Darkness...but the Light shines through!

Your financial contributions are what have made the clinic continue to be a light in the darkness. To support Dr. Roger, to be able to continue running the clinic with me, PLEASE go here:

 https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410

What does it mean to work on the mission field?  God tells us to GO!  For some that is physically going, for others it means to pray diligently for those on the field, and for others it means to financially support those people who are on the field.

During our time here, we knew going in that things were not going to be comfortable.  Things were not going to be easy.  Things were going to challenge us in ways we couldn't foresee.  Soon after we got here Honduras became the murder capitol of the world.  Not a thing to strive for at all.  And...for the next three years, Honduras has maintained that unfortunate title.

In the little 3,000 person community of Armenia Bonito, where we work, it has proven to be even more challenging then we could ever have imagined!  Five years ago we started out working from a small little building with no electricity, water, or even doors.  We have come a long way, and have truly come to love this community.  We are almost done with a High School, constructed a huge indoor soccer field, have planted a church, and are running a health clinic.  Sometimes, however, in the midst of all the amazing / great things going on, there truly are times that challenge you a bit more.  Since June there have been 10 murders just in this community.  This hurts my heart....a lot....we know these people, love these people, and when we find there is yet another person that has been shot it is heart breaking.  I'm just going to say it.  My heart is down.  I am saddened. I am discouraged. I am tired both physically and emotionally.  

The world is full of evil, and I know that - but it is one thing to hear it on the news, and the other to experience it up close and personal with people I know and love.

Here is what I hold firm to from a devotional I read just today by Lysa TerKeurst:

The Lord:  Recall the beauty of trusting the only One who can see what is and what is to come. Nahum 1:7... "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." (NIV 1984)

Me: I do trust You. But for everything to end like this is so hard. It just seems pointless

The Lord: Nothing I allow is pointless. Even in the midst of hurt I will work good. Proverbs 19:20-21... "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (NIV 1984)

Me: Why does she (me/the community/Armenia) have to go through this?

The Lord: You don't have to have answers. You just need to trust. Isaiah 55:9b... "My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (NIV 1984)

Your financial contributions are what have made the clinic continue to be a light in the midst of this ever growing darkness. Please allow us to be the vessels of the light to this oppressive darkness.  To support Dr. Roger, to be able to continue running the clinic with me, PLEASE go here:

 https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410

End of a season

After five years of hosting Kids Club, it is finally coming to a close. The goal with Mission to the World is to turn all ministry over to Nationals to run. In otherwords, work yourself out of a job. We have not really had anyone to turn it over to, but now that the church in Armenia Bonito has been established for a year, it is time to turn it over to the church.  Pastor Jesús has been coming to Kids Club for the past 4-5 months or so to learn the ropes and see what has been going on, and for the kids to get to know him.  In a few short weeks our long-term intern, James, will be leaving, and that will signal the changing of the guard.  We will host a Christmas party, have our final Kids Club, and turn things over to the Pastor officially.  Pastor Jesús will be installing a decon, and the decon and he will be responsible for the future of Kids Club.  Most likely the days, times, and even location will change as it works for Pastor's schedule.  It will eventually move into the church, once that has been constructed.  This is a bitter-sweet time for me.  For over 3 years I have lead Kids Club, taken the children through the catechism, created a new process for how it has done, and James has become integral into it as well. But...as the goal is to turn things over to Nationals, it is a natural progression, and timely as the church grows and takes on new responsibilities.  We have been averaging 60-80 kids each week, the picture below are the 35 kids who had almost perfect attendance and were able to participate in the end of cycle fiesta.

I love the kids, and will miss them dearly, but I know that I will still see most of them around Armenia.

