After writing the name of this entry, I have to pause as I have a hard time verbalizing the experience I had with the villagers. While meditation hasn’t allowed me the chance to step back and take look at my life from a place of calm, the hours spent with the Chiropractors and the villagers sure accomplished that mission.
We headed out in some Tuk Tuks loaded with the portable chiropractic tables and made our way over to a village were we met up with some translators in a beautiful structure consisting of 3 walls and some beautiful art work, a Buddha and some much needed fans. The roof provided shade and the fans some air movement as we set up the space. The translators had already shared that there would be volunteers in the area for the day though it sounded like they shared more of a massage therapy experience than bone movement. Chairs were brought from a local home and lined up for patients to use as a makeshift waiting queue. Right on time people started lining up for care as 3 elderly women were the first to appear.
My job was to use the translators to find out what the issues were on the patients and bring them over to the Chiropractors as space was available. As it is currently rice harvest and vegetable harvest, the most common complaint was easily lower back pain and we just dug a little more to see if there was anything else causing issues. Second set of issues were traditionally from falls and could be upwards of 5 years prior. It was amazing to hear stories from the villagers of a fall and just dealing with it for the past 4 years. The opportunity of visiting a doctor or being able to afford it was little to none.
As the first patients arrived, we saw a women who we later found out was 81 walking completely at a 90 degree angle hinged at the hip. I wish I could have taken a picture of her when she got there and when she left. To see such an extreme issue blew me away and yet Lauren just said “OK, let’s do this.” Not only did the villagers get up on the table with fearlessness but they also brought their children to visit as well. It was amazing to see the younger people in the village doing shuttles on the motorcycle for the older generations and how the ones who had been adjusted stayed behind to help translate what was up next.
The expressions on their faces the first time they had their back or neck cracked was always one of shock and fear and then relief. Then they were happy to stay around and laugh with their friends and relatives as it happened to them.
Some of my favorite moments from Day 1 were seeing the 81 year old walk out of the structure completely upright and come back with her husband who said that he had ringing in his ears since a fall 5 and a half years prior and now it was gone; the lady who danced off the property because she hadn’t felt that good in years; the first kid whose fearlessness led to his friends also getting adjusted; the sweet smiles on their faces of just pure thankfulness that someone came to help; selfishly learning more about chiropractic work and why it is important at any stage in your life and especially as a young person.
As we headed back to Hariharalaya, I was filled with a new sense of purpose. I had some darker moments during the day as I felt as though I didn’thave enough to give to help these people. Spreadsheet work and pricing out hotels is not exactly on top of the needs list for third world countries and I was going a bit internal. As the day went as I was able to help with interviewing patients before and after their adjustments, keeping the kids entertained, making sure the Chiros had water and bananas to keep up with the patient load and then cleaning up the space. It was then that I realized that while I don’t have the chiropractic skill set, I definitely have others that can be used to do good and I couldn’t look any more forward to Day 2. I felt I was in a much better place watching the sunset on our day.
Side Note: the structure was next to some rice fields and we got to see how the rice was dried after harvest. To self and anyone who reads this – WASH YOUR RICE! Seriously, it is just put on the side of the road and left to dry out until it is packaged and shipped to you so wash it before cooking. There are cows, water buffalo and dogs as well as their relative feces, people, motorcycles, everything else going along while the rice dries. While beautiful in pictures, it shows that a little washing is needed :)
