A Tedious Process

It would be silly to lug all our supplies back to Edmonton with us. On the other hand, to avoid wasting supplies or bringing too many the following year, it is important for everything to be accounted for before it is packed away.
 

Most bags and supplies are stored in Quito and will be restocked next year, but some others need to be brought back to Edmonton. All in all, we have as many inventory lists as we have bags: over 80 bags in total. Each item used has to be subtracted from the master inventory at the end of the mission: dressings, sutures, pens, gloves, sterilized instrument sets, towels, linens, scrubs, crutches, etc. 

 

Each department is responsible for counting and packing their material. They weigh the bags (none that are returning to Edmonton can exceed 50 pounds) before they are wheeled to the storage. Stretchers come in handy today, and not for their usual purpose! 

Bottom Left: Cathy Facetimes with her family in Canada, to show them how the final day looks. As when undertaking spring cleaning, it gets quite chaotic before it gets perfectly empty, cleaned and packed!

 

 

This entire day is under the leadership of our Administration team. They will be the ones dealing with the bags back in Edmonton, and with the storage unit next year. They have to ensure everything is flawlessly organized and that everyone follows the process that has been implemented. It is an incredibly important day for them and the Administration office is buzzing with members coming in and out with questions.  

Veronica Kong (Executive Director) and Jackie Wiebe (Administrator) review an inventory list to ensure accuracy.