MT-4 Hits the ground running

We're a small team, but we serve a big God.  After a typical muy temprano start, a 40-minute departure delay from Atlanta, and a Holy Week Saturday traffic jam leaving San Pedro Sula, we eventually arrived in Quimistán to renew acquaintances, chow down with Gloria's enchiladas, and review the plan of the week with Maynor.

Kristen prepared posters showing the words to songs we will be using in the Vacation Bible School session at several spots this week, and our newest team member, Brooklyn, enhanced their readability for the groups of kids who will be singing them. 

 
For those of you who may not read español, this one is what we know as "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.  Where?  Down in my heart."




While they were preparing those posters, Karen and Allen prepared 'goody bags' for the AP students tomorrow

So we begin in earnest tomorrow morning at Tejeras.

Allen

On the way home

We are busy packing before breakfast.  We load the bus at 9:00 for the hour plus ride to San Pedro Sula Airport and home.  This was a memorable faithful trip and we are thankful that we were able to serve the Lord by serving the children of the Quimistan Valley in Honduras.

Day 9 the big wrap up

Starting off as usual at 8:30 we opened the dental clinic for the last day, ensuring that 48 AP children were treated along with several siblings and 5 additional children from Texoxintales.   We finished treating our last patient at 2:30 and started the processes of cleaning, sanitizing, inventorying, wrapping, and packing everything for long term storage.  In total the dental clinic provided 59 cleaning procedures, performed 35 extractions, and filled 76 teeth.  We had a surprise dental assistant.  Laura, an AP graduate and a 3^rd year dental student, joined the dentists to observe and assist for several hours.  She was able to observe the full spectrum from examination, cleaning, filling of teeth, to several difficult extractions. Our interpreter Tony endured a difficult hour long extraction.  The last time we saw him he was mumbling.

We did take a short break for lunch and a quick visit to the Tejeras feeding operation where we not only served the children their meal but were able to pass out two footlockers full of clothing.  The meal and clothing was much appreciated by all.   

Charlie, Randy, Karen, and Erin returned to the hospital to finish packing the storage trunks and transport them to “the ranch” for storage till the next dental visit.

At 8:00 p.m. the team hosted a final meal with our gracious hostess Martha, Dr. Tino, Maynor and his wife Jessy, our translators, AP assistants, driver, and the two wonderful ladies who cook and clean for us, dear Gloria and Sandra. 

Tomorrow after breakfast we leave for San Pedro Sula airport and home to Aiken.  We are exhausted but full of joy to have been able to experience the sharing of God’s love to the children of Honduras.  In Christ's name, Amen.

Randy lied when he said we would work 8 to 8!

Day 8 and we only worked 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.

Would you believe if I said we are a tired bunch of missionaries?  Today we treated 36 patients. Many had multiple extractions – an 11 year old had 4 teeth out, another 9 year old had 3 extractions with several fillings added in.  These children were calm and pleasant during their long ordeals.  This will be a very short entry as we are all ready to unwind and go to sleep.  Tomorrow we will close up the clinic at 2:00 p.m. so we can clean up, inventory our expendable supplies, and start the packing process.  At 4:00 p.m. we will all participate in the Tejeras feeding and then bring the storage footlockers back to “the ranch” for storage.  A late dinner at 8:00 p.m. is planned.

As tired that we are, each of us has been uplifted with bringing beautiful smiles to so many of God's children in Quimistan.

Day 8 … and we are a tired band of missionaries

 Yes, we are tired, working from 8 to 8 with a short hour for lunch treating 20 children with two dentists and two dental technicians.  The balance of the team members kept the kids in order, updated and maintained the dental records, and sterilized the instruments as they were used.  The two dental chairs and all the supplies were in one very small and crowded room that--thankfully--was air conditioned.  Many of the children had one or more teeth extracted and several cavities filled.  Each child's teeth were professionally cleaned and polished.  Below are several pictures to illustrate our day’s activities.  None of the children cried or fussed except one.  Tomorrow will be a repeat.

 

 Oh, and by the way, we celebrated Alan's 72nd birthday with cake and ice cream!

Day 7 and we are ONE – big family that is

                While the advance team transported additional supplies to the hospital in preparation of tomorrow’s dental clinic, the remainder of the team arrived safely from Aiken – even a bit early.  After a 2:30 p.m. prayer and quick lunch the entire team (Tommy, Mandy, Alan, Randy, Charlie, Erin, and Karen along with Maynor (our local administrator), and Stanley (our faithful translator) went to the hospital and started to unpack 7 trunks and one large duffel bag. 

