Friday - Our final day of clinic was bittersweet as we felt the sadness of saying goodbye to new friends and a place we’ve grown to love, alongside the sweetness of having held nothing back. Close to 600 patients were seen this week from a 7-day old home-birth baby to a 90-year-old lady who lives alone on a tiny island.

Parkinson’s, Hand/Foot/Mouth, diabetes, high blood pressure, open wounds, back pain, sore knees, and so much more were all treated with the same love, care, and purpose of bringing relief, healing, and a better quality of life to the extent possible.  Thank you for your service Dra. Tran, Dr. Davis, Dr. Weinberg, Dra Marsh, Dr. Omire- Mayor, Dr. Zhu, Mai-Chi, Tracy, Brita, Heather, Chris and all local volunteers to each and every patient who came through our doors this week!

The beauty of the Bay Islands with their turquoise waters teaming with brightly colored fish and coral, green mountains offering spectacular views of the Caribbean, and natural sandy beaches only served as the backdrop for a people rich in culture and storied history asking the same question we are, “Do you see me?” They are the reason we are here. John, one of the followers of Jesus wrote, “We love because He first loved us.”  We share in common with the people here our status as image bearers of the One who made us all and answers the deepest longing of our hearts, “Yes, I see you!”  He sees and knows each man, woman, and child we locked eyes with this week, and it is in His care we leave them.  Until next time, Guanaja, we hold you in our hearts!

Guanaja - Day 6

Thursday, September 9 - We took the clinic downtown today to a tiny island called Bonacca, or El Cayo, where almost 6000 people make their home. Down an alley a short distance from the dock, a church opened its doors to host the clinic and we were warmly greeted by the clinic staff and vice mayor.

What a fun surprise it was to see friends we’d made just the day before, as well as old friends who have come over the years, waiting at the clinic when it opened!  Many came by to give us updates on their lives and families as well as health, like the little boy who has been wheelchair bound beginning to take a few steps, a little girl with ventricular septal defect still hoping for life-saving surgery, or a local shop owner stopping by with her son for preventative care. It brought so much joy to our hearts to see patients out in the community on the street and in shops waving to say ‘hello’ or ‘thank you.’  The community expressed their appreciation and support of the team by sending over locally caught lobster for dinner one night.

Perhaps one of biggest milestones of the day was our cardiologist training local health professionals how to use and read an EKG machine!  Having this skill set will greatly benefit the community long after our team has gone home. Thank you, Dr. Davis, for your investment in the next generation of care providers in Guanaja!

Guanaja - Day 4

Tuesday, September 8 - We are falling in love with Honduran people! Their patience, playfulness, and positive spirit is inspiring. When you ask someone “How are you doing?” A common response is “right here,” meaning “I’m as you see me here, now.” They embrace their current reality while holding perpetual anticipation for the future. There’s a felt sense of perseverance and hopefulness here that’s inspiring and delightful to engage.

Today we saw over 100 patients by lunchtime, but each person was as unique and valued as their story, such as a little boy, who has been coming to P4GH clinics since birth for physical therapy. He could not walk 3 years ago, but came in today walking on his own holding only his mother’s hand! Another young woman, who has suffered with TMJ for several years, was treated with mandible manipulation and experienced immediate relief from pain. Tears filled her eyes from relief and gratitude. An older woman, the principal of a local school and primary breadwinner for her family, returned in the afternoon for herself after having brought her husband in the morning. She had tremendous stress-induced pain and tension down the back of her left side from the demands of work and home. After caring for her physical symptoms and hearing her story, several of us were honored with an invitation to care for her emotional and spiritual needs as well through prayer. It was a moment that impacted all of us.

There are many more stories like these and all of them make being here a gift. One young doctor on our team shared how rewarding this experience has been for her and a desire to make trips like this a regular rhythm moving forward. We all resonate with that word, rewarding, because we were made to care about and for each other. We learn to see by looking. May we look up and see each other wherever we find ourselves in the world.

Guanaja - Day 3

Monday, September 8 - Our first day of clinic began with a fast-moving thunderstorm that threatened to get us off to a wet start, but the timing could not have been more perfect and it passed through before we jumped on the boat for our morning commute to Guanaja Clinic of St. Camillus. By 8:30 we were set up and eagerly receiving patients with the help of cheerful local volunteers and clinic staff. We learned that on the island there is no back up for the local clinic staff. They are on every day, all the time. If an injury or illness presents, they are the boots on the ground. So, for some, the rare experience of having backup from a P4GH team, locally known as The Brigade, can mean a shorter day or well deserved time off, while others take advantage of the partnership to learn or work alongside American physicians.

On the patient end, a typical clinic experience begins with being greeted at the door by the triage team, who take basic information and vitals, before being seen by the provider team that will best address the needs. If medication or vitamins are prescribed, the pharmacy is there to fill scripts free of charge thanks to the generous donations of P4GH friends. Medication and vitamins are difficult to come by for lots of reasons, but access and cost are primary deterrents. So, when the opportunity to receive care and medication free of charge is offered, it is a huge gift to many families and individuals even prompting one gentleman to walk an hour and a half this morning to come to the clinic. After receiving treatment, guests of the clinic are invited to pick up items at the clinic store, such as small toys for children, Bibles, reading and sun glasses, etc, also free of charge. Often we see patients return with family members or friends because they’re so pleased with the care they received.

After a full, satisfying day, the ocean beckoned many of the team into the warm waters of the Bay Islands steps away from our rooms. It was the perfect way to relax and share stories of the day before dinner. The consensus was that it was that the first day met or exceeded expectations and we’re all so thankful to be here experiencing the welcome, kindness and beauty of Honduras. 

At the close of day 2 the team is ready! After early morning wake up calls from the resident roosters and the delightful surprise greeting of a dozen or so hummingbirds surrounding the main porch, the team got to work preparing thousands of meds for distribution over the course of the next few days. Our clinical pharmacists, Tracy & Mai-Chi, did a phenomenal job researching and planning the formulary from which we worked. Thank you, Tracy & Mai-Chi, for the hours of thoughtful care you put into which medications to bring and how much. Your time & effort already communicate how much you care about relieving the suffering of other people, even those whose faces you’ve never seen.

Around mid-day we met two local colleagues who will be joining us tomorrow…Lisa & Karen. Lisa & Karen both live on the island now and will be assisting with the organization and direction of the clinics as well as triage. We’re so thankful to be partnering with them…and it doesn’t hurt that they tell us all the local secrets like where to find great small batch Honduran coffee!

As the day came to a close so did the boxes. Dozens of boxes were taped up, labeled, and set aside to be loaded onto boats early in the morning. We have another early wake up call (we’re counting on you, Hei Hei!) in just a few hours and will finally get to meet the people for whom we’ve come!