Tuesday we visited the community of La Union, San Antonio de Yure. It has been several months since a medical team has visited; each community The Friends of Barnabas Foundation serves is seen twice a year by a medical team. La Union was ready for us! Once again we were greeted by members of the community who had been working so hard to clean up in the classrooms and outside in the courtyard where we would be utilizing space to set up clinics.
The following is the number of patients seen on Tuesday:
Total for all clinics - 202
Eye - 25
Deworming - 101
Fluoride - 32
Dental - 24
Extractions - 31
Referrals - 1
The morning started with an opening prayer and we were led in song by Melvin, one of the Honduran staff. While we were setting up our clinics a unique request came in from one of the community members. His mother was not able to walk down to the area where the clinic was from her home because of a medical need so he asked if we could make a house call to check on her. Of course, we were thrilled to fulfill the request and Janet brought along 3 of the nursing students (Ben, Hannah M., and Julie), a guard, a translator (Carlos), and Melvin. The woman was so grateful we had come to see her; she had tears in her eyes and greeted us all with a big hug! We prayed with her to start off our visit. When we began asking questions about what was ailing her and what she had done to cure the ailment, she told us she had a Doctor and that his name was God! She said that sometimes when she was in such bad pain that she got on her knees and prayed to God. Her faith kept her going and relieved her pain.
As mentioned in yesterday's journal we were given pocket crosses with a poem inside, one version in Spanish and one in English, to share in a special encounter. These were our cross-sharing experiences of the day:
Khadijah saw a mother in clinic with 5 children, the youngest in such respiratory distress that he could barely let out a cry. The mother was in distress with her little one and Khadijah took time with this family to treat each one for some sort of medical issue.
Teresa shared her pocket cross with Margarita, one of the staff members here at Casa de Alfredo. Margarita and Sandra get up every day at 4:00 in the morning to come here and prepare our breakfast for us and then pack our lunch for the day. They also clean and do laundry and prepare dinner for us while we are visiting the communities. Teresa made a good point when she told the story of giving her cross away.....Margarita and Sandra are working hard here to serve us so that we have the energy to serve the communities of Honduras. Teamwork!
Hannah M. shared her cross with the woman that we made a house call to and Julie shared her cross with the grand-daughter of the same woman because that 14 year old girl does not have any family other than her grandmother who cannot leave the house and she was brave enough to come to the clinics today by herself and even had a tooth pulled! Julie and Hannah were both moved by this family and so grateful for the time they were able to spend getting to know them.
Brooke gave her cross away to a little boy who had to have his face patched up. He had fallen and cut his face open on an iron fence. Brooke took the time to clean up the facial wound and cover it properly, sharing the love of God with him and his mother in practical ways!
Johanna helped a mother that came through the clinic with several children. She was raising the children on her own and did not know anybody else in the community that could help her. She was feeling overwhelmed and depressed and enjoyed sitting and chatting with Johanna. They prayed together. God provides for those who are lonely in ways beyond their imagination.
We we will never forget the moments we experienced today discovering God in our midst.
We are eager for tomorrow as we rest and prepare ourselves for another blessed day serving another great community in the mountains of Honduras!
Julie
Hannah M.
Brooke
Hannah B.
Tonia
Khadijah
Tina
Robin
Ben
Mark
Johanna
Teresa
Remmie
Janet
