started off strong this morning with Dr. Nelson being the last on the bus at 8:01. The clinic was a lot closer to the hotel than last year, so that is nice. It took about 20 minutes to get there and another 45 min to get the clinic set up to treat patients. We had a room for photos and fun stuff for the kids first followed by triage and injections. From there, patients went to the extraction room, filling room or cleaning room depending on their particular needs. We stayed at the same stations all morning until a great lunch of chicken and rice. After lunch, we rotated the dental students to a new station and rotated again one more time around 2. We are going to continue this 2 hr rotation schedule so that everybody gets the chance to serve in different areas. It was fun to see all the dental students working on patients and also great to see some thankful faces.

Dr. Hunter Thomas
2011 UTHSC BCM Alum