Melissa and her grandmother Migdalia, visited the Dental Clinic this week because Melissa was in a lot of pain.
Migdalia has been taking care of her grandchildren for years now, and for Melissa, Migdalia is like her mother, the person who cares for her everyday.
Melissa is 17 years old. She is in high school, in 10th grade. She dreams of one day becoming a Systems Engineer and learning how to speak English in the future.
Migdalia lives with her husband and three kids in a neighborhood close to Nejapa. Besides Melissa, Migdalia is taking care of Melissa’s brother and one nephew, while their parents work in Panama. She has been raising them since they were really young. Now, they are all teenagers and things are getting complicated for the family.
Migdalia shares: “My husband is 63 years old. He is not working anymore because of his age. We eat and drink thanks to God’s mercy. This year, we were struggling with their school’s tuition cost. We couldn’t afford it. But, God sent us an angel, a lady named Iris, who is helping us with their tuition.”
Dr. Medal, the clinic’s dentist, checked Melissa’s teeth. Unfortunately, Dr. Medal explained that one tooth could no longer be saved and the only thing left to do was to extract it. Melissa also had an infection, and Dr. Medal had to give her a treatment for that. The extraction of the tooth will happen next week, once the infection is controlled.
Most families in Nicaragua cannot afford to visit a dentist and receive treatment. This was the case of Melissa, who had to endure pain for a long time.
Dental services at the Samaritan Clinic are so important! We are grateful to everyone who makes it possible for us to be there for vulnerable and impoverished mothers who need help for their children. Thank you for sharing your love with them!