Dental work in Ancobamba

Erin had a week-long visit from a USA dental team and I accompanied them on one of their visits - to Ancobamba.  It’s quite a big village but takes a while to get to - it’s very high up (and therefore cold) and the track winds its way slowly up the steep mountainside, taking in very spectacular views and very alarming drops!  

I was along as a translator for one of the dentists.  Mostly Spanish was sufficient, but our last patient couldn’t understand me in Spanish, so I had to use my carefully prepared Quechua phrases.  It was a great encouragement when these were successful - I could ask her where it hurt, explain what the dentist was going to do, ask her to open her mouth wide, and explain how to take the painkillers we gave her afterwards. But I wasn’t only a translator. We were short a dental assistant, so I ended up learning how to keep the patient’s mouth dry during a filling, and generally be an extra pair of hands.  Being a missionary is very varied!

The water engineer side of me couldn't resist taking a photo of the water tower... and I was impressed to see a poster up about the village water management committee! There was running water inside the health post where we were working, although the houses in the village didn't have quite such an efficient system.

We were fed huuuuuge portions of delicious food

Washing our hands before lunch

We stayed the night, and this was by far the most luxurious accommodation I've had so far on one of these visits.  A whole bed to myself, electric light without hanging wires, and no animals.  And with the early start, the cold day, and the hard work, I slept very well.