Week 3 – Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato | REACH for the Philippines #TeamSTU

03/21/14

10:28pm – REACH Home base – Davao City

Week 3 has been quite interesting, rewarding, and exhausting. A special guest arrived, a late night emergency patient, and hours upon hours of driving to a place you would never know existed. This week we drove high into the mountains to serve the T’boli Tribe and surrounding communities. As Dr. Sam put it, “The Google Street View car is going to have to get some new tires before it snaps a shot of where we’re going.”

Sunday – Pastor Ian and I headed to the airport around 3pm. I assured him that our guest would be easy to spot amongst the masses exiting the terminal. Sure enough, like a palm tree in a pineapple field, there he was towering above the rest. Brad Ferguson, a long time close friend and designer of the #TeamSTU Logo, arrived bags and camera gear in hand; “Lets do this.” With the blessing of his girlfriend, a #teamSTU donor and nurse in training, as well as his perfect 2 year old son and supporting family, Brad volunteered his skills yet again. This week he will be filming a promotional video for REACH International Healthcare and Training Inc. Follow him on Facebook and online to see the generous gift he will make for REACH. www.bradleyferguson.com

Monday – 5am departure was the perfect way to start a LONG week. 4 hours along the crazy pinoy highway, then another 4 hours up the side of a mountain. I will try to show you in my short video (I’m sure Brad will do a better job) but I doubt any of the 6 cameras we had in that Truck could do a good job at describing the roads we traveled. One lane dirt roads, small bamboo houses on cliff edges, crossing 2 rivers, passing several tiny villages, Water buffalo tilling rice terraces…. Where are we? Just about sunset we arrived in Kibang, Ned, Lake Sebu. There we found our guest house surrounded by an amazing government agricultural project. A self sustaining resource for this village included a tilapia and catfish pond, fruit trees, as well as hard wood groves. Chickens roamed freely, pigs raised. It reminded me of the fair trade farmer story. Life here seemed simple. No Facebook or fashion trends. Only one umbrella sized space where a local cellular signal could be found (literally people standing in line to use this open air / umbrella covered “phone booth”). We unloaded the truck and our first 5 patients patiently waited at our doorstep.

Tuesday – About 300 meters away, crossing two small bamboo bridges, and up a small hill, a stand alone class room was found surrounded by a symmetric Mahogany grove and several bunches of Giant Bamboo. In this classroom, chalk board lining its back wall, ~30 locals came to learn basic healthcare. One of my favorite aspects of REACH is their Healthcare worker training classes.

They empower the isolated and impoverished by teaching them about first aid, nutrition, and proper approach to common diagnosis and medication use; the perfect addition to a simple, sustainable, community lifestyle. This weeks Team Leader was Jordan RN who assigned me a topic to teach. “Right and Wrong uses of Medicine”. As you can see on the chalkboard, I’m an advocate for Doctor’s poor handwriting.

11:45 pm That night – Abruptly I awoke to an unfamiliar language yelling; a frantic voice under the pouring rain outside. I rushed to the front door with Jordan to find a local man sitting down, supported upright by a woman, blood dripping from his face. Details unclear, I gathered that he had been in a motorcycle accident. Knowing the REACH team was in town, he avoided a 4 hour ride (in good conditions) to the nearest clinic/hospital and came to us. Immediately we cleared a table in our dinning area, pulled gear from the truck, and set up a surgical suite. I stabilized the head, Pastor Ian the arms, 2 more locals the legs. Dr. Sam and Jordan went to work. This man lost 4 teeth, 2 deep dirty lacerations on his face, and many weeping abrasions. As we went to bed Brad asked me, “What if we weren’t here?”

Wednesday – Today we moved to NED proper to set up clinic. On a plateau above a small village, we prepared the healthcare workers to practice their skills. A parade of patients, and those interested to see what was going on, joined us under a covered basketball court. With a translator, I helped Dada RN and Jordan RN with clinic. Dr. Jen and Nice RN assisted surgery.

Thursday – Clinic and Surgery day 2, Dr. Jen and I switched. Brad even got a shot at assisting in a Surgery! Serving a smaller crowd than the day before, we packed up the Truck around 1pm and departed for Lake Sebu. One of the municipality officials was pleased to extend to us lodging at a scenic guest house and VIP tickets to the Highest ZIP-LINE in ASIA the following morning.

260 free clinic patients – 13 free surgeries

Hours of professional video footage and interviews – A promotional fundraising video in the making

*** This week NO WATER FILTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED ***

These people have the blessing of safe clean spring water. Being on the top of the mountains also provides them some safety from flooding. Pastor Ian assured me the remaining filters would be better served at our site next week as their water supply has been seriously affected by flooding.

Instead, with donor support, we were able to distribute much needed personal hygiene items. This included 180 toothbrushes with toothpaste, as well as some body soap and petroleum jelly. Access to oral and skin care is something I think many of us back home take for granted. Imagine for a second, what if you couldn’t brush your teeth for a year because there were no toothbrushes available? That isn’t the exact reality here. People might have some access to these products. The real question is weather or not paying for dinner that night is more important.

Friday – Long story short… The Zip line was “Under Repair” (good and bad news I suppose). We took a walk through the grounds and viewed several beautiful waterfalls before piling back into the truck for a LOOOOONG 8 hour drive home. The 1 minute video at the end of this post shows my delirium.

Saturday – All good things must eventually come to an end. Early this morning Dr. Jen departed back to the US. I can tell her time here was greatly appreciated by the REACH staff. Her compassion to serve these isolated and impoverished people is so motivating to watch. I’m sad to see a friend depart, but I know she’s off to do more good. I have no doubt she will be back again to serve the Philippines.

Later that night Brad and I were treated to a true feast, the Filipino way. In honor of Pastor Ian’s sister graduating from Nursing school a gathering was held at the REACH Homebase. Lumpia, Mango Float, Chop suey, Lechon, Quail egg, rice, and Dr. Sam’s special (a rare delicacy in the Philippines) Fettuccini alfredo, were just some of the treat. Enjoying each other’s company and delaying the bitter sweet departure of a best friend, Jordan leaned over to me, ear to ear smile, and said, “We eat well tonight so we can avoid Breakfast in the morning! And if you choose to not fill your stomach, surly there will be leftovers waiting.”

A 20 min car ride to the airport, filled with laugher, singing, and reminiscing the week that passed with the blink of an eye. Although we live so many miles apart, we will always be connected, Pastor Ian, Jordan, Brad and myself. Brought together with sincere intentions to do something good, we were rewarded with something great. New, renewed, life-long friendships. We each offered Brad a hug and safe travels. A palm tree among pineapple fields, he disappeared into the terminal. Thank you so much for volunteering your time, skills, and heart by coming to the Philippines and doing so much good, Brad.

Leaving the airport Jordan pointed out, “We’re one less band member. Who will replace him?” Our week’s theme song still on repeat in the background… No longer a sing a long… A solemn drive back to home base.

“Close your eyes I want to see you tonight in my sweet dreams “