Nueva Capital, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
29 Enero 2015
0515 hours

Gehlen Mission Honduras Medical/Dental team followers.  Hello and happy day.

Currently it is 16.2 C or about 61 F with a light drizzle in the air.  The winds we up again during the night but I doubt many of this team really cared or were away of it including this writer who had his best nights sleep in many days.  The earlier blog last night said much about this.  Today's forecast is for clouds with a high of 25 C or somewhere in the low to mid 70's with a low of 12 C or about 54 F.  Since today all of our clinics are inside the weather should not be a factor.

Richard Seivert, the Director of Mission Honduras LeMars will be arriving today to join the team and then help unload the Mission Honduras LeMars container that will be in Tegucigapla later today in the afternoon or probably in the evening.  This container has 16 pallets of needed food and other supplies.  I know many of the boxes will come to the Nueva Capital area through the Cerro de Plata Foundation.  It surely is needed!

Yesterday, like the earlier blog written last evening said, was very busy, not from the standpoint of patients, but because of the disease states the triage team and the doctors saw and treated.  Although we were told that many of these people came from the exact same area as the other days, the medical evaluation form tells us a different story.  Many of these people we from a different area in Nueva Capital or from a different zone.

I have not had a chance to review the medical charts developed on each patient, but I agree with the earlier statement of at least 300 or so patients needing the medical element, and 53-55 dental patients with about 120 extracted.  Today we will meet with the school administration about the clinic's that will be held for the school kids.

I (and I know for sure every team members can say the same) will just rely a short story.  Before I begin with this, I want all of you to know how helpful the local Bomberos (Firemen) were today.  They are  based here in Nueva Capital and about 3 minutes from the school.  There were 5 Bomberos helping today. They helped with crowed control and lifting and directing patients.  This is a very valuable resource for us during this mission and for others in the future.  I spent time speaking with each of them.  Many are working towards becoming a paramedic and we let them help us in the medical area to the degree we could.  Many of these guys, like so many in the USA, had served with the Honduran Army.

So, this elderly woman was found in the line by the triage nurses.  Really struggling to breath.  She was carried immediately to the clinic area by the Bomberos.  During the treatment process I found out that she lives quite far away, and part of the area the road, if one existed, was impassable and she would have to walk or be carried by her family.  I have no idea how she was able to walk to the school and then stand outside waiting for us to open the daily clinic.  She got better after various nebulizer and other medical treatments.  Then the challenge.  She was still very weak and would not be able to make the long and difficult walk home.  The Bomberos said they could help but their  firetruck would not be available until until in the afternoon and then could only get so far towards here house.  I made the decision to have Julio take her and her family home in out Toyota 28D pickup,  Everyone said we could only get her close.  Well....Julio drove her right to her house where a road did not really exist.  Our Toyota is high and has the rugged tires for mountain travel.  The Bomberos were impressed and told me the truck was very tough.  I told them I know because Julio and I have been in many of these types of situations during the years.  The lady and family were very happy.

When I think about this type of situation, I and I know others on this team, know full well why we come to areas like Nueva Capital.  There we so many incidents of need and help yesterday, but I will leave it here.

Many of the team are still sleeping.  Yesterday was busy.  We hope to get other photos and parts of a daily diary from one of the doctors on our team posted later today.  God bless and peace to all.

Mr. Francis