Switching gears.

Hi All, we're back in Tegus to regroup for a day - head out on the road again  morning early.  This past couple weeks we've been wandering the north/Caribbean coast of Honduras, visiting hospitals and public health clinics, Garifuna communities, other NGOs and people living with HIV.  It's been fascinating, exhausting and informative.

Fascinating:  Beautiful white sand beaches where mostly Hondurans vacation and not Americans.  The cruise ships call this stop "Banana Coast" probably to not scare people who google "Honduras" and find out it's the most violent country in the world outside war zones.

Exhausting:  we drove TWELVE hours from Trujillo to Tegucigalpa.  TWELVE. I'm tempted to sit on a pencil to retain the crack between my buttocks!

Informative:  The northern communities have an incredibly positive view of MSF - starting 40 years ago with Hurricane Fifi, Hurricane Mitch, maternity programs, HIV programs before they were widely available, and the list goes on.  Rarely did we have to introduce ourselves.

The northern area is lush grazing land for cattle - mostly milk production as evidenced by horses carrying big metal containers on either side of the saddle, going to market?  The vast banana palm farms give way to the "African palms" - native forests (I can imagine what this used to look like when covered with native mahogany and other native trees) now cut down for huge scale production of palm oil ... It's not the "slash and burn" of small subsistence farmers as we were taught in school.  This is industrial scale destruction for economic gain of huge corporations.  Sad really.  We still see butterflies, and all sorts of different birds, so maybe not all is lost yet.

The roads are dotted with fruit stands - coconuts, watermelons, mango, all sorts of fruits - cheap and plentiful.  Fish is only a hook toss away.  Yet in this lush landscape, where food is abundant, people still complain of "lack of economic opportunities" as the reason for migrating to the US.  We don't hear "violence" as a reason in the north.  Yet, it costs about $6000 - 7000 to pay a coyote to take them all the way to their US destination, and that's after riding the train La Bestia all through Mexico.  Most have family members in the US who send for them, and few unaccompanied minors other than those who are going to reunite with their parents.

I don't understand this - everyone talks of how poor Honduras is as a country.  How so much is lacking.  Yet, I look around and see morbidly obese people everywhere (not just Americans!), new cars, tall buildings, food aplenty ... I can't say this country is as badly off as many I've been in.  Yet the statistics say otherwise.  There are lots of foreign companies working here, NGOs, foreign governments donating money for construction and programs ... So where is the disconnect?  Corruption?  Is it any worse than anywhere else in Central/South America or indeed, worldwide?

If I can figure it out, I'll let you know :)

We were able to have a little down time - the beaches along the coast are spectacular.  Chockablock full over Holy Week/Spring Break, but otherwise solitary.  Trucks are overloaded with sacks of plastic bottles to be recycled (into what?).  A first time greeting, even with a person you don't know is with a kiss on the cheek and handshake.  Radio music is 80s - Queen, Christopher Cross, Air Supply.  The alternative is the one and only CD in the car which is an oldie of Jose Miguel wailing love songs in Spanish that, after the 50th play, I DEMANDED be removed!  Then turned on my iPod and listened to the entire podcast of Serial.  Saved my sanity!

Hugs to all - I leave you with the beach at Trujillo ("Banana Coast") and a Garifuna woman making and selling pan de coco (bread made with coconut oil that is absolutely delicious).

Sue

Dora the Explorer Returns to Honduras!

Hi All, 
 
I'm in the midst of a 2 month mission with MSF/Doctors Without Borders to explore the health situation all over Honduras.  With my partner Edgardo (who I met in Uganda in 2006!) and a driver, we're visiting all of the hospitals in the country, some smaller health centers, community leaders, other "actors" in health ... And looking at what might be good interventions for MSF future projects.  
 
So far, it's been fascinating!
 
The country is lovely:  rolling hillsides of banana trees, sugar cane, corn, "African Palms," seaside communities.  Highrises and places where horses still do much of the work.  Claro phone satellite dishes on top of tin roofs and communal wood fires and cooking ovens.  Eating fresh fish and shrimp/conch every day along with fresh hot rolls sweetened with coconut oil.  Edgardo tucked into a bowl of stewed iguana (yes, I had a taste - not bad) and iguana eggs.  Birds of prey that look like small vultures scour the fields for dinner.  There are pine forests and cactus and pine forests.  Herds of cattle graze on the sides of roads and amble down the middle of traffic.
 
