Piletas

March 26th, 2026 - March Mountain Medical Team

We awoke early this morning after a long night of rain. Fortunately, the rain had subsided by time we had breakfast. After we got on the bus we made our way the Community of Piletas, meaning “piles of rocks”. As we left the main road we were held up by a group of ranchers who were moving a group of cattle down the road. Making our way past the cows, we had a very bumpy ride over holes and large stones to get to our destination. Compared to last year, however, the road maintained its integrity, and we did not get stuck in the mud again!

We arrived at the community and were assisted by residents unloading our equipment. We were working in decidedly narrow quarters, with only two main schoolrooms available. However, we were able to work despite the tight space. We saw over 40 family units over the course of the day. The dental clinic alone saw over 50 individual patients. It was a very busy day.

We had multiple referrals to the doctor, from issues ranging from potential appendicitis to several children in the fourth grade who were reportedly illiterate by their parents and flagged as a concern for potential learning disabilities. We handed out several sets of sunglasses for children who complained of eye irritation from working in the fields. It was noted by dental staff that the dentition of the community was notably worse compared to earlier communities we have seen. It is a potential need in this community for education related to proper dental care and toothbrushing, as a potential follow up for Friends of Barnabas in the future. The medical staff was sure to hand out toothbrushes and toothpowder with the family well bags.

One team member gave their cross away to a young girl who recognized her from a visit to this community in 2025. The young girl was very pleased and enjoyed seeing the team-member again. It was noted that there were multiple men who came early in the day to attend the clinic. It was also noted that there was an increase in requests for cough syrup and complaints of coughing / respiratory issues by members of this community. It is a potential topic for Friends of Barnabas to provide education in the future as members of the community primarily cook on indoor wood stoves, leading to excessive smoke inhalation.

At the end of the day, we were assisted by the residents in loading back up our equipment. Our drivers showed their skills and were able to navigate the very narrow, very rocky road without difficulty. We have a wonderful whole fish fried dinner provided by our staff. We are looking forward to our final day in service to the people of Honduras.

-Joe Brown & Stacey Posner