Journal 4
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Danville Team, Day 5
The Danville team is so grateful for another successful day of clinics, this time in the rural community of Piletas Santa Cruz de Yojoa. We gathered around the breakfast table bright and early at 6:30 a.m., before loading the bus and heading out for an hour and a half bus ride to the village.
Piletas is home to 35 families in 38 houses, with a population of 570. There is potable water and access to a well 2 km away. There is no electric service. 50% of homes have a latrine, and all families cook their food on firewood stoves. The nearest health center is far away in Santa Cruz, and there are no doctors, however a midwife is available for deliveries. Common illness in the village include respiratory, stomach, and skin issues.
Temperatures reached 100 degrees or more today, however the weather did not deter the community from coming out to receive needed medical care. As with the past two clinics, children and families were waiting for our arrival. Today’s clinic was very well organized, and ran smoothly from start to finish. The general clinic, which was held in a school room along with the pharmacy, served 216 people. The eye clinic was established in an adjacent building and served 33 patients. A community resident offered the side porch of her home as a dental clinic, in which Dr. Arita treated 40 patients and performed 55 extractions. Weighing and measuring of children took place outside the school building, anti-parasite treatment, fluoride, and vitamin distribution were held underneath a tent in the school yard. Vitamins were distributed to 217. Deworming medicines were given to 92 children. Forty-nine children received fluoride treatments. Eleven people were referred for ongoing medical treatment, and four children were referred for the Friends of Barnabas Extended Care Program.
Throughout the week, our team has noticed that each village we have served this week has its own unique personality. Piletas Santa Cruz de Yojoa appeared to be a quiet, reserved, and very respectful community. The people are new to receiving services through Friends of Barnabas.
After dinner tonight, Lisa Knick led devotions. We each selected a Bible verse coloring page that spoke to our hearts. We spent about 15 minutes coloring and meditating on our verses, then some members of the team discussed why they chose their particular verse. Lisa talked about giving to others and about receiving what is given to us. It can be very humbling not only to give, but to allow ourselves to receive. She discussed our team’s service, and explained that the people whom we are serving here in Honduras have had to humble themselves to receive what we are delivering to them. As Pastor Jesse prayed, he expressed that our team came to serve the people of Honduras, but we are the ones who have been so blessed.
As of tonight, our team is more than halfway through our week of medical clinics. We pray that the communities we serve in the next two days will be willing to receive the medical services we bring. May they be blessed by our team, as our team will surely be blessed by them.
In Christ,
The Danville Team