People have been very friendly everywhere and certainly stare at our Toyota Land Cruiser covered with the doll figures in the picture (MSF has long worked here with the street population, HIV, violence, etc).  
 
So far we've been mostly in the north/Caribbean coast and the past few days have been meeting with Garifuna leaders.  Garifuna are ethnically different than native Indian/Spanish mixed folks - they were originally black African slaves taken to the island of St Vincent, escaped and settled all along the Carib coast of Central America.  They retain their own language, customs, music (Punta) and traditions. Our interest is to see if they have unique health needs - as a people, they are reputed to be more sexually active, have higher STI and HIV rates and have more young pregnancies (as young as 12 and 13).  From their perspective, they are simply more open about speaking of sexuality.  However, government statistics show double the rates of STI/HIV as the regular population and a UNICEF study showed average age for boys and girls becoming sexually active is NINE.
 
It's also been interesting to see the conditions of and in the hospitals.  The two main tertiary care hospitals are huge, sprawling, disorganized, smelly, and would be a nightmare to try to become involved in.  Both hospitals' ERs are chaotic, patients lying on gurneys lining the hallways unattended with blood hanging, open wounds, smell of infection, no cardiac monitors or IV pumps, crowded, no triage, armed men everywhere ... A real mess.  
 
Yet, here in Tela, their 10 yr old hospital is clean, neat, good equipment in working order, new mattresses, paint ... The only thing I can attribute the difference to is leadership.  Management that cares, is engaged and involved, with vision and pride in quality of services and facilities.  
 
So far the ideas we have are three:
 
1.  Provide HPV vaccine to children age 10/11.  There was one pilot program of about 30,000 doses done a couple years ago, but the government doesn't have the funding to continue.  We feel this would have a HUGE impact on the health of the next generation and an organization like MSF could pull it off ...
 
2.  A smaller community hospital Puerto Cortes has new leadership and desire to fix up their neglected facility.  With a staff who is eager for improvement, and without a lot of bureaucratic hang ups, we could rehab their ER, provide equipment and training plus get involved in their newly created Adolescent program so we could touch on all aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health.
 
3.  Provide an interim physical space for a large hospital Pediatric ER - they are in the process of rebuilding but have no plans for what to do with the patients while the construction is being done (they say 6 months, but realistically 2 years!).  We could provide modular spaces or inflatables, take over the care and improve systems, training, etc.  and have a hand in the construction of the remodel.  Then once they are ready to move back into the renovated space, they would have had a couple years "doing it right" and would keep those new ideas and systems as MSF withdraws.
 
These are just ideas we're throwing out as we move along our journey.  It will be up to the coordination team and Geneva to make decisions about next steps.
 
Now it's Holy Week and the country is on vacation.  We're taking advantage of being on the coast to enjoy a few days of rest.  We'll do the same in our next weeks - work 5 or 6 days and have a day off in a lovely spot:  Copan, where there are Mayan ruins on the border with Guatemala and the islands to the south off the Pacific Coast bordering El Salvador.  What a wonderful adventure this is!
 
I'll be home soon,  ready to have a lovely summer in Seattle.  Hope all's well in your world.  

Much love,
Sue

Christian Medical Mission

Today we would like to share with you another wonderful organization that is in our directory. Christian Medical Missions, Inc. (CMMI) is a 501-c-3 organization established in 1990 to provide medical, dental and eye care to the indigenous people of Central America. Every year is an adventure that involves new people in our efforts to reach out to those in need of medical and dental attention.

The first nineteen years have been busy ones. They have made 55 trips and have helped about 50,000 people in Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. They have saved some and stabilized others, relieved pain and anxiety and improved nutrition and vision, educated and been educated, and have given services to people who could never afford them. Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim...they have gone out together under the umbrella of a Christian Medical Mission to give of themselves, and in the process they have received gifts beyond imaginable, from fellow teammates, to those they serve and serve them, and ultimately from God, our Father.

In 1990, CMMI sent it's first mission team to a small hamlet on the Pan-American Highway (a gravel road only passable with off road vehicles in the wet season) known as Waucuco. The area is home to missionary priest Fr. Wally Kasuboski, a Wisconsin native working in Central America for the last 40 years. The people of the area include homesteading Panamanians looking for new opportunities on the Panamanian frontier and indigenous tribes of Kuna, Embera-Chocoe and Wounaan Indians. 

