Guestbook Entry: Humanitarian Aid to Panama
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I served a mission in Chile 35 years ago, where the Lord blessed me with a love for la gente latina y la lengua de espanol. I have longed to return to Latin America, but -- aside from an hour on the Mexican border a few years ago -- my first opportunity came 2 weeks ago, when 25 of us from the US Army Reserves joined hands with 50 Panamanian professionals and volunteers to bring much needed medical care to some of the most isolated parts of the province of Cocle in this lush tropical country.
In ten days we provided definitive medical care to over 9000 patients. Families walked four to five hours each way for the opportunity to be cured of parasites, receive dental care, and be treated for a host of other ailments. Several of our patients were over 90 years old. One old man had not only left his house at 3 a.m. to walk the dirt roads to our clinic (held in the local school house), but pushed his crippled wife the entire distance in a rusty wheelchair donated years earlier. And then pushed her home afterward – both with new glasses.
Throughout our travels I inquired of the local police and volunteers if they knew of "Los Mormones". "Si" they would all say, "Estan en todas partes."
After explaining the visit of Christ to the ancient Americas, I asked one of our drivers if he would like a copy of the book written by the people He visited. He enthusiastically accepted a Spanish copy of the Book of Mormon that I had brought with me, and had been praying for guidance on placing it. The day before we left the country, another LDS officer and I placed an English Book of Mormon with a fellow medical officer, who expressed fascination with its message and promised to read it.
In such a short time I have fallen deeply in love with the Panamenian people, and plan to bring my family back to Panama next year for vacation. My ultimate desire is to retire there with my wife, in the rural provinces, and build up the Kingdom as the Lord permits us. |
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