PERFECTLY PACKAGED WEEK

PETITE DONATION

On Monday we had a small signing ceremony at Hospital Sotero Del Rio in the Santiago suburb of Puente Alto. This public hospital cares for the largest number of patients in the country with an assigned population of one and a half million people. They needed awnings to protect patients from sun and/or rain because waiting rooms spill out from inside lobbies to outside spaces. We are developing a larger medical equipment project with them for next year.

PRICELESS CEREMONY

On Tuesday we flew south to Concepcion for a ceremony for a very special project.
COANIQUEM is a nonprofit organization with rehab centers for children ages newborn to 20 who have suffered from burns. They also serve patients with other types of scars from bites, surgery, accidents etc. They have centers in three cities in the country: Santiago, Antofagasta, and Puerto Montt. Combined, these three centers treat 8,000 children annually. We attended the inauguration ceremony for a fourth facility in the Concepcion suburb of San Pedro.

As a part of the inauguration, we had a ceremony for the equipment our church donated. The bioimpedance meter is an instrument for nutritional evaluation. Obesity is increasing in Chile and inhibits the healing and rehabilitation of burn patients. Wheelchairs are necessary for some patients when a skin graft is performed to help to immobilize the affected area and still provide mobility. The exercise bike will help to prevent muscle atrophy and the equipment for paraffin treatments is part of the rehabilitation treatment. The paraffin allows heat to be retained in the affected area and the moisture nourishes the layers of the skin. We are developing a larger project with COANIQUEM for next year.

The care kits and blankets prepared by local youth from our church will be put to good use by burn patients and their families.

PAUSE FOR ALMUERZO

Raul Seguel, our field manager for this region has become a dear friend

PERSPECTIVE, PEACE, & POWER

The three p’s- these are some of the blessings we receive from our weekly temple attendance. We were able to attend a session in the beautiful Concepcion temple this week.

PRECIOUS FRIENDS & PLENTEOUS FOOD

We spent a very enjoyable evening with Alondra Friz (our Concepcion communications director) and her husband Eduardo.

PREPOSITIONED SUPPLY INVENTORY

To be ready for natural disasters, our church has prepositioned supplies in locations throughout the country. It was time to inventory those supplies and replace expired items. We counted supplies in Concepcion: tents, generators, work gloves, chain saws, hygiene and first aid kits, wheelbarrows, crow bars and trash bags, just to name a few.

P-DAY EXPLORATIONS

On Friday we left Santiago at 6:30am for a day long adventure. We drove 2 ½ hours up into the Andes Mountain range through the Cajon de Maipo region. The Andes Mountain stretch for 4,500 miles on the west coast of South America through seven countries. It is the highest mountain range in the world outside Asia. Most Andean peaks are volcanic.

First stop, El Yeso reservoir. This reservoir along with nearby Laguna Negra provide the drinking water for Santiago. The pictures do not do it justice. The contrast in the geology was incredible. The diversity, going from very jagged peaks carved by glaciers to what looked like volcanic flow and mountainsides of colored sand. It was like looking at a sand sculpture spread out over a mountainside with muted polychromatic colors of green, blue, purple, and yellow. The contrast of rock and water was stunning. The Andes are stark and majestic.

We saw rocks in such a variety of colors and shapes and very friendly, black-chinned Siskins. They flew by the side of our car as we drove. This finch species is native to Chile and is found as far south as Tierra del Fuego and in the Falkland Islands.

The very narrow, winding dirt road leading to the reservoir, with no guard rails was a bit of a white-knuckle drive. Aunt Thora would not have liked it 😊. When we used to take her for autumn rides through the Alpine Loop, she insisted on sitting on the mountain side of the car.

We unsuccessfully tried to hike in the region but as the All-Trails app led us to trail heads, we found ourselves in private back yards or at tour company offices. Private landowners with homes at the trail heads charge you to park in their yards. Tour companies informed us that it is necessary to hire a guide for these expeditions and it was too late in the day for that. We consoled ourselves at one of our favorite restaurants, Casa Bosque.

All in all, a pretty perfect week!

Abrazos, Élder y Hermana Lamb, (aka Ed & Debbie, Mom & Dad, Pop Pop & Tu Tu)