Since that time, CMMI has expanded it's medical services to Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. 

(As written from Christian Medical Mission website)

Multitude of Emotions- Honduras

Scholarship Recipient - Emily

I returned home from my trip to Honduras after just a week away filled with emotions. However, if I had to just choose one word to sum up the entire week I would say it was lovely. It is an experience that I will never forget and I hope that I have the opportunity to do over again. I met many wonderful Honduran and American people on my trip, I visited a beautiful village high in the mountains, learned about a new culture, experienced new foods, and enjoyed my time there immensely. Reflecting upon my experience, I can say that I felt a multitude of emotions that included, happiness, joy, peace, frustration, and exhaustion that all rolled into one amazing week.

I travelled to Monte Verde, Intibuca, Honduras with an amazing organization called MEDICO, Inc.  They provide medical, dental, and eye care to well deserving and needing communities of Honduras and Nicaragua.  Our trip was from April 14-21012 with a team composing of 23 people - There were 4 physicians (2 American and 2 Honduran), 4 nurses, 3 dentists, 2 dental hygienists, 5 volunteers/interpreters, and one Honduran pharmacist.  This was an easy team to get to know and work with, as they were all people who were there for one main reason – to help others. The best part was that all of their egos were checked – back in the U.S, despite the language and cultural differences, we all got along extremely well.  In addition to those volunteering with MEDICO, we also worked with the School Sisters of Notre Dame who provided us with food and housing during our visit.

Our clinic was set up in a building the Sisters owned, that included: a kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms/showers, big open area to see patients, and a room we transformed into a pharmacy.  797 patients were seen for medical services and 255 for dental services.  We served people in wide age group- from infants to geriatrics.  Close to 2500 medicines were distributed free of charge for a wide variety of reasons. Our first day was delayed due to severe travel delays. The roads were impassable and we arrived very late in the day which forced us to start seeing patient’s Monday morning. Our day would typically start at 8am and would end around 5pm, with time in between for lunch.  We saw patients until Thursday morning when we packed up and left the mountains to make our way back to San Pedro Sula.

My job was to dispense medications in the pharmacy the physicians had prescribed, give instructions and ensure that medications were taken properly. Luckily, I worked with a Honduran pharmacist, who was a wealth of information and two Honduran teenagers who were my interpreters. Often, I was able to help out and provide medical care by assisting with pap smears, IM injections and working in the triage area. During the week, a dentist, hygienist and physician drove out to a remote area to care for patients whose walk discouraged them from seeking medical care.

I once a heard a quote that says 'there are more differences between the sexes than there are between cultures' – I am unsure of who the author is, but I have found this true many times over, including in Honduras.  The people I met are similar Americans - they are hard-working and are doing the best they can with what they have.  In the village there was a main square and the surrounding area had a beautiful church, school buildings, a soccer field, vendors on the street selling food and clothing, a mill, a small general store, and many homes.  It appeared to be a very small, quaint town with absolutely amazing views.

I enjoyed everything!  I don't think I could pick what I enjoyed the most.  Even dealing with horrible roads, which took several more hours to drive on, was enjoyable because it's all a part of the overall experience, which I loved.  One of the highlights was working with the Honduran doctors.  They were lovely people and to experience their care and compassion for their people was inspiring.  It was quite evident they love what they do.  One pediatrician, Dr Paredes is recognized on an international level for the work he has done for children in need.  He is an excellent a role model not just for other physicians, but for everyone who should be doing more for their own country/people.  

I guess if I had to pick just one moment that was my favorite I guess it would have to be the impact this trip had on Andrea, our 14 year old interpreter.  Andrea has gone on other medical mission trips with MEDICO.  This time she met a little boy named Batilio, who was often around the clinic before and after school.  He was about 5 years old and didn't own a pair of shoes.  Andrea spent a lot of her time with him during our down times in the morning and evenings.  On our second to last day she bought him a pair of shoes with her own money.  When our group had its last dinner together in San Pedro Sula, Andrea mentioned how much Batilio changed her life.  I'm not sure of all the things they talked about, but to see this experience had a huge impact on this young girls life is unforgettable.  At such a young age, she could have spent this week of her life at the beach, with her friends, doing things most 14 year olds would be doing, instead she choose to spend her time working on her feet 8-9 hours a day and helping us and her own country.  To see her have this experience with the little boy is something I'm truly blessed to have been a part of.

