The rest of Honduras 2016

Monday

Well today ended in bang. We have no electricity in the church and I used the flashlight to find my toothpaste. As I was brushing my teeth i kept thinking this toothpaste taste gross.... I kept brushing... It wasn't foaming so I figured it was because it was new toothpaste. Then I looked at the tube and saw I had used hydrocortisone cream instead of sensodyne. Lucky for me my mom taught me to never swallow the the toothpaste stuff. So after everyone laughing at me, making me laugh spitting out the water, I finally rinsed my brush and brushed my teeth with toothpaste.

That was the cherry on top to my very clumsy day. It started out great I woke early and was packed to go to the village of carrazel by 7:30. Cristina made me some Camille tea for my stomach and I relaxed while she got ready. After getting to base camp I walked into a room of students on wifi, it saddened my heart how much they stick to their phones and the necessity of the Internet. I pull my phone out to take pictures and that's about it. I update my blog once a day and that's my internet consumption. Anyways some of the team was not packed, we weren't leaving till 1 so I went with Cristina to the supermercado and bought food for the team for the next week in the villages. It was fun except there were no prices on the food so you have to go to the computers on the aisles to scan the barcode to obtain the price. Very annoying when you have to scan 10 different brands to figure out which is the cheapest plates. 

After lunch we prayed for each team going to the villages. Then the Dolores and carrizal team left with the bus. We stopped off at Dolores first then onto carrizal. We arrived and the church is very nice. They had rigged the back of it with a curtain by the stage with us sleeping on the stage eventually putting up a tarp also. After we had some of our stuff put together we were led to Norma's house. At first it was no big. Deal then it kept going hiking into the jungle/ Forrest, through the coffee fields and more forest. At one point I sorta fell/ ran down the mountain definitely twisting my knee. The whole team missed it cause they walked way ahead with Norma's son. I was salon g with Norma. After me falling and slipping a couple of times Norma gave me a stick to use to walk with. Every house I came to I figured it would be her house but then we kept walking and walking some on nonexistent path, Norma knew where she was going so we kept walking. And I kept trying out my steps to see if this next one would be when I totally biff it. We finally made it to Norma's house where we had pineapple tea and cake but they call it pan- it was definitely cake. Norma kept offering me to sleep/ rest on her bed but I felt fine with my knee hurting a bit. We hung out at Norma's until dinner was ready. Spaghetti with rice, tortillas and beans. Interesting meal... The girls and I started discussing how we were going to go back up the mountain now that it was dark. We then found out that a neighbor was going to drive us back. We still had to hike to where the neighbor was m, but boy oh boy was the back of that truck fun!!!!

So we return to the church with a candle in front lit and I use the wrong toothpaste. Long day and now for bed!

Well I accidentally delete my Tuesday and because it was so long ago I can remember...

Wednesday may 11-may 15

Well as the days pass in carrizal it has been hot and interesting. Wednesday after school we did lesson plans for the the next day. In the afternoon we visited a lady who is unable to come to church because of her rheumatoid arthritis. After the hike to her house I understand how she cannot leave her house. It was a definite hike. All the while of going down I just kept thinking how are we going to get out? Thursday was similar to Wednesday we visited a girl with dwarfism. Her head is so big she has a chair to help hold her head up. We visited with her family and then hiked back to Norma's house. This hike was not has had as the first day because the steep coffee plant area was skipped. When we were heading back one of the girls was bit by a dog while taking a short cut through the ladies house/land. We got back to the church and I was able to use my first aid kit. I told the girls something was going to happen beachside they had a nurse in their group. Friday morning I was awoken to the pipe on the toliet exploding with water going everywhere when one of the girls was about to take a shower. We had no running water and no toliet use for about 2 hours. One of he girls had never use the bathroom in the Forrest before. One of these days camping will have to be a precursor to going on a mission trip...Friday we had school at the church because the teachers had a meeting. About a group of 30 showed up we were able to go over the English we had taught them and the songs. And then they played in our little area around the church. Friday afternoon I got a migraine/ cold, so the group went on a hike with the pastor to different houses inviting them to church on Sunday. Through the last few days a group of children have begun to come to play/ hang out with us. Bri has really enjoyed it and Alison has also. Saturday we had a relaxing morning with some of the children showing up. In the afternoon we hiked and visited a few more families inviting them to church and letting the children know that we are going  to sing a few of the songs that they had learned in English. Saturday closed with us having dinner at dusk and all of us counting up our bug bites.

