Saturday, August 18, 2007

1 month update

well, i can't believe it's been a month since i left nashville to come back home to honduras. sorry for not updating this often. supposedly we will be getting internet at the clinic last week so soon we should have it where i can write from my lap top and not have to come to the mall (and pay each time) :)! anyway, i will put labels again for easier reading:


1. BHCC brigade
mom and i came down July 17 and were joined by about 10 people from the group and then the rest on July 18. we came a day early to be able to unpack somethings we had brought at my house before joining the group at the hotel. my house was (is) full like normal so i really enjoyed the last week of true comfort. during the week, some built houses, painted, organized, packed food, and worked in the clinic. on saturday, the group went to limoncillo, a village about 3 hours outside the city. i saw my own patients since we lacked another physician. doing that has given me the confidence booster i needed to go back to school, hopefully next fall. it was a blessed week. for me, it's like nothing else. it's my clinic family and my church family all together.


2. knee
well, i have tired to continue therapy but nothing like i was doing at baptist. stairs are still causing problems as well as steep inclines. i know it'll come and am praying for patience with it.


3. traveling
mom stayed another week after the group left from BHCC to head to roatan for another week. my aunt sarah also joined us for the island week. roatan is an island off the coast of honduras that is breathtaking. we had a lovely, relaxing week together and even swimmed with the dolphins. since no med students from VCOM were coming in august, i took advantage of going to visit my friend nancy moon in guatemala. i have visited nancy 3 years in a row in guatemala city. i took a forever long bus (14-15 hours) from TEgucigalpa to Antigua, Guatemala were i met nance and we went to her house in the city. we did nothing all weekend and it was great! i even was a guest chorus member at her church. we practiced on sat night and then went to taco bell!!! ( we don't have taco bell here!) adam temple and i travled together since he was already planning to go see his friend in language school in antigua. i tagged along as not to have to go by myself later. at the end of the month, i will be going to belize with my roommates to renew our visas. i can't believe it's already time to do that! crazy how time flies. we are going by bus and boat from honduras to belize. depending on what day we leave, we might go through guatemala, again. more to come on that...

4. clinic
going well. i have been working in the morning with patients like normal and in the afternoons trying to organize- well, everything! we are very blessed as to have wonderful people donate items- but lots of times its expired. we make lists of everything that is donated... it takes a long time! i finally finished washing all the clothes that people have left to give away. lots of people work in clothes during the week and give them away at the end of the week- dirty. i like to give clean clothes away. we have another doctor donating his time to work with us. he's very nice and works 10:30-2:30. that way we can see more patients since dr. amador works some at the military hospital in the afternoon. maria, the receptionist, had a birthday yesterday. i love birthdays! it's such an opportunity for us all to come together!

5. church
i have been going to church with amber, the boys, and interns in the house (we're 6 total). since they all work together during the week, church is the place that we all go together. the boys who live in the house are from there so it's nice for them to see their extended family. la vega church has had a revival this week. there were 3 baptism so far and they have tonight and tomorrow sessions left. luis fernando rojas has been speaking and doing a wonderful job. he spoke at the youth rally last year and made quite an impact on all. one the new sisters is arely's daughter. she was baptized last night and we're all thrilled as you can imagine.


well, i will write more later! love to all! God bless!
erin