Greetings friends,
Two days ago we came back from a trip to the beautiful island of Maiana. We spent five days with a ten people team, doing medical work day by day from one village to another. The whole time being there we seen 350 – 400 patients. Usually we would divide into three teams. Daniel and Mark were In charge of the team helping people with prescription glasses. Nadia and myself where in charge of other two teams, working General Health. Deanna and Kristina were in charge of medications. About ninety percent of the population are fisherman. They lead a lifestyle of heavy smoking and eating much salty fish. This is the primary cause of their health problems. The medical problems we came up with time and time again where: Diabetes, Hypertension, Skin Disease, Back and Neck Dislocation, Ear Infections and others. The Island of Maiana has no electricity or any running water. There is one tiny road, twenty two kilometers long which connected seventeen different villages. There is only one pickup truck which belonged to the government. It was usually used as a means of transportation for the local students. Only a few people had their own private vehicles on that island. The islands main transportation where by motorcycle and bicycle. The Island of Maiana surprised us with its cleanliness and it’s hospitably from the local people. This made our stay their unforgettable! I would like to mention one of our friends, who made this trip possible. He works at the Kiribati Parliament, my deepest regards to Kauri Babo. He paid for the speedboat to transport our entire team, back and forth. Maiana is Kauri’s home island and he was very happy that we were able to go to his people, fulfilling great need in health care. One of my unforgettable experiences was, when we had the chance to visit one of the villages school on our second day of this trip. That elementary school had fifty children and three teachers. Personally I enjoyed spending time with the children, as we were checking them and talking to them about ourselves and hearing their stories. In the end we were able to take some pictures and give the kids some gifts and most importantly pray with them. Days like those make our mission worth it.
After our return back to Tarawa we are facing some new challenges, with the Kiribati Medical Board. We received news that we cannot receive any more patients at Tarawa Health Center. To make a long story short, almost six months since our arrival they are saying that we haven’t submitted all the necessary documents to them. I know that the enemy is trying really hard to stop our family from doing its work. But we are not discouraged. I ask you all to pray with us, since I am planning on having a meeting with the president of Kiribati very soon, to resolve this issue. To those who are visiting this blog, big thanks for your prayers and support! Please leave your comments, so that we know you are with us. May the Lord bless you all abundantly! To Him alone be all the Glory! Serge Domas