Monday, July 10th, 2023
We started our day with a delicious breakfast. We gathered around to introduce ourselves to the Honduran staff and which stations we will be working, as well as which translator we would be paired with. We then prayed and hopped on the bus.
We sat next to people we knew and some we didn’t and learned more about the Honduran staff and translators. One story told was that one of the translators learned to speak English from Americans that were on a mission trip years ago, and she remembered that she really wanted to speak to the nurses and doctors. She decided to learn English, and now teaches it.
We finally got to the site of Las Margaritas after driving for a while, through small towns and villages, and were greeted by the community’s families. The Team Leader and dentist, Dr. Kaugers, greeted the community, along with FOBF staff, Minerva and Gissele.
We then set up the tents and the rooms. There was a designated building for each clinic - dental, medical/pharmacy, vitamins, and weights and measurements for children's development assessments.
Most of our volunteer nurses and doctors were in the medical room where the medicines and tools were kept where they met with the families one on one with a translator. Each one worked hard giving medical advice, teaching, diagnosing, and prescribing medicine and treatments.
After the families got their vitamins and the children were weighted and measured, they headed to the medical room. After that if they needed to see the dentist, they would head to where two dentists and volunteers helped by examining and applying fluoride to the patients' teeth, a luxury that is not offered in most communities like Las Margaritas.
After lunch, some of the Honduran staff and volunteers played soccer with the children, as well as offering crayons and paper to draw with. The soccer ball was bought by volunteers as a gift. Some of the volunteers played with the children and asked questions like “how many brothers and sisters do you have?” and “how old are you?”
We finally finished seeing every patient, who graciously offered to help with loading boxes and fans back into the truck. We said our goodbyes to the community and drove back to the Alfredo house and ate a delicious meal prepared by the lovely Honduran staff. Lidia and Yolany, Honduran staff, joined the Richmond volunteers for dinner. At the table we each took turns speaking about our experience and learnings that we took away from the day. This experience teaches us new things everyday and offers us a look into the lives of who we have changed and whose lives have changed us.
~Anna Felton
