Medical Brigade!

Wow..what a way to end my stay here in the Honduras. The gracious brothers and sisters from Idaho welcomed me with open arms to join their medical brigade to the villages around Santa Barbara. They treated me as one of the team by including me in the fellowships, food and play. It was a wonderful experience after being here on a solo mission trip..not knowing one person in Honduras when I came here. I wondered what the group mission trips were like, and I got to experience both.

It was highly organized. Brett and his wife had done this nine times, so they were very experienced at herding groups of 20 to 30 people that have never worked together before. The huge amount of supplies and food needed was in itself a sight to behold. the packing and unpacking..very impressive.

Everyday we were in a different village in the mountains. We usually had 300 to 400 people from the villages come out each day. Travelling up the mountains was both beautiful and treacherous in these huge school buses. Sometimes we were so close to the edge, I just put my life anew in God's hands. I know that sounds dramatic..but it was quite hairy at times.

These are the two buses we went up the mountains in..it was very exciting! we slipped,  slid, rocked to and fro, and got stuck in the mud. At one point everyone had to get out and push!

Of course it had to rain everyday making the trip up the mountains treacherous. But God got us there safely and back.







Crowds were waiting..lines and lines of people!

In case those of you don't know what a medical brigade involves..as I didn't..I'll give you a picture in case you ever get a chance to join one. The first day we went to a village called El Eden. The connection is set up through a local pastor. We usually use the public school as a base. There were 450 people waiting for us when we drove up. We had several stations...Evangelism and Hygiene, Triage, Medical, Dental, Glasses. Pharmacy and Shoes. Usually there is women's health, but unfortunately not this time. The first village, I helped in triage doing vital signs and blood pressure.

these old guys from the mountains have perfect blood pressure and vitals. They work really hard up and down the mountains with their coffee.

Then in La Zona where I had lived for the first month I was here, I ran around and did everything because I knew the people.  It was so nice to come back and provide these services to people I knew.  I got lot's of hugs and kisses, it was so wonderful. The next village I helped to pull and cleaned teeth.

there were two dentist there to guide us

Then there was Pharmacy, giving out worm pills, vitamins, antibiotics, pain killers, etc. with doctors orders of course.

counting out the pills

giving out the pills

The next village I fitted people for glasses. It was so nice to hear them exclaim claro!, claro!..as they could read or see far for the first time.

Then there was shoes...which were all gone in the first hour or two. we had to ration them to each village. Seeing the big holes in shoes and being able to give a new pair of nikes was a blessing.

And then fixing food and feeding the five thousand..well 450...that is what it felt like anyway.

My little Spanish helped a little, but we did have Honduran translators with us.

the Honduran translators

 Some of my new found friends

 

the wonderful Honduran doctor Raphael that invited me..thank you Raphael!

In the evening we had a wonderful fellowship with singing and testimony time..sharing the experiences from the day.  So many different people from so many different churches with one goal, to serve and honor god...what a blessing it was!

All I can say is thank you Lord for this wonderful opportunity!  He has orchestrated this whole five months for me. One opportunity after another to serve in so many ways. I just came..not knowing a soul in Honduras..and He just led me. A safe place to stay, good clean water, healthy food..lots and lots of new friends from all over the world. And not one day sick or even a tummy ache. Thank you Lord!

Winding down

Well my work at the hospital is coming to a close. It has been an exciting, sometimes frustrating and rewarding experience. I pray that I was a blessing with all the back rubbing, coaching, comforting, and prayers. I learned a few new tricks on birthing that you can only learn in the third world. I want to thank some of the doctors and nurses in particular, who were very nice to me while I was here. Many of the doctors spoke English very well which was helpful. They made it a wonderful experience. Most of the ones I got close to are finishing up their social service that they owe the government and are leaving. They were all curious about how it´s done in the States. We had quite a few discussions on fundal pressure or not. Before they left they told me that word is...
it´s being banned in the Tegusigalpa based on new studies..YAY!

This is Zoila, one of the nurses...a burst of sunshine! She made me feel so welcomed the first time I met her.  She let me do everything. I will really miss her.

This is Dr Emy..she really appreciated the fetal stethoscopes that we donated

These are my favorite doctors...Marta and Eduardo. They spoke excellent English and really took me under their wing. They will be getting married soon and want to practice in the States

Dealing with the very young mothers, sometimes thirteen and fourteen years old, having babies was very sad. Honduran women tend to be small anyway..and these little girls were so tiny. You wondered how they would deliver...but they did fine. Some were surprised at the time of birth at where the baby was coming out. They thought it was going to be through their "belly button". There is so little education and I don´t think these mothers would come if there were classes. They barely come for their prenatals which are basically free. I often envision a ministry of going out to the villages and giving prenatal care. It´s so hard for these mothers to get to town from the mountains.

one of the really young moms..with her baby bundle clothes

As a homebirth midwife, my experience with death right under my nose in the 35 years I´ve been doing midwifery, has been very limited, almost nil. But here in the third world it was every few days. There are also lots of infections, meconium, fourth degree tears, and many premature babies. Again much of that is from lack of prenatal care and education.

The really sad part for me has been the care or lack when these women have lost a baby. They are  alone...no friend or partner, no relative. There are no words of comfort or special consideration. The baby is delivered right next to a mom having a healthy baby. Then it is put in one of the warmers for all the moms to see, dead. Then it is wrapped in brown paper and placed on a gurney in the reception room for the husband or family to come and take it home. She doesn´t hold it, barely sees it or is explained what happened. I just wheel them back into the post partum ward, with ten to twenty other women there all with their babies...and there she sits, with empty arms. Another needed ministry...would be to be available to talk to, comfort, and pray with the sick and bereaved.

seems so sad and lonely

It may seem like the nurses and doctors are heartless but it´s just the way it is. The familiarity with pain and suffering is just so common place..they just learn to deal with it and expect very little. We get so much special consideration and compassion in the States. We would be in therapy for years if we had to go through a fraction of what these women go through down here.

So even though my hospital days are ending..I will spend my last days doing my favorite thing. I will be going into the villages again with another mission team (a medical brigade) from Idaho. I don't know them but I was invited, so I jumped at the chance. We will be visiting and ministering to the medical needs of the people in the villages. We will go to a different village every day. Last time I went to the villages it was on mothers day...taking bundles of goodies, praying and singing to the poor moms...just to brighten their day. There were many tears, it was a blessing. so I´m looking forward to this experience. I will keep you updated.

some of the moms in the village we visited on mothers day

So..I´m winding down. Due to an emergency back home I have to leave a month early. I´ll keep you posted on my last days. Thank you Elisha and Charlotte for making it possible for me to go on this other mission trip within my mission trip.