The Trinity team left Alfredo House this morning at 7:30 and traveled for about one hour and forty-five minutes under rainy and foggy conditions. As always, we arrived at our destination, the community of El Candungo, safely and very grateful for the expert driving skills of FOB’s driver, Marco. On route the bus forded two streams, apparently preparing us for fording a river tomorrow.
Thomas started our day in El Candungo in his usual good form, delivering a wonderful and welcoming message in Spanish to all those waiting. Today marked a first for a Trinity dental clinic—our dentist, Dr. Arita, filled a tooth. Previously, the only dental work provided was the extraction of teeth. We were all pleased that he was able to save the tooth of a young person, especially since FOB added fluoride treatments for children to its dental care services.
Roger and Jamie, our team members in the eye clinic, were distressed to have a younger woman in the clinic who was losing her sight due to a case of advanced glaucoma. The pharmacy, which supports the general medical clinic, ran very smoothly today under the leadership of Pedro, one of FOB’s newer Honduran employees. Both his efficiency and his love for his work make working with him a pleasure.
Dr. Curry and Jane were impressed by a family made up of a blind grandmother and her three grandchildren. The children were solicitous of their grandmother, leading her very gently and carefully, and, in return, she made sure to tell the doctor all of her concerns for their medical welfare.
Don Pierce, in honor of a former long-time volunteer Dr. Burch, lectured a mother for having a bag full of candy for her child, explaining to her the damage that sugar does to young teeth.
A new procedure for distributing adult and children’s vitamins made the work smoother in the medical clinics; the separate station for vitamin distribution was manned by a Honduran nurse. Other highlights shared by our team members included the camaraderie experienced in the Vitamin A/deworming/fluoride treatment clinic, Dr. Curry’s stickers for the children, and Natalie’s (our “newbie”) gratitude for all the help she received from everyone and her excitement for tomorrow.
Upon our return to Alfredo House, we enjoyed another wonderful meal. Our evening together concluded with devotions presented by Mary Lee; after singing the hymn The Summons, she reminded us of the power given to us for good through God’s grace.
