Saint Mark's Church

After treating some 65 families (193 people), fourteen year old Alberto came to the door. "No no.  Come back tomorrow," we told him. Alberto says nothing but only raises his arm to show us his hand which is disfigured with swelling,  red and "hot," filled with serious infection. Alberto was polite, but fixed his eyes on us boldly as if to to say, "I hope that you think this is important.

We think it's important, Alberto. In fact we think it is perhaps the most threatening malady we've seen this day. Despite the late hour, everyone agrees that the right thing to do is open Alberto's hand, create a "wick" for the infection to drain, put him on antibiotics and follow his wound every day we are here.

Alberto showed enormous courage as local anesthesia was administered, his tears, the last vestige of a boyhood passing quickly. Dr. Prest opened his wound, drained, packed and wraped it. Dr. Moreschi wrote for two antibiotics for Alberto to begin promptly.

We all piled in the van for the arduous ride through the mountains to our home base in Santa Barbara. The gaurds wished us well at the bottom of the mountain  and we clip eagerly home.

There was a bit of well-deserved, congratulatory chatter in the van, but mostly the ride was quiet as we nodded in and out of half-sleep. God, bless our team. Bless the people of Concepcion. God bless Alberto.