I am Sweating Buckets.

Hola Amigos,

Our second group from Greenville Oaks Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas is here and we are cooking. Literally cooking. The temperature right now is 92 degrees outside, but with the humidity (which is close to 87%) it is forecasted to feel like 119 degrees. Today was probably one of the hottest days I have felt since being here. I mean...119 degrees....seriously.

Check that out.

So anyhow. The group here now is smaller, only ten, and because of the small size we are all in the house together and bonding so much. We are hanging out and eating together and sharing laughs with one another. The adults are so sweet and the women are taking such good care of me, making sure I am wearing sunscreen and drinking water and what not. Really loving them.
This week things have begun  to really come together for me. I just feel as though I have been affirmed in the career choice I have chosen and been encouraged to continue to work hard in school so that one day I can earn the title of "Dr. Katelyn Jackson."
One of the days of our VBS, a group of older boys pulled up to the school where we were conducting the VBS. I was trying to talk with the boys, but they were mostly snickering and carrying on and wouldn't tell me what they thought was funny. So I called our translator Rodrigo over to help me communicate and the words just started pouring out of me. I couldn't stop myself from telling them that they were so important to the community and that they needed to be good examples for the younger kids and that I would love them to help out and on and on. I really freaked them out. I just couldn't help myself though. Hopefully some sort of good was done though.
Today a boy named Randy and his mother Saudia came over to see the nurse that traveled with the group here. He broke his wrist last year and had surgery, but has re-injured the previous break. Saudia had been putting ointment on the swollen area thinking that would help an internal injury, and of course she was told that would not work. Vivian, the nurse, just helped Saudia to understand she needed to take Randy for and x-ray and from there determine the best form of treatment. Saudia agreed and we found her a ride to the hospital, and gave her money for and x-ray (which is was only about $10 here. I said all that to say that I can't wait to get into the field of medicine and return to a place like Farallon, or maybe even Farallon. There is just such an overwhelming need for health care and health education here. I had to work really hard to keep myself together in order not to be sobbing over a simple wrist examination. I guess I was overwhelmed with how patient and gentle Vivian was and how she was truly able to help.

Like I said, things are just coming together here and I am seeing God's purpose for me in Panama every day.

Also, I learned to play spades. Super fun.

Thank you for reading. Vaya con Dios!

Katelyn