click on photos for a larger image

Norman helps Dr. Bill perform screening examinations

Zack talking Katie through an extraction

Jennifer and Dr. Bill filling three of Norman's teeth

Norman is all smiles when his treatment is complete

Dr. John Drescher and Doug filling cavities

Zack, Liz, and two patients for the price of one

Kevin and Katie teaming up

Kevin, Heather, Grant and Christine during low tide at the swimming hole

Devotions: How does Loving God relate to Loving Man?

Today’s passage: written by the apostle John, one of Jesus’ “inner circle” (along with Peter and James), and also believed to be the only one of the twelve original apostles not martyred for his faith.

1 John 4:20,21 - “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

-If we say we love God, we must also love people. If we don’t love people, then we don’t truly love God.
-includes the residents of Mavis Bank, Jamaica
-includes the person who lives next door
-includes the person who has hurt you more than anyone else in the world
Tomorrow: Relationship between Love and the Ten Commandments

This morning we made plans to start the day by seeing whichever children from the City of Refuge Orphanage might be in need of treatment. Just after breakfast I went with Will to screen the children, to determine which would need to be seen at the clinic. I would have each child lean his or her head back, then I would count their teeth while I did the exam. My counting of their teeth seemed to relax the children, as it was something they could understand and did not fear. Soon Norman, a 9-year old resident at the orphanage, decided that he wanted to help with the counting. From that point forward Norman ran the show - he would direct the children to open their mouths and would count their lower teeth (while I did the exam), then he would lean their heads back so I could see their upper teeth, and would continue his counting. He was so enthusiastic in his leaning of the children’s heads back that I’m surprised that he didn’t break anyone’s neck! Norman must have figured at this point that being a dentist was pretty easy.

Seven of the residents of the orphanage were in need of treatment, including Norman. Most of the treatment was quite challenging, partly because some of the cavities were quite deep, but even more so because many of these children had been abused, and were understandably afraid of adults. There was quite a bit of crying and screaming at the clinic that morning. It was difficult for us to communicate to them that the short-term discomfort we were putting them through was for their own long-term good. We should not have been surprised, however, because the Lord has the same problem convincing us of the spiritual reality that trials He brings into our lives may actually be for our benefit! One patient who responded just beautifully, however, was Norman. We did three fillings on him in three different areas of his mouth, and he responded just beautifully, thank the Lord!

Two of the patients we saw were Marvin and Donnette, the recently married couple who had
assumed responsibility for the nine boys at the orphanage. I treated Marvin while Dr. John treated Donnette. It was such a privilege to be able to do something dentally for a couple who were so committed to sharing their lives with the needy of Jamaica.

This afternoon eight more students joined our team - four returnees from the previous year (Heather, Ang, Tyler and Kevin), and four new team members (Lori, Christine, Julia and Liz). These welcome additions, all third-year students, would enable us to extend our reach beyond the boundaries of Mavis Bank the following day. Ang, Heather, Tyler and Kevin were veterans of the 2002 trip, while Lori, Christine, Julia and Liz were getting their first taste of dental missions. Liz grew up as a patient of Dr. Jim Jespersen, the current president of the Christian Dental Society and a missionary dentistry veteran, which might likely have influenced her decision to embark on her first such dental mission. Six of the eight stayed with Dr. Carney, Will and I at the Orphanage, while the other two students joined the rest of our group at the Mavis Bank hotel.