Global Health Engagement – Team CHina Chia Tai Update #3
Ni-Hao from Lauren and Paulina!
Since our last update, it seems we haven’t stopped but it has been a blessed busyness! We had the opportunity last week to observe several departments in the hospital. It was very exciting to watch a REAL live orthopedic surgery of the elbow and the shoulder! We all agreed that it was an incredible learning experience. Later in the week, our team observed a patient have a heart angioplasty procedure. The purpose of this procedure was to look for narrowing and blockage of the coronary arteries. Our team also toured the E.N.T department of the hospital and met the wonderful staff. We even got to look inside one of Dr. Boyer’s ears!
Our weekend was filled with plenty of fun activities. Despite the rain, we made our way to the Jilin Meteorite Museum and learned about the 1976 event that occurred where a meteorite crashed on a cornfield in Jilin City. The museum also provided the history of Jilin, and it was neat to see pictures of places we have visited since we have been here! On Sunday afternoon, we went back to the church where we were last weekend, but attended a service in English. It was an emotional experience for many of us, especially during our time in worship through music. Surprisingly, there were people there from other cultures, including Africa, India, and the Philippines. It was amazing to be united as a body in Christ with so many other ethnicities. We were reminded of Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothes in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”
Monday was spent at Bo Hua Hospital again to attend Dr. Boyer’s lecture on diabetes. The audience included patients and hospital staff who were eager to learn more about the vital role exercise plays in preventing and treating diabetes. For diabetic individuals, Dr. Boyer explained how quality of life is improved through various exercise practices. He also informed the audience on the risk factors and the prevalence of diabetes in China. Like the United States, diabetes is also increasing in China.
Zai-Jian!
Lauren and Paulina