MEDICAL MISSION
Journey into the Amazon
By Heather Murphy
Operation Blessing International
FLORESTA AMAZONICA, Brazil – Deep in the dense jungle of the Amazon, the Palimi-U tribe lives as they have for centuries.
They hunt with bow and arrow; paint designs on their bodies; possess no written language; and do not use numbers.
Despite their primitive way of life, these indigenous people now have access to something their ancestors lived without: modern medical care.
Three times last year, Operation Blessing sent a team of doctors and medical personnel to treat the Palimi-U tribe, in addition to holding a number of medical missions for other tribes of Ianomami Indians in the region.
But providing medical care is only half the challenge. The other is getting there.
The only way to get to the Palimi-U tribe’s isolated home is by plane – a two-hour flight from the region’s capital, Boa Vista. In fact, until the twentieth century, their remote locale kept the Ianomami secluded from most outside contact.
For some of the tribe’s youngest members, this can prove to be a little daunting when meeting a doctor for the first time.
Four-year-old Harari was one of dozens of patients seen by a dentist for a cleaning, filling or tooth extraction.
Initially nervous, Harari was calmed by her mother, who sat next to her daughter during her first dental treatment.
“She was a little scared, but her reaction toward the dentist[ry] was good,” said Daniel Schimenes, a dentist and program manager in OBI’s Peru regional office.
“The problem is that I had to ask her constantly to keep her mouth open, because she has never done that before. She kept closing it every time. Having her mother there really made everything easier.”
During the mission, doctors provided a variety of medical care including vaccinations, wound care, anti-parasite treatments and dental care.
OBI plans to continue to send medical teams into the Amazon to treat the tribes of Ianomami people, including the Palimi-U, on nearly a monthly basis.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.
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