Fourth Mission Trip 2021
Students:
1. Julia Tao, ryan tao, vivian tien
DOCTOR:
1. PEDIATRICS | DR. MARY TAO
1. Julia Tao, ryan tao, vivian tien
DOCTOR:
1. PEDIATRICS | DR. MARY TAO
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Vivian Tien
We visited a seaweed farm today and learned how to tie the seaweed to ropes to cultivate the plants, which is one of the three most popular methods of seaweed farming. It takes 2-3 months for the seaweed to be ready to harvest. We also learned about the three types of seaweed that grow at Little Water Caye and their various uses, which include being used as a biodegradable exfoliant and an ingredient for agar.
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Vivian Tien
Today’s workshop was held at the dorms, so we had more time to lay out the materials before the participants arrived. Most of the women came from Placencia and Independence, although one participant had traveled all the way from Santa Rosa! The attendees were very engaged in the presentation and enthusiastic about transforming seaweed into soap, as many of them wanted to incorporate the soap into their massage spas, environmental conservation efforts, and teaching lessons. Many of the attendees were social and environmental activists and shared interesting information about the work they had done. The workshop went very well, and the group loved seeing the finished soaps, many of which incorporated Belizean products such as cacao and turmeric. Vivian Tien
After an hour’s bus ride, we set up the soap workshop stations at the Golden Stream Community Center and got to know the Mayan villagers. For the next three hours, we walked the villagers through the process of making soap from cacao butter and other products endemic to the region, such as turmeric. Everyone seemed to really enjoy taking their soaps out of the molds--the colors and essential oils that they mixed into the bars made the final products look really beautiful! Vivian Tien
I had the opportunity to shadow at the Independence Poly Clinic. I was able to see multiple procedures, such as the removal of stitches, a blood draw, and many EKGs. The emergency room of the clinic had many patients in the morning, but the rush died down over time. I also visited the onsite lab, where the lab technician gave me a tour of the equipment and processes she uses to analyze blood, urine, and stool tests. Vivian Tien
We spent the morning preparing boxes of medical equipment, such as surgical masks, face shields, shoe covers, and N95 masks. After a short trip by boat and taxi to the Independence Poly Clinic, we met the head doctor and nurse at the clinic to donate the items. In the afternoon, we traveled with Dr. Tao to the Mayan village of San Miguel for a house call, where we met with an expectant mother and her child, both of whom may have anemia. Dr. Tao recommended prenatal vitamins for the mother and a healthy diet that incorporated ingredients such as beans and other vegetables for the family. The family showed us how they prepared traditional Mayan chicken caldo and harvested plants from their backyard. |
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