Monday, July 15th 2019
We arrived in Honduras on Saturday and spent Sunday preparing for our week of clinics. We sorted all of the medicines and vitamins into individual packets to be handed out to patients.
Today was our first day serving a community. After an early morning wake up and an hour-long bus ride, we arrived in Terreritos. The first thing we noticed was the number of kids. According to veteran team members, the abundance of children was unusual. They seemed to far outnumber the adults. Their energy was infectious, and they showed bravery in the face of tooth extractions and an outgoing spirit when confronted with a dozen strangers.
It was through working with the kids that we could more fully appreciate the how much goes into keeping a community healthy. As we painted countless tiny nails and shared stickers and bubbles, the children showed us the power of positivity and strength of spirit. Every child knew all the others’ names, as they eagerly demonstrated by pointing out their friends in every picture on our camera roll.
The boys constantly initiated games of soccer and triple-checked to make sure the soccer ball we brought was actually for them to keep. The parents and grandparents who raised them were undoubtedly responsible for the children’s welcoming attitudes and resilience. Their patience, kindness, and hospitality was constant—whether the home-brewed coffee brought by a community resident, the offer to run into the pouring rain to bring us a snack as we waited to ride home, or the constant helping hands with setup and take down of our equipment, the community embraced us warmly.
~Kim Daniel
