Paola's Wedding

For those of you who met our very special young friend and dentist, Paola, we wanted to be sure to share a few photos of her wedding this past Saturday to Francois. She was a gorgeous bride, and it was so fun to be included as family and celebrate with them. Bev even got to walk Francois down the aisle, since no family was able to come from France for the wedding. What a hoot! He was nervous, speaks very little Spanish, so I think he appreciated our English and Scott's relaxed attitude! Paola laughs and says that since she speaks little French, and he speaks little Spanish....they have very few arguments. We will miss her and are already talking about visiting them in Amsterdam.














The reception included a lot of dancing. good food, drinks, heartfelt toasts, and laughter.

Some of you know Vilma on the left....the biologist who also helped at some of our clinics. By this time in the reception it looks like the bride and groom have had enough smiling photos! Paola wanted to be sure to be remembered to Jill and John (which she calls JillyJohn), Dave, Gary and the kids she worked with a lot in March....and all of the wonderful people she met in February and April. We kept hearing from her parents and family how important the connection with the Methodist Church groups had been for her.

The Little Engine That Could

On a trip last week to churches and communities in the northeastern part of the lake, we once again were on the road to Ninantaya and Ticaparqui. The April group will remember this road well! It was where our hired van had the flat tire, and then had to abandon us at the side of the road! Construction still continues on the road, and our forerunner had to come to the rescue of the road crew who had gone off the road and after two hours, was still stuck.















Not just once but twice! We have friends for life.
I swear I could hear our little Toyota forerunner......"I think I can...I think I can" Or was it..."Pienso que puedo....pienso que puedo"?

Aha.....we made it!

Cammeo

acknowledging

our safe arrival

at the church

in Ticaparqui.

Welcome! We're on our way to Amantani Island in Lake Titicaca to help Bev celebrate her big 60! Rumor has it that she also celebrated last night with Scott, Cammeo and Rotary friends. We think she and Scott need a rest!










Our friendly captain and crew. Very relaxed as we started the 3 hour cruise.....then..












the wind picked up and the lake got rough mid-trip. I wasn't nervous until I saw a local putting on a life jacket, and the captain and crew getting excited. I knew it was a little serious when they threw some of their coca leaves into the lake to "Pacha Mama." We then saw the islanders come running to catch us in a tangle of ropes as we landed. Hearty handshakes and hugs to all for a safe landing!

















The Aymara are usually very socialist and tightknit communities, which has been very interesting for us to experience. They DO work as a team, and are always there to support and help each other! Here they are helping a captain pull his boat in for repairs.




All lodging on Amantani is through homestays. This is the view above our home with Bernadina, her daughter, and three grandkids. Bernadina's husband was a phantom....he was busy farming most of the time, so we never met him.










Off to explore the island! It is so tranquil, with a very slow island pace. Everyone walks,; there are no cars, we saw no bikes, and...no dogs allowed. Nearly everyone raises sheep, chickens, cows, potatoes, beans, and grains.


























The Aymara on Amantani still live as they have for hundreds of years...off crops planted in their "chacras", small fields divided by rock fences. We appreciated the respite, read our books, then bid farewell to this peaceful setting and friendly farmers.

We want to share some photos of our recent training of 16 Promotores de Buena Salud in Copacabana, Bolivia. Those of you on the April medical/dental team from Boise will recognize this as the school we worked in with the Copacabana Hospital staff. The promotores did it....they started our first school dental program! After initial instruction to both the teachers and the kids, everyone received a toothbrush for them to keep at school. All teeth will get brushed after breakfast each day at school. The promotores were so pumped, they are already planning to do the same in their own communities of Peru and Bolivia.





Pastor Juan Bautista of Copa. being interviewed by the local radio station about the La Buena Salud program and the new school dental program. Others were interviewed as well, leaving the promotores more motivated than ever to learn and take this information back to their communities.






Proof!

Rosa and Florentino hard at work with their Healthwise Handbooks preparing a presentation to the rest of the group on their assigned symptoms and illness.














Felipe is teaching and sharing his extensive knowledge of herbs and natural medicines. Many have been used for centuries, and are certainly more accessible than Ibuprofin and Tylenol! It was our turn to learn a lot of new things!








Felipe, Isidro and Rene hard at work preparing their presentation as well! The program has been a great exchange opportunity between Bolivia and Peru. Felipe is from Bolivia, the other two from Peru. Isidro, red jacket, works as a technician in the small Puesto de Salud of Ninantaya, up north. They are generating a lot of enthusiasm and support for the program.








Implementing brushing teeth was definitely new....adding dental floss was over the top! The promotores were proud to have mastered it (not that it will always be continued) and helped think of other alternatives...toothpicks, small sticks, thread, fishing line. Here Juan demonstrates his flossing skill, and explains why we do it to the class he taught.






Bev helping with hands-on instruction to the second graders.












Definitely a new experience for most! It is not uncommon here to see a mouth full of cavities and rotting teeth at a very young age. We have even seen it in 3 year olds. Sorry, Coca Cola and Mars Bars....we have also taught about nutrition and the destruction from carbonated soft drinks and candy, especially without any brushing or care.









Poco a poco.....little by little. Isn't she a cutie?

April Team from Boise

Meet our April Medical/Dental team from Boise! We thoroughly enjoyed the 2 1/2 weeks they were here. We worked with local medical professionals and Promotores de Buena Salud at five different sites in Peru and Bolivia.
We have been so blessed with our teams.....everyone here was positive, flexible, and very hard working.







For example, everyone crammed into our apartment to help prepare all supplies for our clinics up north.
Mary modeling some of the glasses we took....smashing!










All aboard! Terry and Dan on their totora reed boat, enroute to the Uros Island where we worked in their Puesto de Salud alongside two local dentists, a local physician, the puesto's nursing staff, and two of our promotores. We got used to the motion of a floating clinic!

Special delivery to the clinic!

A very important part of our mission is building relationships and trust... with locals, medical professionals, and the churches. Keep talking, Deb.

Our dental team at a school clinic outside of Copacabana, Bolivia. We will return here this week for our Promotores de Buena Salud to implement a "pilot" dental education program in all grade levels. Each child will have their own toothbrush at school and brush twice a day. The man in the middle wearing the dark blue jacket and cap is the director of the Copacabana Hospital. He is also a dentist and worked with us!

The dentists worked hard...and usually elbow to elbow! Please note Sue holding our high-tech lighting system.

We enjoyed having two wonderful husband and wife dental teams:
Terry and Jan Brady.....

and Mike and Sharon Florence!


If looking inside of some of those mouths does not make you brush and floss, nothing will!

Gwen, our diagnosis Queen!

Kent trying to get this little one to breathe. Maybe she hopes to get dental done at the same time.

Brett doing quality control with worming meds.

Yummy!

Meanwhile Patty was doing crowd control outside and teaching them songs!

This is the goal! Assisting with patient data entry and education of the older children was Edwin, a cardiologist from the hospital.