Pine Tree Brigade

Last week we had our first medical brigade of the year with the Pine Tree group from Longview, Texas.  We went to Las Sandias for four days, and treated almost 1,000 patients! I believe the final count was 989. The Pine Tree group is an incredible group to work with. They work hard (it doesn't hurt that they need basically no help running the brigade-they're old pros by now!), love the Lord, and always serve with a smile the whole time they’re here. 

Pine Tree was the first group that I was here to help with last year when I was here to "visit," so it was fun to see many of them again. It marked the beginning of a very different year from last year. Last year everything and everyone was new, which was great, but it is going to be fun to see people return, as well as getting to know the new ones! 

I love medical brigades. It’s such a blessing to work in these small, poor communities. No matter how many times I participate, every brigade is a new and different experience. This time, after making sure everyone had the supplies they needed and were all set up, I translated and even filled in for sick group members by taking vital signs, etc. for a couple of days. It is a lot of fun for me to move around and work with different people during the week! I have THE BEST job.

I still pray that God is working through the mission, our short-term groups, and through me every day. I love being here and working every day, but brigades are such a fun, special way to serve hundreds of people face to face and show them the love that God has for them. I’m thankful for these opportunities that God provides to do just that!