LLUSD team visits Pakistan by Christy K. Robinson Royce, Dr. Nicola, and Dr. Gill inspect a dental unit donated by World Medics, Inc. Dr. Gill and his wife, the Adventist school principal, keep the Adventist dental clinic running smoothly. Dr. Nicola and his family spent some years at the Pakistan dental clinic, so it was a homecoming of sorts. Richard Cross (third from left) enjoyed fellowship with the pastors and literature evangelists involved with the evangelistic series in Peshawar.   Richard Cross, dressed as a Pukhtun warrior, poses with the security guard to their mission compound in Peshawar.   If you're an alumnus of the School of Dentistry, a faculty or staff member, a student, or returned missionary, then you were represented by all of those categories recently in Pakistan. Dr. Victor Gill, an International Dentist Program preceptor (Sept. '92 certificate) who lives and works in Peshawar, Pakistan; Quint Nicola, SD'69, assistant professor of oral diagnosis, radiology and pathology; Richard Cross, LLUSD photographic coordinator; and Royce Nicola, SD'00, traveled to Pakistan in the first weeks of April. Richard was invited along to record by still photos and video, the activities of the team. Good Samaritan Ministries sponsored Richard's expenses, and LLUSD insured Richard and his equipment. He passed through Taipei and Singapore on the way to Pakistan, an Asian country tucked between Afghanistan and Iran on the west, and India on the east. To the south lies the Arabian Sea. The city of Peshawar was the group's final destination. They lived there at the Seventh-day Adventist compound for nearly three weeks. Free dental services during an evangelistic crusade held by Good Samaritan Ministries, in cooperation with the Pakistan Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. World Medics, Inc., headquartered in Loma Linda, also sponsored part of the expenses of the trip.   Christian proselytizing is forbidden in this Muslim country, but the Christians have rights to preach on their own property, and hold a convention with health and dental clinics. They provided free transportation to the site, with an attendance of about 2,000 each night. There have been about 300 baptisms over the last three years. The three dentists saw about 30 patients a day. They did a lot of extractions and restorations, says Richard Cross. Between taking photos, Richard helped with medical assisting. The medical doctor was very busy. They'd like to have two doctors next year, according to Richard. Local nurses did blood pressure and blood sugar checks.       Dental Row, or what some might call the dental district in Peshawar, features more than 20 dentists working right on the street.   A local dentist waits for patients in his storefront, open-air office.   While in Pakistan, they went shopping in the open-air markets. ("If you can call it air!" says Richard, wryly. Much of the smog is made by two-stroke motorbikes and pedicabs.) While shopping, the guide would get a Pakistani price, and Richard the American price. That is, until Richard wore Pakistani garb and kept silent during the transaction. Richard says, "Not only did they drive on the left-hand side of the road, they'd drive with their horns more than anything. For all the traffic congestion, I didn't see anybody who was angry. They'd just honk and go on their way. "We got to take a steam train ride to the Afghan border, the Khyber Pass. We saw a camel caravan. The person I was with explained that it was most likely a smugglers' caravan; police will stop trucks but not camel caravans. They ship things to Afghanistan and smuggle it back because of the tax structure. "I was very impressed with the hospitality toward visitors. The spicy food was excellent! The chapatis, a flat bread, was used like tortillas, for dipping curried chicken, potatoes, beans, lentils. It makes American food taste pretty plain. "I'm looking forward to going back next year," exclaims Richard. Royce Nicola, SD'00, strolls through a Peshawar street market. Badshahi Mosque, built in 1674, in Lahore, northern Pakistan.   A produce vendor weighs out a strawberry purchase for Royce Nicola.   University | Medical_Center | LLU&MC_home | Search | Employment | News_&_events | Academics | Our_mission | Admissions | Registration | Research | Alumni | Student_resources All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University. All rights reserved. Revised Wednesday, February 28, 2001 2:19 PM Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu URL: http://www.llu.edu/