First Baptist Church returns from medical missions trip in the Amazon

submitted by Cristina Smith

The Amazon Medical Missions Team, spearheaded by Rev. Duane P. Smith of First Baptist Church of Waukon, returned Wednesday, March 19 after being gone for almost two weeks to the Amazon area of northern Brazil, South America. Team members included Larry Barthel, MD and Connie Barthel, MPAS, PA-C; Rev. Duane Smith; Alicia Strong, RN, BSN; Joshua Strong; Paramedic Jeff Goettel and Elaine Goettel, Pharmacy Technician; Paramedic Tim Cooper and Martha Cooper; Linda Starr, RN; and Cindy Arpin, RN.
Team members gathered medications and medical supplies prior to leaving, raised their own personal funds, and prepared for an adventure on the Amazon River. Dr. Barthel had the monumental task of coordinating and organizing the medical aspect of the trip prior to leaving. The medications were labeled and organized appropriately so the clinics and pharmacies were set up smoothly upon arrival in Brazil.
In ten days, the medical team conducted two health clinics per day and treated approximately 1,318 people in 15 villages. The pharmacy team distributed over 2,100 prescriptions with a US$ retail value of over $94,896. The optometrist team gave out over 352 pairs of eye glasses with a US$ retail value of over $14,080.
Dr. Barthel, assisted by Connie Barthel, even performed surgery on a chest freezer. The medical responsibility on Dr. Barthel was high, but the team worked well together, and many patients were treated each day as a result of it.
The team was hosted by Rev. Smith’s relatives, Rick and Kim Parker, veteran missionaries with Word of Life Ministries, as well as Dick and Cleide Parker, Greg and Anne Parker, Paul “Butch” Jarrell, Lesi and family, “Cleice,” and “Preto,” their boat driver. Their home for 10 days was a two-deck boat that carried them comfortably from village to village along three rivers: Rio Paracuní, Rio Uraría, and Rio Ararí.
Team members took their baths in river water, washed clothes in river water, swam in the river, and slept in hammocks each night. Kim Parker was the chef, and cooked delicious meals for the team to enjoy, including alligator (yes, it does taste like chicken). The weather included temperatures in the 80s and 90s with humidity levels not as high due to the time of year. The weather was a welcome change for the team members after an arduous, cold Iowa winter.
The mission trip was a challenging trip and, at times, physically demanding. The villages that were visited had not been exposed to Americans or medical teams. Thus, it was a new experience for the Amazonians and the medical team alike.
The medical team traveled 200 miles upriver to the last known village, then worked its way back to civilization, village by village. At one village, near the end of the trip, they met a team from the Brazilian Public Health Department also conducting free health clinics, and helped them. Later, it was learned that they were so impressed by the American team, that they shared with villagers along the Amazon about the excellent treatment and care the American team provided.
They were complimentary of how the team treated them as “equals” and were very kind. This was a positive testament to the medical team, opening new doors for the Parker family to visit these villages in the future and to evangelize them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Although the emphasis of the mission trip was to provide medical care, the main goal was to share the love of Jesus in a practical and demonstrative manner. Through the generous actions of the medical team, many people were able to receive medical treatment that otherwise they would not be privy to.
The greatest reward for the team members was to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. "In following Jesus’ example of serving others, we give to those who are in need. By serving others, we serve Jesus," team members shared, expressing appreciation to First Baptist Church and the local community for their support of the Amazon endeavor.
The medical team will share a report of its mission trip at First Baptist Church in Waukon this Sunday, April 6 at 10 a.m. The community is invited to attend.
A trip to the Holy Land - a 10-day Biblical Tour of Israel, hosted by Rev. Duane Smith, is scheduled next for April 15-24, 2015. This trip is open to anyone wishing to take part in and “walk in the footsteps of Jesus.” For more information, call Pastor Smith at 563-568-2225 or stop by First Baptist Church for a brochure and application.