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