Author: Hazel Self
For the past three years, it has been my privilege to be part of the M.A.S.H. team whose vision it is to co-ordinate and support the efforts of Canadian medical professionals and other volunteers on multiple short term surgical and humanitarian missions.
Mobile Adventist Surgery for Humanity (M.A.S.H.) is inspired and guided by the Christian directive to “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”. Each February, a group of 40 health care professionals travels to Chinandega, Nicaragua, to perform more than 110 general, gynecological and reconstructive surgeries as well treat hundreds of other medical patients. Nicaragua is one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere, and the needs of this particular area came to the attention of health care providers in the Okanagan following Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Various teams have visited the area each year since that catastrophe bringing expertise on power and water projects, assisting orphanages and providing medical care.
Experiences with M.A.S.H. have stirred a passion to gain some understandings which will inform plans, methods and focus of service for future endeavors. In travelling back and forth from Central America, we have also had the opportunity to interact with numerous other volunteer organizations. Sharing and listening to their experiences have provided a wealth of valuable insights. Perhaps the most impactful lessons, however, have been gifted by our amazingly courageous patients and their families. Many of them have opened their hearts and homes to allow us to assimilate some of their rich culture and hear their stories. Further reading and conversations with others who have been part of volunteer missions to third world countries have revealed some common denominators which contribute towards long term positive impact for the people we are attempting to serve.
The importance of careful planning cannot be overemphasized. This must begin with an openness to learn what the people being served perceive as their greatest needs. So often, there has been a tendency for well-meaning volunteers to forge ahead with plans for what they would like to do or what they see as “obvious” needs without studying the systems and services already in place. This attitude of condescension has fostered resentment for foreigners in many areas and has closed doors for future service opportunities. A respectful spirit of co-operation and openness to cultural differences can help to create a partnership which benefits everyone involved. With the best of intent, physicians and nurses from our team initially went out to various impoverished neighborhoods to provide medical care. Only after a representative from the Mayor’s office appeared to observe and document our activities did we pause to discover that the government actually has a rather sophisticated system of socialized medicine already in place. With this new understanding, we approached the Directors of local clinics to inquire how we could best support them. They graciously invited us to work alongside them, observe their challenges and develop a partnership to maximize efforts on future missions. In many places, clinics were staffed with well qualified medical personnel who simply had no tools with which to work (i.e. six physicians sharing one stethoscope and BP cuff).
Come back next week to read part II of Nursing Adventures in Nicaragua!!
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