Me, Volunteer?... How Can I Possibly Be Helpful?

Greg was a tag-along.

Margaret was our returning medical volunteer, who was busy this week doing valuable home visits, nutrition charlas (education) for folk in Nueva Vida, helping in the pharmacy, offering practical suggestions to help severe diabetics, etc.

She brought Greg along.  He'd seen the photos and heard the stories.

Newly engaged, he came to at least hang out and see what all her interest was about.

We put him to work with Rogelio, Pedro, Lucas, and Wil.

 He learned to sling repello on the wall.

He moved block. 

He vanished with his companeros into the countryside, awe-struck at finding himself inspecting a sesame field, checking on the crop's progress.

His English and their Spanish... a bilingual dance of hands and words, usually producing sufficient communication and a lot of laughter.

Greg came in from work daily, appreciating ever more the range of knowledge, experience, and the personalities of his mentors.  And he paid attention. 

Mid-week Greg came to me... "Would it be possible for me, as an A/C professional, to clean the condenser coils on the clinic A/C and help it run more efficiently and prolong its life?"

He didn't want to step on any toes.  He was being culturally sensitive of those from whom he'd been learning.

"Yes!",  was our enthusiastic response, and "let's bring in Rogelio also."

"Yes!"  was Rogelio's response... "and what tools do you need and how can we help?  What can you teach us for future more effective maintenance?"

And so the next day found Greg climbing the roofs, being tossed one end of a garden hose, to flush out A/C condenser coils.

And crawling around offices, sharing his knowledge with Pedro.

And then... but... hmmm... "Do you also know electrical system information, Greg?

And so off he went on a shopping spree with Rogelio, to purchase the needed voltage tester... and his final workday at the clinic found him partnering with Rogelio to test and record the amperage draw of the clinic air-conditioners... that keep the lab cool enough for its equipment to function... that keep the dental chairs and compressors running... that keep the ultrasound working... and the office computers keeping records... as well as the A/C to maintain the medicine stock.

Why test and record?

Because our tired generator doesn't produce enough umpf (the technical term, of course) to keep everything at the clinic running during the electrical company's frequent power outages, and knowing how much each piece of the puzzle consumes will let us know what we can and can not keep running during each outage, and what capacity we need to look for in a future generator (hint), or with hopeful thinking, a solar system in place (big enormous hint).

What a gift Greg has given us.  

Not a tag-along at all.

As Rogelio said, "We need everybody.  Everybody can help."

Thanks, Greg (and Margaret!)

- Sarah

For More Life-Giving information:  https://jhc-cdca.org/life-giving-2019/