Two-Dollar Dental Work at a Mobile Medical Clinic

As a kid, I would watch as my dentist sterilized his instrument on a small Bunsen burner before proceeding on my filling. No reclining chair, no humor and certainly no laughing gas. Those were dental visits from the history books.

Eventually he moved into pre-retirement, spending more time grooming his yard and flower gardens with his wife. With this, he suggested that Mom seek a new dentist for me and my siblings. (Mom obliged by taking herself and Dad to a new dentist along with us kids.)

Was it that cut-the-kids ruling (I learned of it decades later) that prompted my own desire for kids to wait outside the medical caravan truck? I don't know, but as I watched, I wondered when the ax would come from Dr. Reinaldo:

"Afuera por favor." (Wait outside please.)

As he worked on mouth after mouth, the verbal "boot" never was uttered, not even under his breath. Even the returning 5-year-old, Andres, did not warrant a reproof. Instead, Reinaldo put himself on a first-name basis with the boy and conversed with him.

One girl stood and watch as Mom was attended to. Little Natalia came in unaccompanied, boldly acquanting herself with Reinaldo . . . until she was actually in the chair.

Cleanings took the longest; extractions were quickest. Extraction, filling, or profilaxis cost $2. The biggest currency that was pressed into my hand was a $10 bill, and by then I had enough in the coffee cup to make change. Part of the joy of this job was giving a Gospel of John to people as they left.

Most had just one procedure. But Edison, a young man with hand-drawn tattoos on his arms (yeah, I still notice) had two extractions one afternoon, then returned for another pulling the next day. Another man's smile revealed decorative gold framing his front teeth -- the handiwork of an earlier dentist elsewhere.

Reinaldo also did a few consults and charged the patients nothing for those. Beginning at 10 a.m., we saw 21 patients by 4 p.m. that day, then we, the two docs, and Ian packed up everything and backed the caravan off of the blocks.

Jofre moved the caravan to a new location nearby.

There were likely kids there too. And plenty of dental and medical needs.

Another dental diary is here.

The Need To Read

Kathy writes:

I have read several books in the past few months.

One was Peace like a River, the Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year.

The Midwestern family in this novel has miracles happen every few months.
It has me thinking about what kind of things our kids will remeber from their
childhood. Are Ralph and I reminding them often enough of the LORD's
miracles we have witnessed?

Another was One Flew over the Cookoo's Nest. Painful reading at times, knowing the tragic ending to come. Yet, I couldn't put it down.

Laurie Halse Anderson's historical fiction work, Fever 1793, was another one that had me hooked from beginning to end.

Phillip Yancey's I Was Just Wondering is the one that currently has my attention.
I read a long time each night before bed, while the supper is cooking, and
any other time I can catch a few minutes.

After explaining to students their assignments, I have been able to read
quite a bit while substitute teaching.

Various times the students would ask me about the book I was reading.
I was saddened to learn that so many of the kids never read, or only read
what they absolutely have to for a passing grade.

In the 8th grade English class, the kids had two months to read Johnny
Tremain. The day I had to sub was the 100 question test over that book. Many
of them complained as I was handing it out. "But I'm not ready"- "But I
didn't read it after the first 5 pages", etc.Some even joked about it and
seemed proud that they had not read it.

Reading is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I started reading aloud
to our kids when they were infants. I thank God that they all enjoy reading
for pleasure now. We have enough books in our home to start a library. When
I think of the books that I have read just in April, and all the things I
have learned, and how I have been challenged and encouraged in my walk with
Christ, I am overwhelmed.

To think that so many of the students I work with every day are missing out on one of life's greatest pleasures saddens me.

I have decided that talking about my current read is going to be a regular
part of my "good morning, class. Mr. So-and-So is ill today" speech.

It's my small way of trying to get the IM/Facebook generation back into books!

Vehicle Inspection

More info (in Spanish) is here.


Check emission gasses.

Sure hope the Jeep passes.


Seven-thirty was late.
So a two-hour wait.

My second time around.
Where vendors abound.




The vehicle now inspected.
Few(er) problems detected.


Yes!
It passed the inspection at last.



Finally!

Success!





but . . . . vehicle registration is next.