Jean's Journal Entries
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The following are some notes that I jotted down at the end of each day while we were in Mexico. They are not well-written but I was typing them on my iPhone late at night while laying in bed after a long day. I wanted to remember what we did on the trip and also share them with our friends and families. So here we go...
The following are some notes that I jotted down at the end of each day while we were in Mexico. They are not well-written but I was typing them on my iPhone late at night while laying in bed after a long day. I wanted to remember what we did on the trip and also share them with our friends and families. So here we go...
_Day 1 - Sunday March 25th
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Four of the six team members (Me, David, Kayla a pre-vet student, and Kat a third year vet student) flew out of Sacramento this morning and after a layover in Houston and a ride on a small little plane we arrived in Harlingen, TX. We met up with the rest of our team at the airport: Mario (our translator from Merge ministries and the son-in-law of Sara, the pastor of the church and the one who founded Pilar), Lorraine (Vet who founded VetMerge), and Edward (veterinarian and veteran VetMerge participant). We then drove out to McAllen and had dinner at a place I’ve never tried before - CiCi's pizza. It was an interesting place, had way too much carb though (Mac n cheese pizza, yep...).
Tonight we are staying at a Spanish church in McAllen - planning to cross the border in the morning. We are sleeping in the sanctuary and we laid sleeping bags all over the stage in the sanctuary because it was only place that carpeted. So glad I got to take a shower right before bed but alas - only cold water!! I braved it and all is well. Sleeping right next to David’s sleeping bag - I feel so much safer just to have him on the trip with me. Today on the flight to Harlingen this lady asked us where we were going and we said to Mexico on a missionary trip and the lady said: “Oh I wouldn’t go there if I were you. Just couple days ago there was conflict in Reynosa with the drug cartel and the army. I wouldn’t go.” We all looked at each other and just took deep breaths. I just want to thank God for his grace and mercy and this blessing. I think we are going to be fine...I know lots of people are praying for us.
Oh man...big cockroaches running around next to my sleeping bag...ewwww!!!
Four of the six team members (Me, David, Kayla a pre-vet student, and Kat a third year vet student) flew out of Sacramento this morning and after a layover in Houston and a ride on a small little plane we arrived in Harlingen, TX. We met up with the rest of our team at the airport: Mario (our translator from Merge ministries and the son-in-law of Sara, the pastor of the church and the one who founded Pilar), Lorraine (Vet who founded VetMerge), and Edward (veterinarian and veteran VetMerge participant). We then drove out to McAllen and had dinner at a place I’ve never tried before - CiCi's pizza. It was an interesting place, had way too much carb though (Mac n cheese pizza, yep...).
Tonight we are staying at a Spanish church in McAllen - planning to cross the border in the morning. We are sleeping in the sanctuary and we laid sleeping bags all over the stage in the sanctuary because it was only place that carpeted. So glad I got to take a shower right before bed but alas - only cold water!! I braved it and all is well. Sleeping right next to David’s sleeping bag - I feel so much safer just to have him on the trip with me. Today on the flight to Harlingen this lady asked us where we were going and we said to Mexico on a missionary trip and the lady said: “Oh I wouldn’t go there if I were you. Just couple days ago there was conflict in Reynosa with the drug cartel and the army. I wouldn’t go.” We all looked at each other and just took deep breaths. I just want to thank God for his grace and mercy and this blessing. I think we are going to be fine...I know lots of people are praying for us.
Oh man...big cockroaches running around next to my sleeping bag...ewwww!!!
_Day 2 Monday March 26th
_We got up at 6:30am after barely sleeping the night - even though the stage was carpeted it was hard! Got yummy breakfast tacos at a gas station though - Q taco and a chorizo and eggs taco - apparently even though they look like burritos they don’t call them burritos in Mexico - it’s all tacos. Crossed the border successfully - praise the Lord!
Got to Reynosa early and got to the church. The church is really just a few buildings clustered together and most of them have no windows or doors and is just a concrete structure. I wonder if these are the rooms they have Sunday school in...
While setting up I realized that the clinic could use way more donated expired supplies - mental note to self for the future! We did DA2PP vaccines, deworm (interceptor, frontal plus, pyrantel) - and FVRCP+FeLV for kitties. Couple puppies may have parvo...super pale and sickly :( We gave them fluids and PenG injections - praying they'll make it!
