First day of medical brigades

We had first day of brigades Thursday. It was interesting we left a little late and when we got to the school we were not greeted with the normal line that I have come accustomed to see. The town of Delores was also torn up all along the roads. We started unloading and had to carry the medicine boxes while walking the plank! This plank although may be ok in the US, was definitely a bit wobbly here and it was over a 4 ft ditch. I crossed it twice and no more. I watched how two guys were able to cross a dental machine and cross at the same time it was definitely interesting to watch. It gave me the courage to cross back and pray that it wouldn't break. (It didn't or this would be a very different post)  

The day started off a bit slow and we ended a bit early. Most of the team played with the kids at the school. We found out that the village had a very large medical brigade 2 months prior and that they had a community project that everyone must participate in or pay someone to participate in it. So let's just say every one was very busy. We still ended up seeing 82 on the medical side. Most were children who just wanted vitamins but we didn't have any. But most of them got Tylenol for aches and pains. Dr. Gladys also gave a few references out for them to see a specialist. One child had a odd hard growth under the skin to the upper chest. He will need additional tests to see if it's malignant or benign. It definitely felt weird. He also looked like he had some albino to him so it may be complications to that. With the brigades finishing up early we got back to base by 5, and the water at base camp was still on so every one started taking turns for their 4 minute showers. They all were really happy to have showers. Dr. Alletta brought her 16 year old son, Carlos, on the brigade, he was confused that the team had not taken showers yet. I explained to him that they do not know how to have a bucket shower especially with cold water. He had the most shocked look to his face. It made me laugh. Given he is staying at Cristina's house where they have running water all the time. Well I must get ready for another day!

Till next time!

Nicole

First full day in Honduras!

GCU trip 2016

So I don't think I mentioned it in the previous post but I am here in Honduras with a group of Grand Canyon University undergrad students. It is a partnership with hands giving hope which I am representing as a leader on the trip. This year there are 15 GCU students with us. They vary in age and majors so it is interesting getting to know them. 

Today we counted pills, separated them, and labeled them. We had 15 bottles of adult vitamins donated (thanks k&p!) so I had 6 students working on that which we ended up with having a supply of 82 bags per medical day! We generally see 100-200 people a day so we will be able to give them out each day. We should have all the adults covered when they come.

After spending the morning getting ready for the medical brigade, we had a nice afternoon off. Cristina led us into town from base camp and we went to the chapel on the hill. The chapel is built into the mountain and I believe it is a Catholic monument. From the top you can see all of La Esperanza and the surrounding mountains. As we started waking to the center of town it started raining. We were at the park and it was ok under a large tree but then it started pouring so we all got under a veranda. There were Hondurans near us until the girls thought they would wash their hair in the pour rain. Then the Hondurans decided we were nuts... I could not disagree. To watch a bunch of girls and a boy get their hair wet in the rain then braid each other's hair is weird. Eventually the rain stopped and we went to a cafe which had lots of cakes and coffee. So the team gave them a lot of business. After hanging out there for an hour we walked back to base camp. 

The team had a lot of fun walking through the streets, I always forget the wonder at a new country. It was a lot of fun today hanging out and getting to know one another.

Please pray for travel tomorrow to our first medical brigade. And pray for our patients that we may be able to bless them with spiritual and physical medicine. 

Until next time!

Nicole 

And we are back again!

Hello everyone!!!!

We finally got into Honduras yesterday morning and arrived in la esperanza(base camp) at around 4. It was an eventful yet uneventful trip. The runway at the airport was closed so it delay our flight coming in, we just circled a bit in the air. They did not say why it was closed. I figured another plane fell off the runway. If many of you don't know Tegucigalpa airport is special. The pilots have to be specially certified and the runway is a bit short, so everybody claps after every successful landing. After the very quiet 4 hour drive to base camp- everyone was sleeping with traveling since the night before- I found out that I wouldn't be able to stay with the team at base camp I would stay with Cristina and Marvin at their house. We have such a large group this year and we have two additional translators. And dr. Leta brought her son to help on the medical brigades- he just finished his first year at university. So today we will relax and start separating and organizing the medications for the next three days. 

Please pray for safety and road conditions there is a lot of rain so very muddy roads.

Please pray for the students as this is the first time away from thier families- who are also worried. 

Please pray that God will use me and the team for his will.

Until later!

Nicole 

Last of the Honduras pics!

The view from my hotel room, there is the Heli-pad!

Tegucigalpa neighborhood by T-Pastor Carlos

View from Christina's front porch

Saying goodbye to Delores

Dennis and Jullissa!

Taylor and I

The only guys on the trip, they cleaned up ok for chuch! :)

The whole GCU group

Just the girls of the house!

Students playing in he rain!

Chris and I staying out of the rain.

Demi and I she is soaked!

Meagan and I, she will be an awesome Doctor!

One of my roommates, Lindsay is great!

Girls having way too much fun in the rain!

On the bus heading to Delores

The back of the bus is always goofy!

The last few days...

The rest of the story…..

Thursday was a rest day. The team went to the mercado and got to see all of the sites and smells that accompanied. I stayed at the children's home with time to meditate and peace and quiet. With such a large team they are loud but I love them all the same. One of my roommates was convinced that I would hate them by the time I left but it was the opposite I got to know them and loved them for who they were, no matter how loud they got. Any ways so my morning of peace and quiet because discussion time with Stan which was awesome. He is an amazing pastor and is an excellent encourager. He pushes me to be a better Christian and to be a better encourager. So after the noisy college student came back, we all rested. Then around 4 we went to Marvin and Christina's house, which praise God they have finally moved in!!! They had the foundation created when I went to Honduras 6 years ago and they have just moved in in November! We had a nice cookout with a large bonfire. The GCU students were able to tour the ministry property and get to hear the vision that they have for the ministry property! I can not wait till we have enough funds to build on the property!

