Doctors and students bring the principle to hispanola
This past June, a group of 49 chiropractors and chiropractic students from different countries and ideologies traveled to the Caribbean island of Hispanola, which is home to the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with a common purpose: To serve and change people’s lives through chiropractic. As part of this mission trip, I experienced the need and interest for chiropractic from the people from the Haitian towns of Ouanaminthe and Puerto Plata. Most of the individuals we served had never heard of chiropractic. Some where eager to learn about it, others called it a “chiropractic massage,” and others were drawn in by pure curiosity. Whatever the reason, our group of chiropractors and students served and educated people of all ages from six months to 94 years old about the mind-body connection and the body’s innate intelligence. Our group of seven doctors and students served in Haiti for two days. Later in the week, our group of 49 volunteers was divided into 12 groups of four people per establishment to serve for three days. We went to churches, orphanages, parks, hospitals, and schools to serve all who were willing to receive the gift of chiropractic. Everywhere we went, people welcomed us with open arms and treated us as family. We were invited into their homes, to dance or play baseball with them. People were excited to show us the full experience of true Haitian and Dominican culture.
We were able to let innate flow through their subluxation-free bodies, but the Haitian and Dominican communities are living subluxated lives. There was intervention everywhere you went. Once we crossed the border into Haiti, the tension could be felt in the environment. There were policemen with rifles protecting the border, the blazing sun was shining, a mixture of smells filled the air, and everyone was trying to get our attention with loud Creole words and pulling on our clothes. Everyone was safe but they were as curious about us as we were about them. The roads were made of red dirt, people were living side by side with trash, and conditions were unsanitary to mention some of the things we saw. Women could be seen washing their clothes in the river while the men tried to find work as motorcycle- taxi drivers. In the midst of the sensory stimulation overload, we met with a man called Pastor Joseph who lead us to his church, a hospital, and an orphanage where people were waiting for us. You could see an instant positive reaction from everyone being adjusted. The children from the orphanage sang for us and the people from the church prayed for us. Socioeconomic situations and language barrier aside, people seemed to grasp the concept of what chiropractic and innate intelligence do. “The power that made the body heals the body” came naturally to them. Most importantly, they understood something that needs no words: CARE.
Once in the Dominican Republic town of La Romana, we visited very impoverished sectors of both rural and urban areas. There, in the Spanish speaking part of the island, the service experience was very positive as well. Seeing people’s reactions after their first adjustment was priceless. The variety of people’s responses to chiropractic was as diverse as the techniques the doctors were using to adjust. People jumped, smiled, offered us food, introduced us to their families, and laughed once they were subluxation-free. Some people wanted to share their discovery of chiropractic by bringing their entire communities to be adjusted, while others hugged us with the greatest gratitude one can demonstrate. There were children who came up to us to show us their report cards asking if they had the potential to become future chiropractors. Some children even imitated our actions as if they were adjusting each other. We eagerly reassured them they could help us improve people’s lives through chiropractic in the future and encouraged them to get their communities involved in the process. The support and appreciation of the people in La Romana allowed us to plant the seed of knowledge and consciousness about the human body in communities where education is as scarce as clean water.
Watching this group of such outstanding chiropractors and students has inspired me in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve shared the healing experience with hundreds of people and made friendships for a lifetime in the process. I am so grateful. The participants from the mission trip served people by correcting their subluxations, opening their hearts, and letting innate “do the talking.” They also showed the people of La Romana that someone cares and that despite the chaos and poverty that surrounds them, they have not been forgotten. As chiropractic students we sometimes get too focused on what WE need to achieve, how many more adjustments WE need to pass clinic, and how much paperwork WE need to do for our patients. This trip helped me to put things into perspective and re-focus on our patients. Through the adjustment we can help heal THEM, unleash THEIR full potential, and make a positive change in THEIR lives. By reconnecting with the science, art, and philosophy that is chiropractic, we are becoming the future leaders our communities need. It is impossible to measure the extent to which chiropractic has impacted the lives of people we served. I just know how it has impacted me as a human being and future chiropractor.
