Thank you for traveling with me on this important journey...

My name is Lisa Teske. On October 10, I will depart for Cebu City, Philippines on a 10-day medical mission with Rotaplast International. I will represent the Columbia Center Rotary Club and Rotary International District 5080 alongside of a team of 25 people (medical and non-medical volunteers) who work to correct more than 100 cleft palate conditions in local children. My primary function will be to manage the medical records, but I will also spend some of my time communicating the importance of our work and the impact on the lives of our patients.

While participating in this mission, I hope to improve myself through service, particularly in a challenging medical environment where I'm not naturally composed, and to learn more about Filipino culture. Each day is sure to teach me something new!

For more information about Rotaplast, I encourage you to visit their site at http://www.rotaplast.org/. And to learn more about Rotary International, contact me and I'll be happy to share more about this amazing organization.

Proud to be a Rotarian. Proud to serve. -- Lisa

Friday, October 14, 2011

“That’s life here” – a simple statement for a horrifying reality

 A few of us were walking back from the hospital this evening. As we prepared to ascend the stairs to the overpass, a group of people and children were gathered. As we passed, we saw a man slumped against a wall looking like he was passed out. People were talking, children were pointing and stepping closer for a look. He was dead confirmed a young nurse walking next to me.
She told me that he was a beggar and that from the looks of it, he’d had a heart attack. The police had been called and would come to haul away his malnourished body. I didn’t know what to say. But my face must have asked a question. What she said took my breath away in its matter-of-factness:  “That’s life here.” It happens all the time.
I don’t think I could ever get used to life like this. The rest of our walk was in silence.

1 comment:

  1. WOW!! A rough life it is. My heart ache to hear this story.

    I've been bless in many ways and there's times I don't acknowledge.

    ReplyDelete