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Loni's First VIDAS Experience
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by Loni Queer
From the very first moments of the clinic door opening, it was obvious that this would be quite the experience. The children were the first to arrive, some of them having animals in tow, some of them just there to explore this new society that had moved into their neighborhood. They were amazingly loyal to these animals and to volunteering in anyway, shape or form each and everyday of the clinic. Their eagerness to learn and dedication to animal welfare was truly inspiring.
As the volunteers began setting up the clinic for the day, initially it felt as though it were mass chaos, people going in all different directions. Perhaps it was due to the lack of experience or perhaps it just took awhile to understand the inner workings of the staff. Over the course of the day, however, it became apparent that there was the most amazing organization occurring right underneath the surface.
The quality of medicine practiced was not only incredibly resourceful, but also of much higher quality than can be seen in some parts of the US, despite the lack of supplies and inferior facilities. There was an incredible the amount of compassion, energy, and dedication that was put forth by each and every volunteer, from veterinarians performing surgeries to those that spent hours picking ticks off of the animals.
It is unforeseeable how much of tremendous impact this organization has, not only the animal populations, but also the children living in these communities. The entire experience was absolutely breathtaking and the most worthwhile volunteer work that I have yet to encounter in my lifetime.
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