This was clinic day on one of our big days before we had the clinic “hut” finished. You can imagine trying to function inside the house while all those people are on your front porch, in your yard, and all over your property. At the same time, pray with us that this outreach will open doors to many hearts that they find healing for their souls as well as their bodies.

Selina is in the center on the porch, and yes, those are a dog and a pig in the foreground of the picture.

This picture was taken when Lena’s clinic was held on Matt & Becky’s front veranda. She is learning new medical techniques as well as two new languages (Melanesian Pidgin and Kamea).

Just a few days after her first experience suturing a patient (a little girl with a forearm slashed by falling on a machete), Lena is sewing up a teen boy’s finger…another machete incident.

Serious medical cases are referred to the “hospital” (a deteriorating medical clinic) over the mountain and are transferred by Kawasaki Mule courtesy of one of our two “ambulance” drivers (Matt and John). It can get exciting on the trail this time of year as rainy season sets in with a vengeance. “Getting wet” takes on a whole new meaning! Keeping patients semi-dry in the back is a chore, and keeping yourself semi-dry is nigh unto hopeless.

The patient load is around 125 on a typical week now. The local people have helped to build a small bush house to use for the clinic (and move the crowd off the front porch as they stay around a long time when they start coming). They start arriving around 8:30 in the morning and clinic goes until the last patient is seen…sometimes as late as 5 PM. Clinic is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; on Sunday after church she does a short clinic, too. Of course, emergencies appear at the house daily.

Pray with us that we can use this vital ministry to reach more people with the Gospel, as well as help them with their quality of life.