Agua Agria
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
We began our day with breakfast and a devotion prodding us to consider what we do with this experience once we return home. It was then a two-hour bus ride to Agua Agria which means sour water. We did not taste the water, but we learned that this community faces significant water insecurities.
The community was very welcoming; in fact, they had a sign written in English welcoming us. The elders and volunteers of the community were lined up on both sides of the walkway as the team entered the school yard. It felt like we were a sports team entering the field for the championship game. The school where we held clinics was surrounded by lush greenery, a long field with rows of melons that had just been planted and in the distance were the beautiful peaks of the Sierra de Dipilto mountains.
The families were extremely eager to learn about their health and how they could improve their situation. Dra. Moncada commented that many of the people that were referred to her did not know of medical services that were available to them. Diabetes and hypertension were the most common conditions, but in general the community was healthy.
The unity of this team is beautiful. Our Honduran staff and translators are excellent at their jobs and are so welcoming of the US volunteers. They are organized and capable of handling many complex situations. Our US volunteers have all served many times with Friends of Barnabas, but not all together on the same team. We have melded together to form a cohesive unit.
We ended the day with dinner, a debrief and a devotion by Shirley. During the debrief several team members were entertained by a 81-year-old mother and her 58-year-old daughter who came to the clinic together. These two women were just like the golden girls, living together, talking over each other, correcting each other all at the same time. Dr. Joe was laughing on the inside as his translator, Nathalie, did her best to keep up with their banter. But in the end, all their needs were met, and they gave hugs and blessings as they left.
~Joe & Katie
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