Sad times in Santa Barbara

This little baby boy was born before I started my shift. He only weighed four pounds but was perfect. The mother and father did not want him, and the nurse was just walking around in the post partum ward with him. She was saying that he was cold in the little sheets they use and  the mother did not bring any clothes for him. They asked me if I wanted him..I couldn´t tell if they were kidding or not. He will probably end up in an orphanage. Anyway once again your beautiful baby bundles came to the rescue. We tried to make him warm and pretty to take back to the mother to try again to get her to take him. I´ve helped some mothers that are thirteen and fourteen. They seem to want to be pregnant usually...they are so small but they seem to do fine with birth. One of the mothers I delivered last night was only twenty one and on her fifth child. It´s really sad.

Santa Barbara was in an uproar a few nights ago. A robber got on a bus planning to rob all the people. He put a gun to the driver's head instructing him to stop the bus. A policeman in the back of the bus saw the gun and started shooting at him. The robber started shooting back. The bus was packed and many people were caught in the crossfire. A mother and her daughter were shot in the head. When I got to the hospital that night, crowds were in the street weeping and howling. The emergency room was packed with the wounded. They bought the young girl into the maternity ward. She looked like she was just sleeping, a beautiful girl just laying there in the hall, but she was dead. Her mother was rushed to San Pedro Sula. Her father was weeping over her while the nurses and relatives prepared her body for viewing I guess. The next day the father died of a heart attack from stress and grief when he found out his wife had died also. A whole family dead over some senseless act. I know these things happen in the States but here they seem more real and close to home for me. So now everyone is nervous about taking buses to San Pedro Sula. The latest thing is now is to rob all the passengers on buses.

I have to go to Belize next week and back to get my passport stamped for the next three months. It is a nine hour bus trip one way so pray for me. This country has the highest murder rate in the world. They just shoot people for little or no reason.

There are so many deformed people in this little city.  I´ve seen more deformed people on the streets than I have seen in all thirty years in Nashville, seriously. Some of the doctors believe it´s from the old mines up in the mountains seeping toxins in the ground and water. Some think that since you can get any drug you want without a prescription in the pharmacy, many of these ladies are taking medications and don´t realize they are pregnant. But whatever it is..no one seems that concerned.

There are so many needs here, but so much corruption that the money and supplies that are sent here do not always get to the people. The sense of powerlessness here makes the people apathetic. Things are given to the hospital but just disappear after a while. It´s so frustrating. I just concern myself with helping people on an individual basis. That way I know that the help is going right into the hands that need it.

On another sad note... my buddy Glesni left last week. The nurses really loved her and miss her. But on a good note...it is forcing me to listen and learn more Spanish instead of asking her what they said.  You probably noticed I´m on my own with the blog. I´ve wanted to call Glesni for help many times...but I´m doing OK so far.
 

Bye Glesni...I´ll miss you!

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Thanks mi amigos for your continued support. I hope all is well with you all up there..miss you and soft hot water...love Heather