The hospital that hosted us on this marvelous mission was called Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro.  The hospital is beautiful, clean, and organized, which is unique in a third world country hospital.  It is full of gorgeous courtyards and gardens and open air waiting areas and facilities.

We were given a tour of the hospital the first day we arrived for screening. The impressive thing about this hospital is that it functions as a normal acute care hospital, hosts different missions from around the globe EVERY week, and houses 250 orphans permanently with mental and physical disabilities.  The orphans are children with chronic malnutrition, cerebral palsy, children and adults with physical and psychological problems, the elderly, and the blind, all that are not supported by institutions.  Those who are able to are given responsibilities to help out.  In the women’s section, one of the patients was even put in charge of opening and closing the gate for visitors like us. Although it is never easy for someone to be an orphan, the inhabitants of this hospital are truly blessed to have this special place as their permanent home.

Although this hospital successfully functions in all three areas, they unfortunately stopped receiving funding from the government years ago.  Still, they have ambitious hopes and dreams for their future which is only possible if they keep the medical missions coming to the hospital.  With these missions, they are able to keep the hospital functioning while letting the world know a little bit at a time what a wonderful institution they have become.