Category: International health issues and humanitarian efforts

Sharing the HEART of health in Panama

I have volunteered on several teams with CompassionLink, an organization that serves to provide

HEALTH RESTORED-HOPE SUSTAINED.

updated September 10, 2023

One of the privileges of being a healthcare professional is traveling to other countries to provide care to local people. I have volunteered on several teams with CompassionLink, an organization whose goal is

equip communities to create healthy families and individuals–spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Our team provided medical consultations, medicines, dental care, and vision exams for eyeglasses.

two health care professionals, one in a native costume
Dr. Aletha with a local healthcare worker
a makeshift pharmacy at a rural clinic
our team pharmacy
a man making faces at a little girl
Jacob, a nurse, entertaining children (he is now a physician)

Visiting the famous Panama Canal

One of the pleasures of traveling is when our hosts express their appreciation by showing us the local sites and culture. In Panama, of course, that meant a visit to the Panama Canal, an engineering marvel.

The people and landscape of Panama are also captivating. Add to that a warm and usually sunny climate, made for an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Miraflores Lockes-Panama Canal
Panama Canal ship
The Panama Canal is an amazing feat of human ingenuity.




cows in a pasture
dancing ladies in native dresses of Panama

enjoying a dance performance at our last group dinner before heading home

How you can share the HEART of health with Compassion

CompassionLink welcomes volunteers for their projects on either short or long-term assignments.

Make a purchase that will support their projects financially or make a donation. (This is not an affiliate link, no commission is paid to this blog.)

Exploring the HEART of health

Thanks for exploring Panama and the HEART of health with me. Please share this post and follow Watercress Words. I appreciate your interest and welcome your comments about this post or just to say hello.

                  Dr Aletha and Raymond  
Raymond and Dr. Aletha standing at the Panama Canal

Fasting and caring in Zanzibar

What is true fasting? Maybe not what you think.

 
 
“Fasting, abstinence from food or drink or both for health, ritualistic, religious, or ethical purposes.
 
The abstention may be complete or partial, lengthy, of short duration, or intermittent.
 
Fasting has been promoted and practiced from antiquity worldwide
by physicians,
by the founders and followers of many religions,
by culturally designated individuals (e.g., hunters or candidates for initiation rites), and by individuals or groups as an expression of protest against what they believe are violations of social, ethical, or political principles.”
 
Brittanica.com 
 
 
 
 
 
Isaiah 58 , HCSB
 
True Fasting
 
“Why have we fasted, but You have not seen?
We have denied ourselves, but You haven’t noticed! ”
 
“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,
and oppress all your workers.
You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist.
You cannot fast as you do today,
hoping to make your voice heard on high.
 
Will the fast I choose be like this:
 
A day for a person to deny himself,
to bow his head like a reed,
and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
 
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
 
Isn’t the fast I choose:
 
To break the chains of wickedness,
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?
 
 
group of people sitting under a tree
relief outreach by CHaRA
 
 
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?
 
 
nurse with boy giving shoes
nurse distributing new shoes to children
 
 © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Learn More

 

CHaRA Cares in Zanzibar

photos by Dr. Aletha during a volunteer trip to Zanzibar to assist CHaRA with their humanitarian work

 

 

Fasting for the body and the soul

Observed by Catholic , Orthodox, and Protestant Christians, (although the dates may differ) Lent is a time of spiritual reflection, contemplation, renewal, and commitment.

 

Exploring the HEART of faith, hope, and love

Dr. Aletha
FAITH LOVE HOPE
These three remain, faith, hope and love, and greatest of these is love.  
1 Corinthians 13:13                          
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