Friday we headed into Delores. The team will be staying there for 10 days. There they will helping out in the school or evangelizing in the surrounding area. I really wish I could have stayed with them!!!! Delores was REALLY HOT! So I was glad I was leaving but I really wanted to stay with the team. The girls were staying in one house with the boys in another. It is a bit cramped with having so many girls in one house but I am sure they are getting along! :) It rained while I was there and it felt nice except of course I didn't dry but the rest of the girls played in the rain and then changed into their church clothes.

After Dennis finally showed up we left as the team went to church. I really did not want to leave. But life must go on! That night we had a quiet dinner with Christina and I stayed at her house. She really had ministry in mind when she had her house built. They can easily have 7 people stay with them. It was nice and quiet.

Saturday  Dennis, T-Carlos and I went to Tegucigalpa. After dropping Carlos off Dennis and I went to the hotel. Later I found out that this hotel was right next to the Presidential Palace. I thought the helipad that I could see from my room was for a hospital, NOPE! It was the presidential helipad! It is definitely crazy! It would be nice to actually see the white house as I have now seen Honduras' and England's palaces!

This trip in general was a blessing and let me heal after several bad weeks of work. But know I just don't know where God wants me to go, we had mentioned I could stay in Honduras full time but I do have loans. Once all of my loans are I can go anywhere and we will see where God wants me to go!

Don’t forget to check our Hands Giving Hope's facebook and wordpress blog!

Rest of the medical brigade pictures

Dr. Leta our dentist with our travel dental chair!!!!

My medical crew day 2. They did great!

This is what our pharmacy looks like, just your average walgreens!

Two GCU students with Kerin-one of the girls who lives at the children's home full time.

Dental crew having too much fun!!!

I wish I could join the dental crew!!!!

THe medical student with a GCU student seeing patients.

Teaching a GCU student how to obtain a blood pressure.

Ahh the difficulty of a manual blood pressure.

Go Dental Go!!!

Everyone is too short and short chairs too!!!

Tomas giving instructions on medications!

Tying out another translator. Ismaris is Awesome!

Pharmacy had a little too much time to goof off.

Wanted to keep the chair clean so plastic bag where the feel go.

Eating lunch at Pastor Carlos and Rosa's house

Beautiful sunset on our walk to Rosa's house

the view at Rosa's house!

Medical brigade day 3

Medical brigade day 3

Well the day three went well. We had the last clinic at San Antonio a community where hands giving hope sponsors a church with pastor Carlos and his wife Rosa, his is the third time for me to visit this community. When we arrived there was already two different lines one for medical and one for dental. Medical was very interesting some of the same, mal nutrition and too much time in the sun. I was able to let one of the GCU student ask some questions and write the prescriptions, which she loved, and I was able to work with Tegucigalpa- Pastor Carlos. T-Pastor Carlos is a great translator and he catches on to stuff and reminds me to ask stuff that I forget. And he is passionate about the teaching as I am. So when I educate on nosebleeds, headaches, or muscle stain Carlos has me completely explain it to him and them he explains it well to the patient and there family. It may make us see less patients but it still works well. One interesting case was a teenager who came in with complaint of nosebleeds and head aches  3 times a week. I went into the education of how to prevent nosebleeds and the various formulas for his headaches. Then at the end his mother mentioned that all of this started after he was in a car accident several years ago. I asked my typical did he lose consciousness? And her reply was yes, for 2 days. I went "oh". She then showed me where he had a gash on his head, it was a large scar. The mother was unsure if he had a head bleed because she was also unconsciousness after the accident. So after talking with them for 10-15 minutes and I consulted with Dr. Gladys and she agreed with me that the boy needed to see a neurologist. So she filled out a consult so they could go to the hospital and see a neurologist. I kept trying to ask questions like if the boy was forgetting items at school or if school but he seemed like he didn't want to be there and kept looking off to the distance, which I saw as odd, but he might have been embarrassed that his mother forced him to come here. :) Other than that I saw two of Pastor Carlos's( of San Antonio) sons. Milagro who is 19 now T-Carlos and I both teased. I had felt bad earlier because when we arrived Milagro was coming to say I to me and I had no idea who he was. It took me about 4 hours and then light bulb, I realized who he was. I realized he was the pastor's son, and we worked together the last two trips. He led worship we had baptism in January last year. And he was at the children's home when I went in 2009. I felt really bad but made up for it when

Carlos and I teased him for seeing the doctor, he did wait until everybody else had been seen which is refreshing.  I love to see servant's heart when someone goes last even if it means they may not receive what everyone else gets. We did run out of vitamins both children and adult by mid day. We didn't have too many go with out them but we did have a few. Other than that we did have medication for everybody.
And next time I will try to bring more vitamins.

After the clinics we went to go see Pastor Carlos and Rosa's church. They have been trying to build for the last several years. Every year they had built the walls using adobe but were unable to get a roof up before the raining season started so the rains dissolved the walls. They now have a roof on it! They wish to build a feeding center next to the church but they mush await funding from the US. After praying for the church we went back to Carlos's house and Milagro sang and played his guitar and his little brother also joined and played guitar with him. Milagro is amazing on the guitar and teaches himself and now it looks like is teaching his little brother. Their whole family serves the Lord with everything they do! Well it was a long day and it finished by us heading back to the La Esperanza and there was a Semi truck in our way. Now many of the girls had asked what happens on the one lane roads if there are 2 cars, My response is the biggest truck wins. Well there was this Semi and we were debating which was bigger our bus or the Semi. Then the bus starts driving in the ditch sideways to go around the Semi, I was so glad we were not on the side of the mountain where one of us would have to back up to find a passing place.