Tag: volunteer

Last October I had the opportunity to go to Haiti to do some volunteer work. I work for  a dental office in a small town in Bridgewater Va. Dr. McIntyre, (dentist and owner) his wife Becky, (office manager ad hygienist) Erica Monroe (hygienist) and Rossana Bufford(Dr Mac’s former assistant) made it possible to work out of three dental chairs and we got LOTS of dentistry done.  We spent the week in Haiti at the Helping Haitian Angels orphanage. We saw tons of people in the dental clinic and were able to do cleanings, fillings, sealants and extractions.

The children that actually live at the orphanage now have their dental health under control. The hopeless teeth have been extracted, the bad cavities have been filled, everyone has had a cleaning, and most of them have preventative sealants on their molars to prevent cavities. The children at the orphanage actually have good home care as their “mamas” make sure they brush twice a day, and they have a very low sugar diet with few treats.  The biggest dental problems occurred in teeth prior to coming to Kay Anj, and there was never a way to fix the teeth prior to the dental clinic Smiles for Life established.

Let me tell you how impressed I was once I got to the orphanage. A bunch of kids came running to us and they all welcomed us like they knew each one of us. I can’t remember how many of them came and kissed me and hugged me. I got very emotional and I started crying but I didn’t allow the kids to see me. How is it possible that kids like that who didn’t know me could show so much love for strangers? It was an emotion I have never experienced in my whole entire life. The gratitude of these children is beyond words. Dr. McIntyre had a boy who came to the clinic about the age of 17 that had broken off his two front teeth. After his teeth were cleaned he expressed a desire to have the upper front teeth repaired. Obviously they are in a very visible spot and about one-third of the tooth was broken off. Dr. McIntyre worked on him for about an hour and a half, building up the teeth with composites, and when he got all done he looked at his new smile and gave him a hug. He then went out to the van and kept looking at himself in the rearview mirror of the van that had brought him in from the large city. We had worked on approximately 17 children that day, so he and the other boys that came were at the clinic all day long until all of them were seen. As they were getting ready to depart he along with many of the others came forward and give us hugs and thanked us for our work. He wanted to call Becky ‘mommy Mac’ and thanked both her and Dr. McIntyre repeatedly. Dr. McIntyre felt that he have changed this boy’s life because people will judge him on who he really is and not as one having big holes in his front teeth.

Have you ever been judge for your physical appearance? Do you know how bad it feels when people judge you for what you look like?

When I was in elementary school I had classmates, of course boys, that would make fun of my teeth. My brother had his teeth appearance worst than mine so my mom focused on his teeth and he was able to have braces at an early age. In the meantime sometimes I suffered internally due to mean boys in school. I would never forget how horrible the feeling was but I was thankful that I had other good things going for me and I tried very hard to not let that break me, but I am not going to lie to you I had my days. I also knew at some point in my life I would be able to take care of my smile, the one which I dearly love, I didn’t know when but I knew someday I would.

When Dr. McIntyre and Becky started to go to Haiti I had a desired to go and help as many people as I could with the knowledge I had. I had the opportunity to learn from Erica Monroe how to place sealants. I wanted to learn whatever it was available for me to learn because I wanted to see a smile on these kids faces. I didn’t want them to feel the pain that I once felt.

This entire experience changed my life forever. Going on my trip to Haiti opened my heart much bigger than I ever thought it would be opened. The kids at the orphanage were so loving and affectionate, and I wasn’t expecting that from the get go. For some of them to run up to me, not even knowing who I was, and love on me was something that I’m unable to explain. Being able to give so much love, attention, understanding, and deliver so much dentistry to them was a very rewarding experience. I do miss them!.

I am so grateful to be part of a team that created a dental clinic in Haiti and donate their time doing volunteer work. The clinic at the Kay Anj Village has improved dramatically.

I would encourage you to take some time and help people who need your help. You will feel so much better for having what you have and so much grateful for spending your own time and love those who do not have enough. My life has changed since I do volunteer work. I love helping people, I love-making people smile and I love helping people improve their lives.

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”
~Elizabeth Andrew

God Bless!