Day 1- Arrival in Pucallpa, through Lima, PERU!

 

Jocelyn’s first visit to South America (Theresa’s too) with our arrival at 6 AM to Pucallpa, Peru!  Jocelyn is fluent in Spanish- which she has already put to good use (keeping Theresa from being lost since she is NOT fluent in Spanish) by getting us through the Lima Airport with customs, immigration and re-checking our luggage!  Jocelyn is also a Graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology and is working on her online class in Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Conditions (right now as I am typing)!!  She has 3 on-line classes this semester so she will be busy with course work, interpreting for the team, and co-treatment for speech therapy! This week will give her hands-on experience with speech therapy working for children with, “now repaired”, cleft palates! All is good- although “all” are tired and slept 3 ½ hours after checking into hotel at 7 AM!  Very nice hotel; VERY hot city!

 

 

 Theresa looks rested, but really isn’t! BEAUTIFUL morning arrival to Pucallpa where the other passengers (in background) had already realized the temperature difference between Lima (in the 60’s making for a rather chilly walk to the stairs of the domestic flight) and Pucallpa- at about 89 degrees! It is the beginning of rainy season so we are happy to have such clear blue skies! This is the first time for both Theresa and Jocelyn in South America! Also the first time we can say we are SOUTH of the Equator!! The mission with ICSF to the Philippines (which Theresa has traveled to for the last 3 years) is about the same distance north of the Equator as the distance we are south of the Equator in Pucallpa! The time difference is only 1 hour later than Denver so the adjustment has been easy compared to the Philippines time zones!

The screening for the surgical mission and speech therapy start tomorrow, Saturday September 28^th at 8 AM!  We are looking forward to getting to meet the children and families who have waited a long time for someone like Dr. Geoff (Williams) to come and provide free surgery for their cleft lip and palates!  Please keep the surgical team (which we’ll introduce later) in your prayers and the children/families here for surgery and speech therapy.