Saw a dog that looked super mangy...hoping it’s demodex - sent him home on interceptor daily (that's what we had! No ivermectin!) And some recently expired antibiotics - hoping
his face will look better soon.
We then had a lunch break which lunch was wonderful flautas and queso fresca and Mexican sour cream that looked like mayo. The ladies at the church prepared it for us it was so delicious. By 5pm we wrapped up the clinic and saw 104 animals! We were told that most people who came are not church members which was good! The goal was to reach out to the community. We got to the orphanage and it was getting late so we had dinner - sandwiches and choco tres leches cake - yum! We had devotions with the group and now I am on an air mattress getting ready to sleep!
Got to Reynosa early and got to the church. The church is really just a few buildings clustered together and most of them have no windows or doors and is just a concrete structure. I wonder if these are the rooms they have Sunday school in...
While setting up I realized that the clinic could use way more donated expired supplies - mental note to self for the future! We did DA2PP vaccines, deworm (interceptor, frontal plus, pyrantel) - and FVRCP+FeLV for kitties. Couple puppies may have parvo...super pale and sickly :( We gave them fluids and PenG injections - praying they'll make it!
Saw a dog that looked super mangy...hoping it’s demodex - sent him home on interceptor daily (that's what we had! No ivermectin!) And some recently expired antibiotics - hoping
his face will look better soon.
We then had a lunch break which lunch was wonderful flautas and queso fresca and Mexican sour cream that looked like mayo. The ladies at the church prepared it for us it was so delicious. By 5pm we wrapped up the clinic and saw 104 animals! We were told that most people who came are not church members which was good! The goal was to reach out to the community. We got to the orphanage and it was getting late so we had dinner - sandwiches and choco tres leches cake - yum! We had devotions with the group and now I am on an air mattress getting ready to sleep!
_Day 3 Tuesday March 27th
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Got up today and we set up surgery room upstairs in a spare room. This was next to boys dorms. We had 5 surgeries scheduled from yesterday and we weren't sure if 3, 5, or 7 was gonna show and actually the 5 showed! Surgery was not at all fun...I did two spays and thought I was dying. First one I made the incision way too big and cranial and took forever. Second surgery tried to wake up right after I started, and then I had no carmalt clamps (mosquitoes do not clamp a pregnant, milking pedicle!!). Then my pedicle started bleeding so I had to get Edward to help...all this panicking in near 90 degree weather and high humidity...I had sweat dripping down my arm from my gloved hand.
All the dogs lived though and we got things done. Got to take a cold shower and never felt so good. In the evening we hung out with the kids...talked to Angel (who speaks really good English and loves to break dance), Fernando (cute but mischievous), Victor (super friendly and soo cute). Watched all the boys play soccer...they are really good!! At night we played guess phrase (iPad’s Catch Phrase) with the team. It was a good day afterall.
Got up today and we set up surgery room upstairs in a spare room. This was next to boys dorms. We had 5 surgeries scheduled from yesterday and we weren't sure if 3, 5, or 7 was gonna show and actually the 5 showed! Surgery was not at all fun...I did two spays and thought I was dying. First one I made the incision way too big and cranial and took forever. Second surgery tried to wake up right after I started, and then I had no carmalt clamps (mosquitoes do not clamp a pregnant, milking pedicle!!). Then my pedicle started bleeding so I had to get Edward to help...all this panicking in near 90 degree weather and high humidity...I had sweat dripping down my arm from my gloved hand.
All the dogs lived though and we got things done. Got to take a cold shower and never felt so good. In the evening we hung out with the kids...talked to Angel (who speaks really good English and loves to break dance), Fernando (cute but mischievous), Victor (super friendly and soo cute). Watched all the boys play soccer...they are really good!! At night we played guess phrase (iPad’s Catch Phrase) with the team. It was a good day afterall.
_Day 4 Wednesday March 28th
_Went to another orphanage today in the town of Reynosa to pick up some of their animals for spaying. This orphanage was founded and run by Americans. Very nice facility...kids definitely
have it little better here compared to Pilar. Brought back 3 of their dogs for spay and it was not pretty. Took me almost half an hour to find the uterus and then I had a gusher on my
ovarian pedicle. One of those times that I wanted to drop my instruments and run out screaming. Prob a 45lb dog...with ticks and fleas crawling all over so I told Ed I'm not doing the next one. I was trying very hard not to cry. David had a much better day - took group pictures for the kids. I am so glad he discovered what God wanted him to do here. He took pictures yesterday too of the orphanage. They have been wanting complete pictures and wanted someone to take pictures and make slideshows for them and David was able to help take lots of pictures - I think he’s happier now.