 To us non-professionals the task of getting all the necessary equipment and supplies unpacked and in some logical order seemed impossible.  However the dental professionals of Charlie, Randy, Karen, and Erin with years of experience knew just what had to be done.

 

                Some minor equipment modifications had to be made to the one dental chair that had been used in previous years along with additional modification to the used dental chair that took some 15 months in transit from the United States to Quimistan.  

 With the dental professionals coordinated effort and Tommy, Mandy, Alan, Maynor, and Stanley on call for simple tasks the clinic was fully set up and all equipment tested by 5:15.

                We plan on opening the door to the 1^st patient at 8:00 in the morning and will work till the last scheduled patient (and walk-in) is seen and treated, somewhere about 8:00 p.m.  The team will take a one hour lunch break about noon.  

A Visit to White Dove & Santa Clara

                With a morning mist falling that occasionally changed to a gentle rain we drove for an hour to Santa Clara and the White Dove School.  The White Dove School is a private missionary supported institution that provides multilingual instruction in English, French, and Spanish for pre-kindergarten through 3^rd grade.  In each of the next 3 years, grades 4, 5, and 6 will be added.  Each class is in a self contained building along with a cafeteria and a house of worship. The children study their subjects in all three languages.  The missionary team care for an additional 8 children who live with them.  New expanded living quarters are currently under construction.  The HAF mission team conducted a hygiene clinic for all 44 children.  

 After leaving White Dove we stopped in “downtown” Santa Clara public school and held another hygiene clinic for 71 children.  

 On the way down the mountain we were detained by some ranchers loading cattle to take to market.

                After a late lunch we moved all the dental supplies to the hospital in preparation for the arrival of the dental professionals tomorrow. (Hey, doc.  Those are very heavy trunks; did you pack bricks?)

A fun-filled day with God’s children.

                  This morning we went to observe Sandra’s Sunday school lesson at Tejeras.  As you notice, she uses hand drawn visual aids tacked to a tree. The wind made it difficult for the children to see the aide clearly.   

The mission team authorized Maynor to purchase a portable easel locally for Sandra’s use.  The children were very attentive, the older ones taking care of the little ones and paying attention to the lesson in spite of the heavy truck traffic just 20 feet away.  

                In the afternoon we traveled across town to the AP Bible School.  All but 4 of the AP children were in attendance.  Tommy immediately started to take two portrait pictures of each child, copies of which will be sent to each of the sponsoring families / organizations.

  Vilma, our AP graduate and now college student sponsored through HAF continues to do a marvelous job in teaching the lower grade students while Ana keeps the attention of the middle school students. Both teachers get the students involved in the lesson.     

 

Day 4 and a trip to the hospital

Day 4 activities were curtailed as Alan had a bout of severe intestinal disorder during the night culminating with an early morning trip to the emergency room.  One of the local doctors lives in the compound where we stay and she came to see Alan and transported him to the hospital.  After 5 hours Alan was released and is on the mend.  Alan now has to keep track of an additional 5 different medicines. He was most pleased with the care, with three doctors and an assortment of nurses fussing over him. Tommy and Mandy went shopping for the children that they sponsor and then spent some quality time with them and their family

Day three at El Venado

After another super breakfast the team (Mandy, Tommy, and Alan) were joined by Dr. Tino, his Nurse Eny along with Maynor, Ana (an AP teachers) and Mareni (a 10^th grade AP student. We then set off for the 90 minute drive up a twisting rock and dirt mountain road to the village of El Venado. Upon arrival we unpacked and set up for a hygiene clinic while Maynor, Dr Tino and Nurse Eny conducted a medical brigade.  The medical brigade treated 42 patients with the assistance of the three community health care workers. 

The hygiene clinic was very successful as we treated 53 children.   

After a quick packed lunch we held a vision clinic examining 32 folks giving out 27 distance and 41 reading glasses.   

To conclude our visit, Dr Tino and Nurse Eny conducted an hour plus class for the three current and one new Community Health Care workers.  Thus El Venado is fortunate to have four health care workers – one of which is a male.  A nebulizer and other medical supplies and equipment were left in the village. 

Once again we observed the local primary school – a one room building with one teacher for 32 children in grades 1 through 6.  The students were very attentive to the teacher and followed his instructions very well.  As with yesterday’s observation, once class was over, the children cleaned the school room prior to going home.