Friday, February 18, 2022
Today we went to El Cedral, a quaint community on a steep and dramatically beautiful mountainside. We were particularly thankful for Geovanny, our driver, who navigated the roads safely up and down.
Dr. Camil’s first patient was 77 years old and was sick. She had an asthma exacerbation and pneumonia with oxygen sats between 89-90. Incredibly, she walked through these same steep hills 30 minutes to the clinic! We told the patient in no uncertain terms that she should be hospitalized for her safety. However, it was not clear that she was willing or able to go and we learned that even if she went, there was no guarantee that she would receive the right medications due to shortages, payment issues, and other difficulties with the health system here. Thankfully, we were able to give the patient what she needed including appropriate antibiotics and an albuterol inhaler.
Dr. Bo shared how excited he was to return to the same village that he and Jodi were at two years ago on Valentine’s Day. He shared how it is one of his favorite settings not only because of the beauty of the village, but also because the dental clinic is set up in the community church - literally the House of God. Although there were many setbacks yesterday, today he was able to improvise some tools to continue his good work. After working particularly hard on one of the patients, he learned that the patient was actually the preacher for the very church he was working in. Dr. Bo asked to receive a blessing from the pastor. Although he didn’t know exactly what the pastor said, the meaning of the moment transcended language.
Bunny shared the devotion tonight from Galatians 5:22 on the fruit of the spirit - specifically tying it into the running theme in our devotionals of God’s promises to us. She shared how she learned that her late husband, Tom, would quote from this passage regularly at his weekly bible study group. She saw the fruit of the spirit working in him as he became more loving, patient, kind, and gentle as the years went on. Apart from the promise of the fruit of the spirit, she shared how God has promised us life everlasting - a promise we can expect and look towards, but also one that should induce both humility and gratitude.
It was particularly timely because we had a ceremony today in memory of Virginia Taylor. Virginia Taylor, a beloved member of this very team, has made a major impact on our team members, the staff of Friends of Barnabas, and the people of Honduras. She will always be loved for her exceptional ability to calm, entertain, and bond with the children, and especially babies, of Honduras. A picture of her (holding a baby, of course) will remain on the wall at Alfredo’s house. While we had the ceremony, there was a palpable sense of peace as the sun set softly behind the mountains and the birds of Honduras sang. It felt like the moment was for, or from, Virginia.
~Dr. Chase
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