Best part of the day was in the evening. Kids got to have a movie night - Mario rented a movie from town and projected it on the side of the building. While we were waiting for it to get dark so we can have movie night in the courtyard, we watched kids play while there was some Christian rock coming out of the speakers. There was a nice breeze, and two of the little girls Lupita and Valentina were hanging out with me and David and I painted Lupita's toenails and Valentina painted David's pinky. Looking around I was thinking how amazing it was that I could feel God’s presence here. In a small orphanage in a place that is forgotten by the rest of the world, where drugs and scary things were happening just a few miles away, here are these kids getting an education, enjoying themselves with what they have, leaving their painful backgrounds behind. God is here! I am so glad I got to be a small part of this!
Then we watched Thor with all the kids and made them popcorn. Afterwards
David and I sat outside and talked about things for a good half an hour - our worries, concerns, praises, and we finished by praying together. Yet another good day.
have it little better here compared to Pilar. Brought back 3 of their dogs for spay and it was not pretty. Took me almost half an hour to find the uterus and then I had a gusher on my
ovarian pedicle. One of those times that I wanted to drop my instruments and run out screaming. Prob a 45lb dog...with ticks and fleas crawling all over so I told Ed I'm not doing the next one. I was trying very hard not to cry. David had a much better day - took group pictures for the kids. I am so glad he discovered what God wanted him to do here. He took pictures yesterday too of the orphanage. They have been wanting complete pictures and wanted someone to take pictures and make slideshows for them and David was able to help take lots of pictures - I think he’s happier now.
Best part of the day was in the evening. Kids got to have a movie night - Mario rented a movie from town and projected it on the side of the building. While we were waiting for it to get dark so we can have movie night in the courtyard, we watched kids play while there was some Christian rock coming out of the speakers. There was a nice breeze, and two of the little girls Lupita and Valentina were hanging out with me and David and I painted Lupita's toenails and Valentina painted David's pinky. Looking around I was thinking how amazing it was that I could feel God’s presence here. In a small orphanage in a place that is forgotten by the rest of the world, where drugs and scary things were happening just a few miles away, here are these kids getting an education, enjoying themselves with what they have, leaving their painful backgrounds behind. God is here! I am so glad I got to be a small part of this!
Then we watched Thor with all the kids and made them popcorn. Afterwards
David and I sat outside and talked about things for a good half an hour - our worries, concerns, praises, and we finished by praying together. Yet another good day.
_Day 5 Thursday March 29th
_This day we started with David taking pictures of and with the kids in their red uniforms recently donated by another team. David did really good jobs with kids individual pictures - he said it was emotionally draining but he was so glad he got to do that for them. I went on to
do a small dog spay in the morning then Edward had to leave! Did a cat spay in the afternoon and I was having the kids watch the surgery but unfortunately kitty kept on trying to wake up! And this is a cat from the orphanage that the kids love! Thank God the surgery ended up being okay but it was stressful (again)! Afternoon was laid back. I watched all the boys pile up around David watching stuff on his ipad, playing with photo booth and giggling - priceless. They were soo excited and happy. I am glad I caught it on video. At night the kids started to watch The Muppets movie outside but thunder storms rolled in! So they moved it inside to their activity room. We watched part of it with the kids but then David and I went outside to watch the amazing continuous lightnings light
up the sky all around. It was like nothing I have ever seen there was just non-stop lightning all around us! We finished with devotions and now I am going to bed.
do a small dog spay in the morning then Edward had to leave! Did a cat spay in the afternoon and I was having the kids watch the surgery but unfortunately kitty kept on trying to wake up! And this is a cat from the orphanage that the kids love! Thank God the surgery ended up being okay but it was stressful (again)! Afternoon was laid back. I watched all the boys pile up around David watching stuff on his ipad, playing with photo booth and giggling - priceless. They were soo excited and happy. I am glad I caught it on video. At night the kids started to watch The Muppets movie outside but thunder storms rolled in! So they moved it inside to their activity room. We watched part of it with the kids but then David and I went outside to watch the amazing continuous lightnings light
up the sky all around. It was like nothing I have ever seen there was just non-stop lightning all around us! We finished with devotions and now I am going to bed.
