Today I went with Sue and Aubrey to open 100+ boxes that were shipped, take the bags out and put them in order so we can hand them out at a later date. I talked with Evelyn at the clinic and also made plans to go buy food and get it bagged up.
The work Begins
Tomorrow morning our counter tops are due to arrive! We were expecting them on Friday but the workers called in sick. We spent the weekend sleeping and eating at our neighbors and helping her where we could. We also walked over to our house to put contact paper on the kitchen shelves and get the kitchen organized. We mopped the floors, did laundry, and got the place in order so Monday morning we could hit the ground running. We made contact with the clinic we will help at and visited some neighbors.
Tomorrow morning Cindy will go help organize and unpack boxes of clothing and stuffed animals to get ready for the clothing and toy gifting. Unfortunately since the counter people and plumber did not come Friday,Karl will need to stay behind and wait for them. Hopefully we will be in our house by tomorrow night.
We have arrived! This was the quickest we went through security and had no issues. Due to traffic instead of taking three hours once we got into Honduras it took almost 5 hours to get to our home. Currently we are spending a few days with our neighbor since we have no water in our house. We needed to put in a new kitchen thanks to the termites who lived in our place while we were not able to come down for two years. We are thankful for such a wonderful neighbor and blessed to help our her while we are here as she is getting on in age. She normally has someone here to help her,however, the woman is away right now. Gods timing is always perfect.
Yesterday we got our car back and although we just drove it a short time, it seems to run like a top! We are so grateful for those who contributed to helping us with that major expense. Our other neighbors needed a ride yesterday and we able to help them out.
Today we went into town to get groceries and phone minutes.on our phone as well as look for a part we needed for our water filtration system.
Today we went to help Evelyn at the clinic. I worked in the lab with a woman from Washington who came for a week to help. We mostly did blood sugars. Several people had extremely high glucose levels. One of the highest was over 400! There was a baby that was 10 months old and weighed only 9lbs. He had a cleft palette. He needed to be 9 lbs before surgery was done.
Karl put up 2 fans in the clinic and looked at an optical machine as well as hung a curtain and put up an additional fan in the house.
Yesterday our furniture arrived! Everything was here and undamaged! Praise God! I stayed behind to recieve it while Karl went to the hospital. It is a tad crowded in here but looks beautiful with the newly painted walls. We are blessed. I can honestly say for the first time since we have owned the house that it feels like home.
Back at the hospital this morning. I spent the day with a woman in labor. It was her second baby. The first one died either during childbirth or right after it was born. Around 2:00 it was determined she would need a c section. She was 19 and had her first baby at 16. So common here. The midwife at the hospital knew the baby was large, over 9 lbs. I went into the OR with her to watch the birth. The baby boy was 11 lbs 8 oz! He was the second largest baby ever at the hospital.
Karl continues to work on the microscope. It is a challenging job.
Today we went to the Clinica de Los Angles to help clean and paint as an eye team will be arriving next week to do surgery in this newly build clinic. Many people in this area are blind or have cateracs. The need is great. Karl painted the waiting area as well as the large inside room. I mostly cleaned and then painted some trim. Shelly the monkey was there to make sure we did a good job! For lunch Evelyn and her husband Jose invited to eat at their house. A soup with chicken, rice, vegetables, and bananas (which were in the soup) was served! It was delicious. For dessert of course, chocolate! Evelyn and her husband have done so much for this community. They have built a soccer field as well as a school and a medical clinic along with the new eye clinic. Evelyn also goes up the mountain to give home care to the poor that can not come down the mountain. In addition they have built several houses and help the community in many ways. We are excited to help in this great ministry.
The first day back to the hospital was a fairly busy one. We headed out at 7 am down the dirt road to arrive at 8:10. Upon arriving we were greeted by some old friends and some new ones.
Karls first job was to fix a very large microscope for surgery. Large meaning it stands on the floor.
I was in wound care and the emergency room. We had an elderly gentleman who had been in the hospital before. This time it was his heart. His blood pressure kept dropping. He also had arythemia. Next was a young girl of 15. Her arm was three times the size of her other arm. She had what looked to me like a large cyst. They X-rayed it. It was sad to hear the doctor tell her it is cancer. They have no chemo or treatment for cancer at Loma de Luz. She would need to go to the city which is 41/2 hours away. They didn’t have the money for that. The doctor told me it will probably kill her. They are having her come back in next week to talk to the surgeon. Possibly removing the arm may help. I gave her a trac about Jesus. She took it and said thank you but lay it down before reading it. The whole time she nor her family showed any emotion. I am praying for her and ask you to join me with this. We also have a 21/2 lb baby that that I may help with. I was introduced to the mom and the doctor asked me to periodically go and check on the baby and the mom. The mom is very young but her mother was also there at the time. In between a few patients that needed stitches out and a boy with with a broken wrist, I checked out all 9 IV pumps by feeding Saline solution through them to see if they worked properly.
We arrived home around 5 pm. I had made a stew the day before so I could just heat it up for dinner. We ate and shortly after I went to bed. Getting up at 4 am, I am tired by 8!
This morning we are headed out to visit Evelyn. She has asked me once again to work with her at her clinic. We will talk about that today. We also will be buying some coffee from a local farmer she knows to support this woman trying to start up a coffee business.
Next week we will start at the hospital. As I understand it, they have lots of work for Karl. I am unsure what I will be doing at this point.
After taking my neighbor this morning to the hospital for her injection, she needed to go to the grocery store or should I say 3 grocery stores. Then she needed to go to two pharmacies for medication. We were happy to help her in this way.
I called and talked to Evelyn who asked when I can come work for her. Evelyn has a clinic about 10 miles away. I had worked for her in the past a little. Next week we are going to the hospital but I told her I can come out and help her also.
We were able to get our car air conditioner fixed at the cost of $ 60.00. Now we can be safe in town. Praise God! With the cost of the paint and other repairs we have had which we are paying out of our pocket it is beginning to add up. If anyone is willing to help with the cost of repairing our air conditioner for the car so we can be safe in would be appreciated.
We are grateful for all the prayers and ask you continue to pray for us. We are praying God will give each of you good health and blessings abundantly.