Monday, February 19, 2024
The Hampton Roads team greatly enjoyed serving 35 families today in their 2-room schoolhouse called El Cacao.
Those we served were so kind and appreciative. Some of them walked 2 hours with their children to get to the clinic. Though they have little in the way of worldly possessions, they seem happy.
Many of the team members speak little or no Spanish. Thankfully, several interpreters work with us to minimize the communication gap. Some of the children said "thank you" in perfect English after hearing us saying it.
Some highlights from the day...
A woman we saw didn't know how old she or her son were. The team did their best to provide an estimated "birth date" for both in their records.
A 16-year-old girl who was particularly helpful in getting the younger children weighed and measured was given a cross by a team member, as a token of appreciation.
A mother who had several children with her was being seen in the clinic. The oldest boy with her seemed to be the disciplinarian of the younger children. The team member treating the mother gave him a cross to encourage him to use compassion and wisdom in providing discipline.
A woman who picks coffee beans for a living was treated by Dr. Charlie, the team chiropractor. She had a great deal of knee pain as well as neck/shoulder tension. The treatment provided her with immediate relief, for which she was very grateful.
In spite of some challenges getting the dental equipment functioning properly, the team provided treatment to several people. One in particular was a young mother with a broken front tooth. After Dr. Bo fixed that tooth, she had a beautiful smile fixed on her face.
A young girl with epilepsy had been treated previously by a neuro specialist. Her mother was somehow able to purchase the expensive medicine to help prevent seizures. Friends of Barnabas will be providing that medicine going forward, so the mother no longer has to buy it.
The team brought a new soccer ball which the children kicked around with some of the team members. That ball was left with the schoolteacher, so the children can continue to play with it.
The Hampton Roads team feels so thankful and blessed to have been able to serve those families. And we can't express enough how caring, helpful and positive the Honduran FOB staff have been. Serving the communities wouldn't be possible without them.
We look forward to the blessings God has in store for the team tomorrow!
~Shelly Bowles
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