If there’s one thing America has, it’s conveniences. From a burger joint in every town down to running water, there’s little not at our disposal, including proper healthcare.
Ever since Sun City resident Karen Esau was a little girl she wanted to be two things, a nurse and missionary. She’s been an OR nurse for 37 years at Northwest Community Hospital at recently returned from her seventh medical mission in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day)
But in a place like the Dominican Republic where healthcare is less, far less, than adequate it takes groups like the Medical Ministries International and their members like Sun City resident and RN Karen Esau to bring the convenience of an experienced medical team to them.
It’s common enough to see a line of people wrapped around a building on the opening night of a highly-anticipated movie, but how about a line that long of people waiting for surgeries? That’s not an everyday vision. But it’s something Esau has experienced seven times on her medical mission trips to the Dominican Republic, where she, along with the other mission members, are a highly welcomed and anticipated feature.
“The pastors of the towns know that we’re coming, and then they tell the people,” said Esau, “and they show up every morning to get into the clinic so they could have their surgery.”
Esau said that the mission is comprised of two teams, a medical team and surgical team. The surgical team sets up their clinic about a mile or so from their camp. Whereas the medical team, which Esau’s husband Dwight has been a member of on several occasions, takes buses to villages where they set up eye clinics, internal medicine clinics, dental clinics, and pharmacies.
Esau (bottom right) assists doctors operating on a Dominican Republic local at a previous mission. (Photo provided)
Esau has participated on the medical missions to the Dominican Republic seven times. She joined after a co-worker of hers returned from one and told her about the mission.
“This was something I always felt I wanted to do,” Esau said of hearing about her co-worker’s experiences. “So we signed up the next year.”
Since Esau was four or five years old, she always felt she wanted to be a nurse and a missionary.
A line of Dominicans wait for surgery. (Photo provided)
“That’s what I always felt called to do,” Esau said.
Each mission to the Dominican Republic is two weeks. Esau described their living conditions there during that time as “primitive,” with no running water in the hospital.
“It’s a very emotional thing,” Esau said. “You do some really great [work] there. Every year there’s somebody that we really dramatically save.”
Esau said that the mission teams’ reception is well-received by the local people, who express their constant appreciation and never complain after surgery.
“They’re very stoic,” Esau said. “They just love when we come.”
But for all the medical facets of the mission those are only half of the mission’s purpose, as the mission to the Dominican Republic is also a spiritual one.
Among other spiritual practices, Esau said, “We all pray in the morning for the people and for help. It kind of helps the physical and the spiritual health of the people.”
Esau is a surgical RN at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where’s she’s been nursing for 37 years. She said that she always wanted to be a nurse “never, never anything else.”
“Since I was a little, I just knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Esau said. “I love my job. That’s why at age 70 I still work. I’ll keep working as long as I can.”