Sunday was great! We had church, the kids sang the songs, we sang a song, and Tashie gave her testimony. After church we hiked to Norma's and did not take the shortcut. There we had lunch then she taught us how to make her pan(sweet bread- pueblo style). It was interesting definitely no measuring. And a lot of weird stirring techniques, including slapping the dough with the spoon. It was interesting to see the way they cooked the bread in the pueblo oven. It was a nice day with overcast and cool. After dinner and once the bread was cooked we hiked back up into the mountain no shortcut allowed. As our last night in carrizal we were excited to head back to base camp and see the other teams.

Sunday- dia de las madres

Sunday 

So today started not so well for me, some food I ate in the last 2 days did not agree with my stomach. But life goes on and sometimes you just have to pray and then ignore some problems. 

The doctor and the dentist left with Carlos(Aleta's son). Last night Carlos was asking me about all the places I have been then talked about all the places he wants to go. I informed him how big the US is and that transportation between states can take forever. Let's just say he learned a few things. :) he wanted to keep talking and looking up videos on you tube, I just couldn't it was 10 and I knew I had to be up at 6. Oh how young people can keep goin...

Well the team had a relaxing day( I heard there was swing dancing) that ended with church. Half of the team walked to church with the other ridimg in the back of the truck. I have learned a lot so far from this team and will apply it for next years team. Tomorrow we leave for the villages maybe I can post the assignments before we leave but I don't know. I'm hoping my stomach will be better by tomorrow.

Please pray for the health of the whole team. There has already been ups and downs for that.

Please pray for travel to the villages and what we will do there.

Until next time,

Nicole

repost of some pictures

Feeling the presence of God

Day 2 of medical brigades

Well our second day of medical brigades went off with out a hitch. We went to carrizal which is one of the villages the students will be going to next week. Other than the fancy driving by the bus driver( having to do a 300 degree turn to go up a hill on a narrow dirt row with one side being a cliff and stopping suddenly for scared horses that decide to run into our paths with no swerve room due to the cliff on the side. Did I mention no guardrails?) we had a great trip to the village and back. We saw almost 100 medical patients and the dentist pulled out over 40 teeth. She is also starting to put Fluoride on the children's teeth as a preventative.

As we loaded the bus, we found out one of the people in the village wanted to make us coffee. We warned everyone on the bus that they need to drink the coffee and take a cup or look like they already took a cup. So one of the girls, Tashie, finished her coffee and like most coffee in the villages they don't use filters they boil it in a big pot so there are grounds at the bottom of the cup, i saw her glance at it. Without missing a beat I told her, "you are suppose to chew it when your done." I could then see she was thinking how she was going to chew the coffee grounds, and I couldn't hold it in and I started laughing and let her know she did not need to chew it. It gladdened my heart that she was willing to do what ever to not offend our hosts. 

On our way back we stopped to see a patient who was unable to come to the clinic. We visited her two years ago when we had the last medical brigade there. She is a 33 year old women who has rheumatoid arthritis. When we visited her 2 years ago we visited her on her porch and gave her medication for a leg ulcer that she had. Today she is completely bedridden unable to turn her self due to the pain. She also is unable to sit in a chair due to the pain.  She now has an ulcer on her other leg. It also appeared that her leg is atrophying. She is in excruciating pain and only has ibuprofen for it. We prayed for her, for a miracle. The presence of God was so strong in that room while we prayed. It moved the students that came with me and the doctor. We only had three students with us. It amazes them that she was so young, and something in the states that is manageable with medications. Her name is Virginia and she prays that God will heal her completely but she feels blessed that while her body is failing her, her mind is strong.

After dinner we talked about our days and it was interesting what made someone's day and what broke it. 

Please pray for the students and their health. I feel the culture shock is starting to hit and some of them just need prayer for general sickness... We also had to talk to them about the  vendors and their tantalizing juices but they are not always made with purified water so we don't want anyone to be sick.

By the time I will post this our 3rd brigade will be done. So please pray while we prepare for our village placements. I will be in carrizal. So I will be sleeping in a church probably on the dirt floor and no electricity, for a week. I know I will need prayer as will the rest of the team as we go to 3 different villages with limit water, electricity, and accommodations, and of course no internet. So there will be no communication from the team for a week.

Thanks all for the prayers,

Nicole 

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