Pre-Peru Post

I'm getting very, very close!

It is about a week before I leave Grand Rapids for my mountain adventure and I want to preface the trip with a list of the donations that I was graciously provided with by different groups in Ann Arbor.

· Surgical gloves: 5 boxes x 150 gloves/box
· 4 used lab coats
· Color books, “proteja a su familia de incendios” x 50
· 455 injection needles (varying sizes)
· Antiseptic/antimicrobial skin cleanser: 4 fl. oz x 8 bottles
· Medicated hemorrhoidal towelettes x 1 box
· Vitamin A & D ointment: 5 oz. bottles x 100 tubes
-Sterile bacteriostatic lubricant: 4.25 fl. oz. x 12 tubes

I am so thankful for everyone that was able to help me reach my goal in bringing down as many supplies as possible to help the underfunded Pediatric Clinic in Huancayo.

A special thanks to U2H (medical supplies donation organization), Red Cross--Ann Arbor, and the University of Michigan Anatomical Donations Lab for generously donating supplies that I will be able to deliver directly to the clinic for immediate patient care.

Also, the monetary support that I have received from my family and friends has been incredible--a total of $2,100 was raised and donated to the clinic in order to improve the pediactric facility so that it may better serve the families of Huancayo. For this I owe a huge thanks to Steve & Mary VanderVeen, Boncille VanderVeen, Ann & Bill Discher, Paula & Bill Kapp, Dean Mueller, Dr. John Zeller, and CICS (the Center for Internation Comparative Studies). I cannot afford you guys enough thanks, your compassion means the world to me.

Finally, I also need to thank the valuable advice given to me in planning my fundraising efforts and for the trip in general prvided by: Steve & Mary VanderVeen, Dean Mueller, Dr. Tom Gest, Dr. Ameed Raoof, and Dr. Cortright--your insight really helped to guide me through unknown territory to make something special happen.

Now the fun part! I will be flying out of Grand Rapids on July 4th and arriving in Lima, Peru later that night. Once there, I will be meeting the other student volunteers and staying for a few days in a hostile before making our way to the site in Huancayo where the real adventure begins!

I will do my best to update this blog as promptly and as often as possible, but I am weary of the quality of internet in the pueblo, and so, we shall see. Please do me a favor and forward the link to the blog to anyone and everyone that you presume to be interested in the mission--I would love to share my experience vicariously through anyone who is interested, and especially those that I know very well and may have overlooked/forgotten their email address. Thanks!


All for now, hasta que el viaje empiece....

Nate