Medical crisis

This week we have had nine people from a community called Santa Ana that have come to our medical clinic.  To put that in perspective, they are traveling an hour and fifteen minutes via bus to come to our little clinic.  There is a government run medical clinic in their community, but it has NO medicine.  So they can go to the clinic and get a consultation, but then they can't be treated for their ailments.  Their only other option is a private clinic in their community that offers a consultation and medications for HNL1,500 which is about $75.00.  This means care is ONLY available to the rich people of that community.  We charge $2.50 for a consultation and $1.25 for all your medications. This makes the hour+ bus ride WELL worth it!  We can serve the poorest of the poor!  We continue to seek funds for Dr. Roger's pay to be able to continue our efforts to treat people like little Manuel who came to our clinic from the community over an hour away.  It is so easy to become a part of this effort by making an on-going or one-time contribution toward Dr. Roger's pay. Go to this link to make an EASY contribution... https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410

Roger in the U.S.

Roger playing 

Applying for a visa for a Honduran resident is no small task.  Not only is there an on-line application, with a substantial fee just to make an appointment, but then there is the drive to Tegucigalpa (over 6 hours away) and an in-person interview.  After all that, Dr. Roger did receive a 10 year visitor visa.  On the heels of the success for this visa, we sent him immediately off to the U.S.   He was invited by two physicians that came down during one of the medical brigades this last summer to come spend the week with them.  His time will include speaking at a church, accompanying the docs on general rounds at the hospital, speaking in front of students, attending a soccer game, and even going trick-or-treating with Dr. Rick's family.  This is going to be a great opportunity to meet new people, talk about the ministry he is involved in, support raise, and just experience the United States for the first time.  So far he was impressed with the train in the airport (flew into Atlanta), and many of the things we take for granted in the U.S. that just don't exist in Honduras (automatic soap dispensers for example).  He is enjoying the cuisine. I've "mandated"  Dr. Rick and Dr. Allen to see if they can get some experience with Americana - i.e. Chick-fil-A and Krispy Kreme, and even a Mega Wal Mart or other huge store.

I am actively support raising for Dr. Roger's pay for the following year - the only way to continue keeping him employed is through YOUR support!  I am also actively pursuing hiring a Honduran assistant to help him in the clinic while I am on furlough next year.  It would be an almost impossible task to run the clinic by himself.  So - how can YOU help?!  EASY!  Follow this link to make a one-time or on-going support contribution:

https://donations.mtw.org/donate/AddDesignation.aspx?No=92410

speaking engagement at Dr. Allen and Dr. Rick's church

The gift of walking

Manuela arrived to the clinic a few days ago.  She is 90 years old and hobbled in barely able to walk, leaning heavily on her old cane.  With her other hand she reached out to anything that was close by to give her more stability.  This, on top of the fact that she was barely able to see from one of her eyes as she has a degenerative condition that is slowly making her blind.  I walked onto my storage room and pulled out the shortest walker I could find and gave her some brief instructions.  Before I could even finish my instructions she was scooting down the hallway with her new found freedom, and her family had to slow her down before she took off out of the clinic without her medications

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A taste of home

My sweet friend Mindy Hertzell came to visit.  She is a Registered Nurse, and came to hang with me and spend time in the clinic.  Since she has been here she has done a breathing treatment, medicine infusions, and a toe nail removal.  We have also had the opportunity to go hiking in the rainforest, and driven to the State Capitol.  It has been an awesome time, and am sad it is coming to an end.

Hospital closed and our clinic open.

What is someone to do when a hospital closes?  When your only resource is to seek medical care wherever you can.  When the next closest public hospital is almost 2 hours away?  Well....you seek care wherever you can get it.  The last few weeks we have been bombarded with patients.  This week we have been oddly slow, I am hoping that is bcause we have gotten people over their crisis, but the overwhelming number of patients going through our clinic is wiping out our medical supplies.  One example is a gentleman who came in with a severe infection in his joint.  We have had him come to the clinic three days in a row where we have pulled out pus and infection in his knee, given three rounds of antiobiotics in his veins, oral antibiotics, crutches, and even a knee mobilizer.  It is patients like this that really need to be admitted, but there is no hospital to admit him to.  However, after three days of agressive treatment we decided he just needed to admit him, so we sent him out to a hospital 2 hours away.  The needs here are great, and our ability to serve them holistically we are seriously lacking in some basic things like laboratory equipment.  I have a great resource of a company in the States that will fully equip my clinic, including coming to train us on the equipment....so this is what I am saving up to get.