Mission Trip to Mississippi (2)

January 26

Two of us from the BLC mission group are Registered Nurses and are having the opportunity to serve the Katrina victims in the free medical clinics.

There are three clinic sites being overseen in a combined effort by the Lutherans and the Episcopalians. These clinics are staffed by volunteers medical professionals including doctors, nurses, physician assistants, phapmacists and others.

Two clinics are fairly small serving about 30 patients each day. The Biloxi clinic is housed in a church with the cry room and one office being used as treatment areas. The largest clinic is located at Long Beach and serves 130-150 patients per day.

Patients come in for medications and/or basic care that they cannot get anywhere else. Each person seems to have his or her own story to tell and expresses sincere appreciation for anything that is done, even when all we do is to listen.

Many have expressed surprise that so many people would come so far to help them. This is just a reminder of why we went into nursing in the first place, which was to serve others.

Inez and Mary

The clinic at Lone Beach is housed in a tent - much like a M*A*S*H
unit.

Entrance to the medical clinic

Inside the medical tent

There is even a pole with directional arrows showing cities where workers came from

Treatment and minor surgery area