So, what are we doing down here? That’s not an easy question to answer. When, people think about a mission to Mexico, they often think house building. For a short-term mission there is usually a short-term goal. In our case we are here for an extended period and so our duties are wide and varied. We have a list of big projects that we will be tackling but we are also intimately involved in day-to-
Some background on the clinic.
Siloé Ministries exists to serve the local community by providing access to
quality, affordable “whole-person” healthcare. Through this they seek to promote healthy living, build trust & relationships in the community, and introduce people to the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. The community is 40 minutes from the nearest city and transportation is nearly nonexistent for many. Average wages are only 15-20 dollars a day. There are high levels of diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic preventable health conditions in the community. They rely on government funding and donations to keep the doors open. It costs roughly 120,000 dollars a year to run the ministry.
Being a certified health coach and wellness being a huge part of my passion, serving and spreading the word of Jesus in this way is a perfect fit.
Here’s a look at a day in the life of this volunteer family.
4:30-5pm - Mornings here are early, we can’t seem to get off EST so were up in the dark. But it’s a blessing because I can write and pray and get in a quick workout. That exercise part has changed a lot because life these days is a workout. I’m constantly moving and cleaning and so my movement comes very organically. There is less of a need for an organized workout. One of the things I’ll hopefully eventually be doing here is leading some yoga classes two days a week so I’m excited to get back into that.
7am - Some essential members of the staff don’t drive so we do pick-ups and drop offs.
7:30am – The girls have the responsibility of opening the clinic and making the staff coffee. Some of my favorite duties are to spoil the staff. These doctors, nurses and administrators work so hard.
8am - Morning meeting. Then we have a family meeting to establish what the kids will be doing.
8:30am - We usually work for two to three hours in the morning on anything from cleaning, organizing, sanding, painting, gardening, sweeping (Bens main job) or building. There are a few small structures yet to be built that we hope to complete. Other missionaries will be coming in to help in the coming weeks. We sort donations and figure out what can be given out to patients. We give tours to visiting church groups and help plan upcoming events. Also running labs, pulling patient charts, assisting the visiting chiropractor and dental team etc.
11am - I try and get the kids home schoolwork in at least four days a week. Thankfully another missionary down the road at the orphanage is tutoring them in math and we soon start a couple days a week of Spanish. I’m responsible for writing and grammar and all the rest.
*Side note, there has been this strange concern (by some) over my kids schooling. I’m truly baffled. What they are learning here is infinitely more than any institution could teach. They are going to come away from these three months more enriched and mature just by living here, learning the language and trouble shooting life. The kids are learning more than they ever could in a 9-5 school.
1pm - Dan and I will keep working throughout the day, but I give the kids some time to play and hopefully entertain any of the local kids that are waiting for their parents who are being seen. The clinic has about 4,000 patients on file; In 2019 the clinic had around
8,000 patient encounters (appointments, checkups, etc.) around 70% of the patients are women many patients receive ongoing medical support for chronic conditions.
2pm - Were all back to working on a project or helping the small staff of eight in the clinic where they need us. We make runs to the hardware store or go pick up supplies. Dan and I are working on increasing donations through social media and swag to sell to tour groups and --- maybe you???? One of our main goals here is increasing donations.
4:30 pm – We give rides home and the girls clean down the waiting room and bathrooms after the clinic closes.
7:30pm – Asleep. Truth. We go to bed exhausted with the sun and its glorious.
There’s is so much that needs to be done and I’ve found myself back in that northerner type A mentality of get it all done now! But that’s not how it works here. Its slower, things shut down in the rain, and people take a full day sabbath no questions asked. It’s good to learn to be still and rely on my Lord, not my calendar.
We are taking time to walk the beach as a family and explore this beautiful country. Filling our cups so we can pour back out each week.
Life is harder down here. Roads are bad and things shut down for days after rain. Existence revolves around sourcing food and water and lots of cleaning. Oh, how I took for granted clean running water and my Dyson back in Pennsylvania. Actually so much I now truly realize is a luxury.
Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and prayers. We need them! If you are ready to help monetarily, every dollar counts. We are buying everything from cleaning supplies to hardwear to food for the staff while we're here. As I mentioned it costs 120,000 a year to run this place and they are in need of consistent donors. If there is something specific you wish to donate please email me: kerstinlindquistonline@gmail.com.
I'll be doing a live stream on my Instagram Page Sunday at 12pmPST/3pm EST. Come with your questions and ill be there to answer. That's also where you will find daily posts and videos.
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