Dr. Dianne Parkin was checking people’s vital signs during a free event outside of the Carapungo Clinic. She hadn’t been able to advertise the event, and so she had asked everyone she knew to pray that God would send who He wanted to show up.

Dr. Parkin recalls noticing an elderly man standing just outside the gate, “He was a shoe shiner. You could tell he had been doing that for many years. His clothes were covered with black shoe polish and his hands, all the way up to his elbows were stained. As I watched him, I noticed that he was curious as to what we were doing, so I went and invited him in. He refused at first because he was too dirty, and he would mess up our chair.

“I reassured him it was okay. I began to take his vitals starting with his glucose, but he started refusing because he said his hands were too stained—too dirty. He started trying to use his solution to clean his hands, but it wouldn’t come off. I gently took his hands and reassured him that I was not worried about his stained hands. I was more interested in his health. With that, he relaxed and allowed me to take his vital signs. His sugar was high, and so I was able to explain to him the complications of diabetes and invited him to the clinic for treatment.”

Dr. Parkin has spent the last seven months in Ecuador serving as a medical missionary at the Carapungo Clinic, just north of Quito. Reach Beyond launched a clinic there in 1996 to reach the growing neighborhood of mostly lower income families. Construction of the current clinic began a few years later, with phase one opening in 2002, and project completion in 2008.

As part of Hospital Vozandes’ continuing ministry, the clinic is filled with caring and loving medical professionals who are intentional about giving the best care to its patients, including spiritual care. Chaplains visit with each patient, praying for them while sharing the Good News of Jesus.

Dr. Parkin often gives educational talks in the clinic’s waiting area on topics like diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and prostate and gastric cancers. She’s even made props to demonstrate how blood flows with high blood pressure versus normal blood pressure.

Dr. Parkin enjoys helping run several weekly and monthly clubs for children, women, and patients with chronic illnesses. Once a month, the Carapungo Clinic puts up a tent outside where they offer free checks of vital signs, glucose, and weight as a service to the community. They minister to families as well as the homeless, addicts, and on this particular day, an elderly shoeshine man.

One of the biggest burdens that God has put on Dr. Parkin’s heart is the issue of violence against women. Recent data reveals that six out of ten Ecuadorian women have experienced some sort of physical violence and/or psychological or economic abuse. More than 80% of those incidents are from their spouse or a former partner. Dr. Parkin says that these kinds of abuse often go unreported in Carapungo. “It happens,” she explains, “but nobody addresses it. It’s swept under the rug.”

To help address this tragic situation, Dr. Parkin is organizing a conference at the clinic on November 25th. She’s invited the local police department to give a presentation and arranged for a self-defense trainer to help women learn to protect themselves. Two of the staff doctors and the head of Hospital Vozandes’ laboratory will also give presentations. Another scheduled speaker is someone who works to prevent sex trafficking in the country. Dr. Parkin wants this conference to help begin the spread of awareness, education, and change to stop all forms of abuse and violence throughout Ecuador.

TENDING TO THE LOST SHEEP

At the clinic, Dr. Parkin is always looking for someone to minister to. She recalls her encounter with the elderly shoeshine man, “This man reminded me of Jesus and me. Jesus left the 99 righteous sheep and went after the one unrighteous lost sheep, me. God sent me 18 people that day, but I believe it was for that one person who believed he was not worthy because of his stained hands and clothes, and he was the only person that day that had abnormal vital signs. Because of people’s prayers we found the lost sheep who needed medical care.”

Dr. Parkin says, “I know that I am showing God’s love because of the response I get from the people…the children from the kids’ club running to greet me – I am no longer Dr. Parkin, but Tia (Aunt) Dianne. The addicts greet me before I even see them. They shake my hand on the street and look out for my protection. These are the things that reassure me that I am reaching the people of Carapungo.”