Operation Smile - Missions - Washington State Chapter




Mission Kenya 2001 Eldoret, a city of about 500,000 people, is located on the equator in west Africa and was our mission site in November 2001. We screened 450 potential patients in 2 1/2 days before providing surgery for 97 cleft lip and 10 cleft palate cases in five days. The 38 member team was made up of volunteers who lived in or were born in 12 different countries. We interacted so well as a microcosm of the world. The demeanor of most Kenyans is calm, gentle, and kind. We were graciously welcomed everywhere. It was a significant pleasure to meet and talk with OPERATION SMILE co-founder Kathy McGee in Eldoret. Nineteen hours of flying time through 11 time zones gave ample time for reflection. — Will Breuninger, Mission Member	Home > Missions Missions Medical and non-medical professional volunteers from the Washington Chapter have conducted missions in Vietnam, Colombia, Brazil, Russia, Columbia, Kenya, China and the Philippines. Memories of Mission Vietnam 1999 In November 1999, I had the privilege of participating in my first Operation Smile mission. Our mission site was Can Tho, Vietnam — a bustling city in the Mekong Delta. Being my first mission, I didn't quite know what to expect, but the commitment and enthusiasm of both our team members and the in-country volunteers was infectious and motivating, enabling us to function with caring efficiency to provide life changing care to 180 children. As with most missions, the facilities and equipment that we worked with were less than state of the art — requiring us to improvise and adapt. For instance, in the recovery area we used an electric cord tied between two doors for our IV pole. It worked great. One day there was monsoon-like weather and we had to trudge through 4-5 inches of water on slippery floors to deliver the children up several flights of stairs to the post-op area and their anxious parents. Another challenge we faced was losing one of our three recovery room nurses to a Gastrointestinal infection for two days. Other team members like Bill Cox and Casey Isom pitched in and did whatever was necessary to provide the care needed. The usual barriers between providers was torn down in light of the needs of these wonderful, heart warming people. We also enlisted the parents who became our partners in care even though the experience was overwhelming for many of them. I was moved to tears on many occasions by the profound love and commitment they demonstrated toward their children and by the trust they placed in us to help them. The true impact and heart of this mission was summed up in an encounter that our patient/parent educator, William Eiserman had with a twelve year old boy. Will, having been born with a severe cleft lip and palate himself, was able to relate to the children and parents in a unique way. After this boy's surgery, the boy's father told Will that his son hadn't wanted to live prior to knowing Will. The father said that his son was able to look deep into Will's eyes and soul and see hope for himself. Before leaving the bus that would take him to another hospital, the boy stood in the aisle, joined his hands, and gracefully bowed before Will. We were humbled and honored by encounters like these, making this trip truly extraordinary for all of us. I am honored and grateful to have served as a member of this Operation Smile team. — Cindy Compton, RN	Mission China 2000 Our mission to Nanjing, China was truly an international effort with volunteers from Australia, Canada, China, the Philippines, the United States, and Venezuela. Our emotional energy ran high, as we were up 20 or more hours some days without extreme fatigue. The saddest part of the mission was to face the parents of children who had been screened but not accepted due to insufficient time or operating tables. It was a dramatic experience. I've dreamt about the children for weeks after returning home. — Will Breuninger, Mission Member