We came to Nicaragua to teach vocational skills to the at-risk youth and young men. Almost immediately we learned that we would be wearing many hats. We not only teach, but we sometimes provide for the boys most basic needs: haircuts, medicine, meals, fun and lots of love. During the last 2 days, we have taken them to the dentist. The boys had never had dental care. For a couple of the boys, the experience bordered on traumatic.
There was a mission team from Tennessee visiting another local ministry and a dentist was among the group. We were invited to bring our students to receive dental treatment. There were many people waiting to see the dentist when we arrived at the facility. The people of Nicaragua know that when you go to have any type of medical treatment there is always a WAIT, there are no appointments. For us gringos, this is a new concept. The boys know how to play the waiting game and amuse themselves accordingly; sleep is also a precious way to pass the time. Days here can be very long, it's not uncommon for many people to be up by 4AM. Before the day was done, it became apparent that there was not enough time for our boys to receive care. After waiting 4 plus hours, we agreed to return the next day. The visiting dentist told us that he was certain that there was someone among the boys that he NEEDED to see.
We went back to the dentist on day 2 and he fit the boys in between other waiting patients. The first boy to receive treatment was Claudio and he deserves applause. His teeth were cleaned, that was easy! But, there was a problem with a "muscle" that attaches the lower lip to his gums. It was too tight and pulling the gums away from the teeth; eventually he would lose his teeth. The dentist explained he would have to cut the muscle. The procedure would not be a problem to his speech or anything else. The gums would grow back to cover and support his lower teeth.
Now, this is where it gets tricky, we did not have a translator. People just assumed that Preston could speak Spanish and all translators left with the mission team for the day's activities. How do we explain to Claudio, a boy that has never been to a dentist, that he needed surgery inside his mouth? With the limited Spanish and gestures, it was "explained". Did he fully understand? Probably not. But I believe he has trust in Preston's love for him and allowed what needed to be done. The other students looked on and their concern was evident on their faces.
The second most serious dental care was on our advanced student, Michael. His gums were horribly inflamed and the plaque buildup was an accumulation of his 18 years. When the dentist produced a syringe to gave him a shot, it brought tears to Michael. The assistant lovingly wiped the tears from his cheek. The work was intensive and it was like breaking up concrete to get the plaque off his teeth. Because of the tenderness of his gums and the amount of blood staining his teeth, the dentist felt he should not do any further work on on Michael.
We are extremely grateful to Dr. Steve for coming to Nicaragua and devoting himself to caring for our students teeth. The doctor has informed us that all the boys need ongoing care. There are still some additional fillings that need to be done. At least 2 of the boys have teeth that need to come out. The youngest of the boys, Pablito, at 12 years is on his way to having major problems caused by consuming too much sugar. He loves candy. Michael has a severe gum disease (worse than gingivitis) and if he lived in the States, Dr. Steve would want to see him weekly for several months. He said that Michael's condition was very severe for a boy of his age. He talked to us about his eating habits and also about stress. He was trying to get an idea to the cause of the disease.
We are going to do all we can to follow up with dentists here in Nicaragua in order for the boys to receive the necessary dental treatments to finish the work begun by Dr. Steve. We will begin by talking with them about proper nutrition and teaching them how to brush and floss their teeth. We do not have the funds in our ministry to pay for the upcoming dental treatments. We believe that God will be faithful and provide for his precious children. Some of them do not have parents and are "on their own" and others live with an extended relative in extremely impoverished conditions.
If you have a desire to help us with the expense of their dental care, please make a donation via our secure online giving. We will designate an account entitled "Students Dental & Medical Care" and all funds will be set aside for them. Your donation will be tax deductible as allowed by law based on your tax status. We are a 501 (c) (3) US non-profit corporation. Donations can be made securely online at: https://www.egivingsystems.org/37718
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