_Day 6 Friday March 30th
_Started out the day at 6:00am when after a quick bathroom trip i couldn’t seem to fall back
asleep. Felt the call to prepare dinner for the kids tonight - or at least something “for them.” As much as I felt that it is helpful to care for their critters I wanted to do something. Pitched
the idea of "Chinese food" at breakfast and this was ok'ed by all. Mario and I went to drop off dogs from yesterday’s surgeries in the morning and also to do some shopping. Mario also needed to stop by his home in Reynosa to pick up tools - nice and homey place and he showed me pictures of his family. He told me this was the house him and his wife got married, raised their kids. But 3 years ago when the drug cartels moved into town he had to move his family away. He kept the house so he can stay when missionary teams come down but it’s been hard. So sad. We went to the equivalent of a Home Depot so he could pick up stuff to work on the chicken coop. Then we went to the store and bought canned corn, ground pork, rice, eggs, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and mexican
green onions...
Got back to the orphanage and David and Mario started working on the chicken coop. I started to make fried rice for the kids...REALLY wish I hadn't suggested fried rice. Cooking rice with pots and frying with fake spatula in a flat pot didn't go so well and subpar fried rice was served. Plus I thought my arm was going to fall off stir frying rice for 40 people. But in the end I was so happy to see the kids finishing their food and coming back for seconds. Many of them came and thanked me personally and gave me thumbs up - made it all worth it. After the team cleaned up the kitchen couple of the boys helped us pack up our surgery room and roll our suitcases back to the house and lastly we vaccinated their cats with their help. Before the night was over I sat out and talked with David as thunderstorms were rolling in again and Snoopy, my favorite of the dogs there, saw us sitting outside he ran over for some petting. Can’t believe it’s our last night here it went by so fast. While I was cooking this afternoon the girls kept calling my name and wanted me to push them on the swings...I really wish I had more time with them!
asleep. Felt the call to prepare dinner for the kids tonight - or at least something “for them.” As much as I felt that it is helpful to care for their critters I wanted to do something. Pitched
the idea of "Chinese food" at breakfast and this was ok'ed by all. Mario and I went to drop off dogs from yesterday’s surgeries in the morning and also to do some shopping. Mario also needed to stop by his home in Reynosa to pick up tools - nice and homey place and he showed me pictures of his family. He told me this was the house him and his wife got married, raised their kids. But 3 years ago when the drug cartels moved into town he had to move his family away. He kept the house so he can stay when missionary teams come down but it’s been hard. So sad. We went to the equivalent of a Home Depot so he could pick up stuff to work on the chicken coop. Then we went to the store and bought canned corn, ground pork, rice, eggs, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and mexican
green onions...
Got back to the orphanage and David and Mario started working on the chicken coop. I started to make fried rice for the kids...REALLY wish I hadn't suggested fried rice. Cooking rice with pots and frying with fake spatula in a flat pot didn't go so well and subpar fried rice was served. Plus I thought my arm was going to fall off stir frying rice for 40 people. But in the end I was so happy to see the kids finishing their food and coming back for seconds. Many of them came and thanked me personally and gave me thumbs up - made it all worth it. After the team cleaned up the kitchen couple of the boys helped us pack up our surgery room and roll our suitcases back to the house and lastly we vaccinated their cats with their help. Before the night was over I sat out and talked with David as thunderstorms were rolling in again and Snoopy, my favorite of the dogs there, saw us sitting outside he ran over for some petting. Can’t believe it’s our last night here it went by so fast. While I was cooking this afternoon the girls kept calling my name and wanted me to push them on the swings...I really wish I had more time with them!
_Day 7 Saturday March 31st
_Got up really early to pack today. Said goodbye to Deborah and Paulien - the teachers from Holland who are here without pay. The real missionaries. They are so inspiring. I was so sad that we didn't get to say bye to the kids but I suppose that made it easier to leave. Driving away I prayed that we will get to come back again. I know there is more that can be done here and I want to come back. The kids made a lasting impression and I am so glad we came. We crossed the border easily and swiftly - praise the Lord again! And praise God that we were never in danger even though we were close to the action. And now...on our way home...