Next week I will be traveling to a deeply rural area on the island of Jamaica to provide care for people who live in or around the community of Carron Hall. Most of these people have never seen a physician nor received any type of medical or dental care. I will be traveling with two other physicians and a dentist as well as many nurses and other lay people who, like I, have long held a dream if giving something back.

Time and energy are precious, as we all have a finite amount of each. As physicians, dentists, nurses, practitioners and lay people who work in a supportive capacity in health care, every day we give hours of precious time and energy to our patients. In fact, most of us give more time to our patients in any one day than we do to our own families. We do all this because, I believe, we all know that any time we help someone that helps us all.

We are all alike more than we are different. Most of us have experienced hunger in one form or another, some for just ordinary food and others for love or simple kindness and thoughtfulness. Along life's pathway we have many opportunities, sometimes missed opportunities, to extend help to someone. In time, each of us will need to receive some form of kindness and thoughtfulness from another.

Next week we will go and give the precious gift of time and energy to some people who truly need help. We will be converting an orphanage and church into a clinic and small operating room and will see several hundred patients a day in these temporary facilities. We will work long days until we are tired and we will rest each night. And, the amazing thing is that we will not remember those days, but we will remember moments that will teach us lessons about ourselves and those around us. I am sure we will learn that if we do not risk anything, we risk even more.

As we embark on our mission we will be taking many things that have been provided by generous, caring and thoughtful people of the community (Thank you!). We will each personally carry and hand- deliver your gifts provided for this mission.

We will represent each of you well and we will be guided by the thoughts of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a bit better...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded."

I believe that we will succeed and I believe that what we give to those in need is what each of us will carry when our time is up. Share your wishes with us or help us in whatever way you can. Please call me or another member of the mission at:

Dr. Scott Gibbs

573-339-1957

Ms. Gwen Maloney

573-243-4307

Dr. Jonathan Thomas

573-334-7006

Dr. Patrick Ruopp

573-334-8884