Disaster Response MInistry

Part of what our team is committed to doing is Disaster Response Ministry through our mission organization Mission to the World.  I have had the privilege of going to two disasters through our organization - to Sri Lanka after the tsunami, and to Haiti right after the earthquake.  Here is a quick video about DRM (Disaster Response Ministry).  You can see me in two pics if you look :-)  Course one I have a mask on, and the other is the back of my head.


Disaster Response Ministry (Intro) from Go Global on Vimeo.

Prepared Childbirth Class and Kids Club

Today the kids finished this series in Kids Club.  Those kids who received 6 stamps out of 8 - a stamp for each week they came - will participate in a fiesta next week.  The kids struggled a bit with the new bible verse, but did a great job!

Before Kids Club I had another prepared childbirth class.  Three ladies came and they learned a LOT of information and were SO excited to receive the information, practice breathing techniques, and we finished the class by showing a "live birth" video.  The ladies were like passing a train wreck - they were in awe, a bit amazed, a lot of "Dios mio" (my God!!) but couldn't keep their eyes off!  The loved it!  These classes have been a great success in teaching ladies how to be prepared to have their babies by themselves in the hospital.

La Fe - New Ministry Site

La Fe (The Faith) is a one of the poorest communities in La Ceiba, Honduras. Our teammates, Mike and Ashley Troxell, have begun daily ministry in the community of La Fe. They will work with the residents there to address their physical and spiritual needs. We pray that their work will result in a new church plant in the community.

Watch this 2 minute and 30 second video to see La Fe:

Trinity Presbyterian - Mission Trip - February 2012

February 6-11, 2012 we hosted a short-term mission team from Trinity Presbyterian Church of Harrisburg, PA. The team put on three medical clinics and treated 160 patients. They also did construction on a ministry center, taught English, organized Kids Club, treated the residents at our newly opened home for teen moms and served homeless kids on the streets.

Watch this 2 minute and 30 second video to see the great work:

Clinic in La Fe

La Fe - or "Faith" is a new community our team just started working in.  Ashley and Mike Troxell have been searching for a community where they feel led to work in.  God led them to La Fe.  They walked the community several times and finally settled on this area.  To kick off their ministry we held a clinic in the small village of about 100 homes, 1000 people.  Dr. Greg and Pastor Mike are here for the week and we took that opportunity to spend the day in La Fe.  Overall we saw about 65 people.  The biggest "issue" we saw was the severe malnourishment in this community.  There is no water to the village, it's only been in existence since 2010.  So - they get their water from the local contaminated river, or from a community near them.  So, bucket by bucket they bring water to their homes.  Also, the lack of latrines (toilet facilities) seems to be a big problem in this community as well.

Dr. Greg and I assessing how / where to set up the clinic

We were well received!  Needless to say, there were still way too many people that arrived then we could see, but we did see many sick people.  We did a number of ultrasounds, and gave out parasite meds and vitamins to everyone who came.  We prayed with, and loved on these beautiful people.

Ashley doing intake

Stefani, a sweet little girl who hung out with us all day

me helping out with a young woman involved in a serious motorcycle accident

Pastor Mike walking the community

Mike Troxell checking things out

Two little ones left to themselves while their mother was down at the river washing clothes

This area of La Fe will be the Troxell's primary ministry area, but I also will be privileged in being a part of their ministry as well as we will most likely be hosting 2 medical clinics a month there.  This will be exciting to see where God will take this community.

Clinic

This week we have the privilege of hosting Dr. Greg and Pastor Mike.  Dr. Greg has been coming to Honduras for quite some time, this is his 5th trip here.  With him he brings Pastor Mike who will be bringing some folks down this summer.  Because we have extra hands, we are doing many different medical events this week.  We are hosting 2 clinic in Armenia, 1 in our new ministry area that the Troxell's will be working in, a day with Kate working with Street Children, and even a quick trip to the teen house.  During this time Dr. Greg has been schooling me on the use of the ultrasound machine.  He, of course, makes it look oh so easy - I described it yesterday as like trying to drive with your eyes closed.  So hard trying to get your bearings on where in the world you are, what you are looking at, and trying to measure those elusive parts!  I guess I didn't get good at what I do overnight either...so I need to give myself some patience.

Yesterday we saw 50 patients, did 11 ultrasounds, had mad children, very sick patients, but good times indeed!  Prayed with, loved on, and spent time with lots of people.

Village Doctor

When I started taking my pre-requisites for nursing school almost 20 years ago, never did I imagine doing what I am doing now. As many times as I've told the small village where I work that I'm a nurse...in their eyes it doesn't matter. I'm "Doctora Teresa" (I use my middle name - Teresa is so common here - Erin - not). Nursing is what I wanted to do - I wanted to spend time with people, listen to their needs and problems, be an ear or a shoulder to cry on. That's what I did. I was good at it. I worked mostly in pediatric oncology, so I had a LOT of opportunity to do it.

Now - people come to me with normal stuff - aches, pains, parasites, wounds that need cleaning, ear infections, high blood pressure, diabetes. I've had to stretch myself. I've had to become something more than what I am. I'm not afraid to say, "I don't know" and direct them somewhere else. I'm also not afraid to tell them like it is. There is almost zero patient education here. Last week one of our workers had a mild stroke. He went to the doctor and they did not do any immediate care - they gave him ibuprofen and an antibiotic and sent him on his way. When I asked him what the doctor told him to do he said "He told me to take these pills." Nothing else? I asked? "No." So, I devised a simple change of lifestyle for him - AND his family - will be monitoring his blood pressure and blood sugar (both of which were high), and try and get him on a path of wellness.  But I did tell him - you don't change - you will die from this.

This is what my "job" is now. Meeting people at their level. Being the village doctor. Praying with and for them. Educating young pregnant mothers in how to live a healthy pregnancy and have a safe/healthy baby. Loving them as a whole.

Wound care of a sweet lady that comes every week to see me

Last week a young woman came to see me. She had a fairly bad urinary tract infection. She had already been to the doctor and had received medication - but she admitted that she stopped taking it because it made her feel "weak". After almost 30 minutes of conversation, some loving, then some severe lecturing - I stopped. Sat back, and told her, "I love this community, I love the people here, and am grateful that you came by today. But the only way to help you is if you help yourself. You must care for your body. You must have more than 1 glass of fluids in a day. You must eat vegetables. And you MUST take your medication." She looked at me so perplexed - I don't think anyone had ever told her that she has the ability to take control of her life and has the ability to be proactive in her health. Then I prayed with her, I kissed her on the cheek, and gave her some more medication with a promise that she would drink more water and take her meds.

Taking care of these precious ones...

So...Doctora Teresa I am. Helping with the physical and spiritual ailments of the community, and loving on people. What a privilege.

And this precious one