Day 4:
One of our main events for the trip to Jamaica was the health screenings for the Montego Bay community around the Montego Bay New Testament Church of God. We arrived bright and early at 8 am and began setting up in preparation for clients at 8:30.
Upon entry, patients were first greeted by a group of team members and given a green card to write their different number values on. They were then escorted to our blood glucose station to begin their circuit followed by BMI calculation, blood pressure testing, and health counseling at the end where the values on the patient’s green cards were analyzed and educated on where fitting. We used some additional resources to communicate patient complexity and paint a picture of the whole patient.
At the last stop, patients had the opportunity to choose a pair of reading glasses if needed and grab a pair of sunglasses. Upon their exit, those screened received gift bags including shampoo, bar soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, condoms, pedometers, and lip balm. We screened a total of 49 people. Success.
After a quick bite to eat for lunch and a fresh coconut to wash it down with from a street vendor that happened to have gotten screened with us, we left the city limits of Montego Bay and headed over to Reading, Jamaica to perform health screenings for the local community surrounding The New Testament Church of God Anchovy. It was a winding trip up the mountain through lush, dense tropical vegetation in the rain, with nice mudholes and potholes to match, but we made it. Mr. Willie made it happen once again and got us up the mountain safe and sound. We set up quickly and got to work with the people waiting in the same fashion as we did earlier. We were able to screen 27 people and donated 2 blood glucose monitors, equipped with 100 lancets, 60 test strips, cotton swabs, gauze, and alcohol wipes to some people that really needed it. A total f 26 people were screened at this facility. Success number 2!
After our trip to Reading, Jamaica, we made our way back down the mountain to Montego Bay and stopped in the city for some Jamaican kick for lunch from Island Grill. To sooth our sweet tooth, we rounded off our lunch with some awesomely insane good tasting Jamaican ice cream at Devon’s House. We loaded up on the bus and were off to our last stop, back at Montego Bay New Testament Church of God where were the guests for the youth ministry tonight. And because so many people wanted to get a health screen, but couldn’t make it earlier today, we decided to perform a second screening along with and in the background our presentations to the youth minstry. Although unscripted and unplanned for, our group adapted, regrouped, and made it happen.
All hands were definitely on deck to make the evening a success and it could not have been done without everyone on top of their game. (It turned out to be a 14-hour day!) We were able to simultaneous screen 80+ more patients and host a teaching module on physical activity. To say the day was impactful is an understatement. The number of lives we touched today will make a difference in these people’s lives and they deserve it. #Grateful
