After breakfast the team boarded the bus for the trip to our second village. The trip to get there was part of the excitement with many windy roads going up and down the mountain. This provided for many beautiful views of Honduras early in the morning. The other excitement came when we arrived at El Cerrón because over each building where we'd be working were the words “Bienvenidos Amigos de Bernabé” (Welcome Friends of Barnabas). The people were happy for us to be there and we looked forward to our day with them.
Throughout the day, ladies from the community visited each area bringing around coffee with either cookies or tamales for the team. The hospitality of the community was very gracious and we enjoyed the coffee and delicious food.
Today, in the vision clinic, an elderly man walked in with a cane. Paul and Marco realized the man was using the cane as a way to see where he was going and to make sure he didn't bump into anything. Paul shares that after diagnosing the man and finding a pair of glasses, the man was able to see again. Often people leaving the clinic will put their new glasses in their pockets for later. This man kept his glasses on and still had them on an hour later as he walked through the community. He now was able to use his cane for balance!
Once lunch has ended and before beginning our afternoon work, some of us played a pick-up soccer game with several young boys in the village. They told us the rules which were: 1) No pushing; 2) No fighting; and 3) No touching the ball with your hands. Those boys were very gifted when it came to playing soccer and much running, kicking, and hilarity ensued. Fun was had by all. One boy later told Henry in the dental clinic, "We weren't keeping score."
Henry shared a story from dental clinic of his youngest patient of the day. A 5 year old girl came in with her mother; both needed tooth extractions. The young girl went first, while her mother sat in a chair beside her, holding her hand. Once the girl was finished, the mother sat in the dentist chair for her turn. The young girl moved to the chair where her mother had been sitting and held her mother's hand while Henry helped the mother. This served as great reminder that we are in this world together to encourage and comfort each other as we face struggles in our lives, whatever those struggles may be.
As we packed up supplies, the local community leader/pastor took the time to say thank you for the work that we do and that they looked forward to seeing us again in the future. At the end of the day we saw 259 people in the general clinic, provided vitamins for 281 children and adults and saw 61 people in the eye clinic, just to name a few areas. While we touched their lives through our work, these villagers also touched our lives as we were able to be in community with others, experience their hospitality and play with the children.
During devotions this evening, Pastor Brad also used the idea of touch. In the Book of Matthew there is story of Jesus healing a leper. Jesus heals the man, but says to tell no one, instead to show people. We can touch people in different ways depending on their needs. As we visit these villages, we are meeting the needs of the villagers whether it be medical help, spending time with each other, or a simple hug or hand shake. God's love is so big He knows just what each person needs and how to meet those needs.
