Twenty-two exhausted American medical and support volunteers wrapped up Friday's work. They had freely given 1,720 optical and medical services to the people of Nepal. Little did they know, the trip would be cut short due to the tragic murder of the country's Royal family just a few hours later.

In partnership with Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania United Medical Association, OBI conducted the medical mission in the Kalamati area of Nepal. Green mountains with fields of corn and wheat cover the landscape. The Himalaya Mountains can be seen in the distance. Many of these lean, hardworking people also farm rice. Makeshift roads dotted the terrain. Team members experienced the local way of life through living indigenously with Hindu Nepalese families.

With no permanent medical or optical care, local government officials spread word of the American's coming. Each morning the team departed to three different directions. Some went to the optical clinic. Others went to the base medical clinic, and the remainder went out into different areas to conduct mobile medical clinics.

It is common for children to climb up four-story trees on make-shift nail ladders. They cut off a vine used for cattle-feed, but fall often. A little girl came into the clinic with a sore jaw, numerous bruises, and a gash on her face. Not even ten-years-old, this was her second time falling. She had hit tree limbs during the fall. This saved her life! Team doctors cleaned and bandaged the wounds before infection set in.

With tears of severe pain running down his face, 11-year-old Bipian came in with his father. After a fall, the boy's head wound had progressed into an infection, taking its' toll down by the ear. Not able to afford it otherwise, Bipian's father was grateful when his son received relief through antibiotics. "We showed the love of Jesus the best we could," said OBI Pharmacist John Lynn.

Knowing it would be their last day of service in Nepal due to civil unrest, volunteers including ophthalmologist Cliff Brown gave check-ups to forty children living in an orphanage on Sunday. Not only did OBI donate multi-vitamins to the orphanage, but also left basic medicines with a permanent clinic in Kalamati. "We are very very grateful to OBI for providing the medicines," said Calvary Chapel's team leader Steve Simpson. "It was an excellent trip over all."

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.

 

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