Each morning, my interpreter Fernanda and I navigated our way along the rocky narrow sidewalk, admiring the glorious purple blooms of the jacaranda trees, and up the steps of the church; a ramp alongside the steps makes the clinic wheelchair accessible. If we arrived early enough, we would see Dr. Fuentes zoom up the ramp on his motorcycle, which he parked across from the long wooden bench, placed outside of the clinic, that served as the waiting room. 

Dr. Fuentes is an excellent, experienced internist and I found much to admire in his wise, compassionate approach to patient care; discussing his cases allowed us to exchange knowledge…

Upon arrival at Tiquipaya Hospital, I listened to the cacophony of sounds, including the voices of anxious patients and family in the waiting rooms, the cry of infants, the calls for the next patient, the hum of machines and the scurry of nurses trying to make their way through the labyrinth of narrow hallways and crowded rooms to deliver their services.

I listened to medical students tell the story of their education, express dreams for their future careers, and explain the winding and uncertain path to becoming a physician in Bolivia. I listened to the assessments given by Puente de Solidaridad employees of the stability of the country, state of medical care, greatest needs of area hospitals and challenges in distribution of medical supplies, particularly to very small clinics in remote areas.

One of the beautiful experiences of the Pediatric Epilepsy Mission Trips is the community they create between families with children awaiting surgery and those whose children have already undergone surgery through this program. Each mission trip is an opportunity to check in on patients and their families who we operated on 6 months previously. So far, our former patients are all experiencing greatly improved quality of life and their families often express deep gratitude and relief for how transformative the surgery is for the entire family. The families support each other and give words of encouragement to those awaiting surgery. Many stay in touch and maintain friendships long after the mission trip.

Serving as a chaplain on this mission trip has made me realize how out of order my own worries and preoccupations can be. The patients and their relatives I met during this mission trip made me realize that I already have the most important and valuable things in life: my family is healthy, and most importantly, we are alive. We often take life and health for granted, without realizing that they are the most precious gifts we have.