Manor Presbyterian Mission Trip to Honduras

June 25 - July 2, 2011 we hosted a short-term mission team from Manor Presbyterian Church of Cochranville, PA. The team put on a medical clinic in Armenia Bonito and treated 35 patients. They also did construction on a house and a ministry center, taught English, organized Kids Club, fed 18 needy families and took 30 kids to the beach.

Watch this 2 minute and 35 second video to seat them serve:

fun times

One of the things we have the ability to do when short term teams are here are big kid events. We've done several when teams aren't here - but the logistics (more people to watch out for kids) just make it easier when teams are here. So, we took some kids from Armenia Bonito out to the ocean. It's only a 15 minute drive from their village to get to the ocean, but almost none go - it's a bus ride, therefore money, to get there. So we loaded 30 kids onto a bus and headed to the ocean where they got a huge plate of food, and I was able to give a full gospel presentation. We spent just over 3 hours there, and for those 3 hours, the kids just got to be kids. No responsibilities, no siblings to raise, no back-breaking chores to do. It was a privilege for us as well.

Me giving the gospel presentation

Hellos and Goodbyes

The life of a missionary is full of hellos and goodbyes. It's a constant. In all the things that aren't, this is a certainty. We just said goodbye to a great team, goodbye to my girl, Madison, off spending a month in New York. Goodbye to Shannon and Bethany, our other team mates as they take their visa hop, and finally a goodbye to our team mate Leo. Leo first came to Honduras on a short term trip and made the decision to come back as an intern. He's been here for 8 months and has had a huge impact on the kids in Armenia Bonito. He will be sorely missed. We have a week off between teams, then we have 4 teams back-to-back. So prayers for energy, good health, and no mishaps would be GREAT!

Update

So - we are in the middle of teams - and having a GREAT time! But in the midst of all that, life still goes on. Madison had an entrance exam at her school today. Because she had been out for a year while we were in the States, they required it. Now I have all her school supplies to purchase, uniforms to get made, and get ready - school starts August 8th. Wow! That just seems so early to me. Anyway - Madison is also leaving in two days to head to the next largest city so she can catch a plane early the next morning. She will be gone for a month and I'm thrilled, excited, and yet apprehensive all at the same time. She is going to have an amazing experience, and once she hits NYC, I'll feel much better - the whole international flying by herself thing has me a little on edge. We also have someone coming down for a week staying at my house. She is on a vision trip to check out our ministry and see if we are a fit for her and she is a fit for us to come down and work for a few years. And then comes the 4th of July. I still honor the US holidays - I'm a homeblooded American, and also happen to love my host country. However, there is just something to say about 4th of July and a good BBQ. Then we are actually going to take a few days to be just by ourselves, Mike and I. We are headed off to the islands for 2 days of scuba diving. A much needed break, before we come back to back-to-back teams - woohoo!!! Gotta love Summer!

Christ Community Church Mission Trip to Honduras

June 18 - 25, 2011 we hosted a short-term mission team from Christ Community Church of Gainesville, FL. The team put on a medical clinic in Armenia Bonito and treated 35 patients. They also did construction on a house and a ministry center, taught English and organized Kids Club.

Watch this 2 minute 45 second video to see their great work:

Clinic and a New Baby

Today at clinic, with some folks from Christ Community Church helping out - we saw 35 patients. Lots of kids with severe diarrhea - makes me wonder what has been stirred up in the water system there - lots of kids very fragile that hopefully will be better soon with some good meds in them, rehydration fluids, and careful tending. And a fun thing I got to do today. A young woman, who already has 2 children came in with varying miscellaneous "symptoms". After much discussion, I finally asked her if she was pregnant - honestly - not many of her symptoms matched what I would describe as symptoms of being pregnant. However, something prodded me to ask her if she was. With a look of "you are crazy" and a firm "NO!" I finally convinced her to take a pregnancy test for me. After the second line showed up DARK with NO hint of being a maybe/kind-of result - I advised her that in fact she was pregnant. Then I looked at her again, and her face had fallen. So I asked her if this was good news or not so good news. She shook her head, looked sadly at her two other children, and said that no, this was not good news. It's such a mixed blessing to the people in the village we work in. The people are SO poor, knowing that they have one more mouth to feed for some just puts them over the edge. It was clear that this was not a good moment for her. One thing I've been wanting to do since I arrived in Honduras, three years ago, was to offer childbirth education classes. The concept is, no pun intended, SO foreign here that the thought is almost laughable to people when I mention it here. But I'm determined! Especially after having volunteered in labor and deliver (a full blog coming soon). So, I've started offering my "service" to come be with them when they are in the hospital. However, there's a few catches. They must come to my clinic once a month to receive pre-natal care - pre-natal vitamins, and then sit through a class on childbirth. They then will be put on my list of people who can call me and I will meet them at the hospital to be with them when they deliver. NO ONE is allowed in the delivery room with them during the entire labor/delivery process, so to have me as a labor couch, sit with them, guide them through the process is going to be amazing - but I DO insist that they meet me half way. After I told her what I was interested in doing, and what her part was, she lost interest. However, maybe after the "shock" has worn off from her news, she will re-consider. I am praying that this happens! Will keep you all posted.

On our property in Armenia Bonito the process has started for the construction of the medical clinic! I'm SO excited! I can't WAIT to get this up and running! I have so many amazing plans in my mind!

The three squares in the front are exam rooms
The square in the middle is the pharmacy
The square in the top right is the supply room
The square on the middle row on the right is another exam room
and the others are waiting areas

Update

So - yesterday our second team of the summer arrived. We have enjoyed some great rain. Madison is leaving for her internship in NY in 11 short day!!!! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!! Tomorrow I have another opportunity to go to the public hospital. This visit is to meet the Chief Nurse so she gets a feel for who I am and what I can do. Hopefully this will give me a chance to not only act as a doula in the Labor and Delivery department, but to provide nursing services as well. I pray is goes well. I am taking guitar lessons. Okay - that's the update - a good blog posting soon.