One Nurse At A Time not only provided financial support which was greatly needed but I knew that they would be there if I ever needed anything.  If I just needed to talk to someone about my experience they would be there for me.  I think this mission trip, and others I have gone on, having greatly impacted my medical career.  For one, it has opened my eyes in seeing that working in a large teaching hospital will all the newest equipment is not the only way to provide excellent nursing care.  The setting in which you work is irrelevant.  Its how you treat the person you are taking care of that determines if you are providing excellent nursing care.  

I guess I've always known that I'm a simple person.  It doesn't take much to make me happy.  I don't need a lot of money, or a fancy car, or all the up-to-date technology, or even hot showers.  Life is about being kind, warm, compassionate, giving, and caring.  Going on trips like this one to Honduras, allows me to forget about my phone and emails and to focus on helping those in need.  I hope I was able to give as much as I received.

Emily returned home from Monte Verde, Honduras in April, 2012. She traveled with the medical team MEDICO from April 14^th-21^st, 2012.

"Yo tengo un Amigo que me Ama"

"In my lifetime I have experienced few days that I recall as life changing. Monday, March 19, 2012 was a day I will always remember and be forever grateful. The day, location, and mission affected me profoundly and are permanently engraved on my heart. I was a member of a team whose mission was to serve remote villages in central Honduras. Our team representing the Friends of Barnabas Foundation consisted of fourteen North Americans visiting for a week and Central Americans who call Honduras home. We were a mountain medical team. We serve by providing medical services but most importantly we serve with heart.  A team working together to care, teach, and support. We traveled to select communities in need to provide primary and preventative healthcare. The communities welcomed us graciously into their lives, homes, schools, and churches. We set up stations which included anti-parasite, vitamin A, general medicine, eye, and dental. Our medical team was greeted at our first mountain village with a large sign that said “Welcome American Medical Team”. We were not only welcomed; we were embraced by the villagers. With great pride, they smiled, had children present pledges and song, hugged us warmly, feed us, prayed for us, and enriched our lives!  While we were traveling to the first village, we learned a worship song in Spanish. In each village after introductions were made and details of the clinic explained we sang “Yo tengo un Amigo que me Ama” (I have a friend who loves me..His name is Jesus) as a team. Everyone joined in! What a beautiful way to start the day with our newest family members! 

I arrived in Honduras without expectations. Less than three years ago, I completed a career change and became an RN. My desire for my first medical mission experience was to listen, learn, and serve. On Sunday, we prepared the supplies and inventory required for Monday. This preparation sparked a mixture of feelings that I cannot adequately describe: joy, fear, excitement, and the awareness of much needed grace. On Monday morning we left early to provide care to our first village. The drive was beautiful and breath-taking. When I say breath-taking, I don’t just mean the vistas but the road or lack thereof! Our road ended in the heart of the village. I looked out of the window of our trusty school bus and saw hundreds of people smiling and waving.  Off we went to set up our stations! I was assigned to the general medical team. I was supported and encouraged by a nurse who has served on many previous mountain medical teams. She graciously allowed me to set up my station next to her so I could ask questions and learn as I watched her serve the community. My job was to apply nursing skills to access, listen, and provide care. In the US, I provide care to adults who have had general and orthopedic surgery but in Honduras I was to serve all ages. The day was filled with miracles. I was amazed at how a group of virtual strangers became a close team. A team who served with strength and joy among new people, culture, and surroundings. One of the first patients I met was an elderly woman, almost ninety. This woman was amazing! The translator communicated what medical concerns she had but the most important message she wanted to share with me was that she had great faith. She said she knew God would provide healing in her village today and she wanted to pray for me and our team. As she lives alone with no income, she lives her life with the certainty of God’s power, love, and provision. A senora I will never forget.  

Each day we visited a different village. We became faster at set up but nothing was routine. Greeting each person, family, and village was like a breath of life, each encounter remarkable and unforgettable.  We were fortunate to provide care to everyone requesting medical attention in each village. At the end of the week, the medical clinic team had served 998 patients. Many had never seen a healthcare professional. As a team we identified concerns in children that would require additional care. The Friends of Barnabas organization will continue to follow and support patients and communities in need. The generous, organized, and ongoing care provided by the organization greatly increases the value of our mission. We may have provided a drop of service but our drop starts the ripple of hope, love, and care sustained and nourished by many.

