The Halfway Point

Our day started with wrapping up our time on Guanaja and saying goodbye to the team at G & G’s Clearwater paradise resort. They have done such a wonderful job of hosting and caring after us during our time, and we were incredibly appreciative of it. We then proceeded to board a speedboat which carried the team, our luggage, and our equipment for over two hours across the Caribbean Sea back to Roatan. Eventually, we made it safe and sound arriving to the Roatan yacht club with barely any gas gas to spare. 

The next item on our list was a tour of the Roatan hospital in Coxen Hole. In the time leading up to the trip, Ali had spent several months in communication and planning with high-ranking political and medical officials within Roatan. As this dialogue continued, she began to ask what were some of the needs of the island’s medical practices. This opened the door for the team to visit the hospital and see the resources that were available.

As we were shown around the hospital, our team saw a situation that was understaffed and overcrowded with patients, placing strain on the whole system. Patients were seen waiting in an open air environment outside of the front doors. Inpatient facilities had multiple beds against the wall all within the same room without any separation. During the middle of the tour, Ali began to ask the physicians questions of what they had at their disposal, and what are things that the mainland of Honduras has that they don’t. Listening to these doctors, it became very evident that they were highly educated and skilled at their craft, but simply lacked the tools and resources to perform procedures that should be routine. Our team has become familiar with this feeling and heard the phrase being a “physician without hands.” Later at the team meeting, we all expressed how heartbreaking that the situation was, and all had a profound sense of gratitude for our blessings within the United States.

To close out our day, we had dinner at the Yacht Club with the head of the College of Doctors for Roatan who oversees many of the doctors in the healthcare system. During our time, our team was able to update him on the clinics we had performed in Guanaja, telling him stories all of the little moments that filed our days. At the end of our meal, he stood up and addressed the team, thanking us for helping his community and his people.

Overall, the day was portioned into distinct pieces that seemed to fit together. Although we didn’t have clinic today, we were able to see things that grabbed the attention of our hearts and our minds. It can be very difficult to offer a solution when you do not see the underlying problems. Through our visits to the hospital and conversations with physicians, our team is beginning to see where these problems are and hopefully we can find those accompanying solutions. We just hope to continue being a light into this community while supporting them and everything they do.

Matthew 5:14-16

 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”