11 Days To Go!

25 February 2016

Santa Lucia, Honduras

Today in Honduras for me….

The day dawned early as usual.  I would go to Tegucigalpa to meet with my friend Julio that was returning from a few days working in la Montaña de la Flor (MDLF) at his farm with his family.  It started to rain about 0645 hours (which is needed here) but I had washed clothes in the early morning yesterday and they had not yet dried.  I had to hustle to rescue them, which I did.  For those that know me, I am not good at washing clothes in the pila…but I guess I do OK. 

Then I started my walk to the bus to go to Tegucigalpa to meet Julio.  It rained, but lightly.  I always enjoy the bus ride to Tegucigalpa.  I take the big bus in because of room.  I think it is therapeutic for me.  I also enjoy the ride back.  Many faces, many stops.  I have learned the faces of many.  The bus drivers now know me.  In Tegucigalpa I got a taxi.  This was one of the better (of many taxi rides) I have had in Tegucigalpa.  He has been driving for 17 years, no robberies, etc.  He has 4 kids and took me on a ride I have been on for much of it, but traffic was bad so he kept going different routes.  I had no problem with this because I know the areas he was driving, but I could not drive some of those tomorrow even if I had to.  Nice guy…good tip.  Taxi, old, beat up, but most are.  I learn much from these taxi drivers.  Good tip!

I met up with Julio at Toncontin Airport.  He had left MDLF (La Ceiba) at 0400 hrs.  It rained heavily, and he even had to stop and buy some new wipers.  We needed to do this earlier.  But…we stretch it sometimes.  He told me about 3 kids.  One was 5 months old from MDLF that had a fever for 3 days, had red eyes, red blotches on her little body, along with some black ones.  He took her to Talanga’s Hospital Solidaria where she was admitted and treated.  From what we know today, she was on her way back to MDLF.  I do not know the Rx, nor the treatment.  I will try and find out. The other was a 5 year old girl that had apparently fractured her lower tibia/fibula.  He took her from La Ceiba to Acote on a bus.  The family had no $$.  She got to Hospital Esquela (HEU) yesterday (Wednesday).  I had Julio contact the family, and did that take some time, but we did it.  I offered to go to HEU to help the family.  The little girl was being discharged today.  I planned to pick them up at HEU, take them to Mayorea (big market where the buses are) buy them some food, and give them money for the bus and see what was going on.  We had a little trouble with traffic and construction getting to HEU and then parking.  Dick, you, Carolyn and Linda have been there.  You know!  We got there a little late.  They had left.  We contacted them at Mayorea, but the bus would leave before I could drive there.  What a place!  I did arrange to pay for the bus ride, buy food in Acote, which is a village just down from the mountain.  My friend Belinda gave them lempiras, and I will pay it back next Tuesday when Julio and I return to MDLF to talk with the doctor in San Juan about the ultrasound unit.

By the way, the little girl was able to be casted and at this time does not need a rod, plates or screws.  Now that may change later.

Dick, the little girl (I am sending along a photo) that you saw in August in MDLF continues to be sick.  I bought her food in January, but I’m sure the other kids got most of it.  Julio tells me she is sick, with fever, etc.  We will get her here to Tegucigalpa.  I’m just not sure when…with the team coming, etc.  Ondina needs to help us.  I promise I will get it done!  I can only imagine the results.  I’ve seen it so many times.  I hope she can recover!

Also, Julio and I have been watching Channel  8, THN, for about 30 minutes or so about the Tolupan in MDLF.  They were in Julio Sota’s village, where Julio’s daughter Raquel was teaching school; San Juan with Yesinia’s dad Isreal was making baskets, etc.  There were others of Chavelo, Julio Soto’s son and family.  Marta will try and get a copy so I can bring it back.  Amazing!!

We go to Nueva Capital tomorrow at 0830 hours.  I will begin training Ondina and Marta on the Suresite Vision screener on Monday.  We will also revisit the CPU (Chloro) unit so Julio and his family can advise others in MDLF on its use.

Full day.  Good day.  I love it.  Sad I was not able to meet with the families of the kids from MDLF.

Tomorrow I will have another report.  The time is short.  I will also buy more good extension cords, since we will need to use both generators.

From Santa Lucia, Honduras…another day.

Mr. Francis