My career as a nurse pales in description to my experience as healthcare volunteer. I arrived with a heart to serve and was humbled by the great love and acceptance I received. It was a privilege to explore a new country, fall in love with its people, and learn. 

How does this affect life now? If I could I would be sending this note from Honduras! I count the minutes to return but while I wait my heart to serve has been refreshed and renewed. I am a nurse. I am blessed with the opportunity to serve, encourage, teach, and provide hope daily. As wonderful as it was to serve villages in Honduras, where I am right now matters. I am thankful for One Nurse at a Time for choosing to compassionately serve people and provide much needed resources both financial and informational. The seeds they plant and nurture bring life to lasting change. "


Robin Phillips, RN

"I Expect to Receive So Much More Than I Ever Could Have Given"

Emily Davis, RN will be traveling with the organization MEDICO to  Honduras and working with a medical team that sets up medical clinics in remote villages to treat the local people.  Emily's team will be gone Saturday April 14 - Saturday, April 21. Emily also just returned from a trip to Haiti with a different organization. In Emily's scholarship application, Letter of Intent , she expressed: "I expect I will fall in love with two new countries, their people, and cultures.  I expect I will be exhausted, physically and emotionally, yet feel that I received so much more than I ever could have given.  I expect that these will not be the last of my volunteering for these organizations and countries.  I very much look forward to sharing my experiences with family, friends, and coworkers and encourage them to volunteer as well. I can only hope that I am able to have an impact in these two countries and for all the people that I will help provide health care to.  I know I will be impacted for life and won't forget a moment of either mission. Personally, I will be impacted by all the people I will meet along the way, especially the children.  There's just something special and meaningful about meeting people from other countries that I would have never have met otherwise without having participated on these missions.  I'm sure I will be impacted professionally by learning how to provide nursing care without all the modern day conveniences of a large teaching hospital while being out of my comfort zone."


Emily has known since she was thirteen that she wanted to be a nurse.  It's now been almost 10 years since her dream came true.  After graduating from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, OH with her BSN, Emily has spent her entire nursing care in pediatrics but in very different avenues.  She spent almost eight years working in a pediatric intensive care unit and the past four summers working at a camp for children with terminal, life-threatening, and/or chronic illnesses.  Volunteering has always been such a huge part of Emily's life.  Providing international nursing care has been on her "bucket list" for some time and now she's able to combine her love of nursing and her desire to travel together to help those in need.  Emily has thus far volunteered in the USA, Ecuador, Haiti, and Honduras.  Emily is excited to see what the future has in store for her and her nursing career.

2 ONAAT Scholarship Nurses Leave for Haiti and Honduras this Saturday!

Beth Langlais, MN, RN is traveling to Haiti with the organization Christian Medical Dental Association March 17 - 25. 
"I will be working with a team of 20-30 medical professionals in a free medical clinic set up at a school for 6 days. We will be providing medical, dental, physical therapy, medications, etc. to the Haitian people. I am very excited and nervous about this trip. It is my first real medical mission as a licensed, experienced nurse. I did spend ten weeks living in Costa Rica during nursing school, providing medical care the the people there. It was the best experience of my life.  While getting my Master's degree, I have learned a lot about the injustice, suffering, and lack of adequate medical care globally. I have become very passionate about these issues and want to do everything I can to change them. I am especially interested in improving the health of women and infants because this is my clinical area here. I can't wait to go into the field and give all I can to the Haitian people."

Robin Phillips, RN is traveling with the organization Friends of Barnabas to Plena Blanca, Honduras March 17-25.  
"I have the privilege of joining a Mountain Medical Mission Team to Honduras sponsored by the Friends of Barnabas Foundation (FOBF). As a team we will travel to selected villages to provide care. The village is notified in advance of the date, time, and services that will be offered. Our team is comprised of nurses, nursing students, oral surgeon, translators, and non-medical volunteers. We will set up stations to provide preventative and primary care.  Stations include anti-parasite, vitamin A, general medical, eye, dental and prayer.  This is my first medical mission trip. I graduated from nursing school in 2009 and entered into my second career. My desire to become a trained healthcare professional was a response to a very specific calling. I have longed to serve in this field as a trained professional, providing expert and compassionate care. My expectation is to serve the people of Honduras in addition to my team with a loving and tender heart. I am grateful that I have been prepared for this moment."

The members of One Nurse At A Time would like to send thoughts and prayers their way for safe travels.  We look forward to sharing their stories when they return home!