Rotarian in China
Posted by Carl Vahl
CREATING NEW SMILES IN CHINA
This is my first report from China (Changzhi) which I am transmitting by email. I was hoping to post right to Facebook but Facebook is blocked here I have learned. Anyway I do not want to focus on the negative. We live in a very complicated world but what I can tell you is that from all of my experiences traveling the world and meeting people from many countries, many cultures, many religions and so on, the disputes and conflicts between governments and the powerful have little to do with the quality of the people they rule. I have so far met only amazing people here who are totally open, honest and sincere about assisting those in need...
The parents and children have come from near and far. The longest distance we recorded yesterday was 1500 kilometers and a second the 1000 kilometers. This free surgery is looked at as life saving and life changing for these children.
I am the record keeper on this mission which means I am in charge of creating and protecting the medical charts. Yesterday, Sunday, April 17, we created 144 charts for 144 patients to be worked on over the next two weeks. Once we create the charts, they follow the patient throughout their various stops along the way to having their new smile created.
I do not speak, read or write Chinese, so I have several assistants who are local university students majoring in English. They are studying to become English teachers here in China and they are really amazing young people who are volunteering for Alliance for Smiles sister organization here in China known as the Chinese Population Welfare Foundation and Happy Smiles (CPWF). Alliance for Smiles was founded by Rotarians from San Francisco. Several of the leaders on this trip are Rotarians).
That it for this report. I just received my 6:00 a.m. wake up call. It's time for breakfast, a meeting and then to the hospital at 8:00 a.m. Surgery starts at 9:00 a.m.
Cheers everyone.