So at six'o'clock we gave the attendant our re-useable tickets and boarded the fifteen passenger plane. As we taxied down the runway and I tried to get my seat belt to click, I noticed the pilot had his window open. Thankfully before we took off he closed it, but I never did get my seat belt to work.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up with a view over a blanket of white clouds. I fell back asleep and soon we were coming in close over the shoreline where vast water spread out in one direction and small shanties dotted the land in the other direction. Then I saw a a red dirt runway, and school children in white tops tucked into navy blue pants or skirts walked along the side of it, as well as men on hand-peddled bikes who were previously lobster fishermen but had been injured and became partly or totally paralyzed in the legs.
In just one hour I had traveled to a in a different world.
We came to a smooth landing and upon exiting the plane, gave our passports to a man in an army uniform with the biggest gun I've ever seen. Maybe it's because he was rather small, but it crossed from his shoulder to below his knee and looked about as heavy as himself. Besides the two men in army uniforms, there were some other people asking us if we needed a taxi ride and others waiting for the five other people on our flight.
We didn't have to wait even a minute before we saw Katrina waiting for us with the Gator. Katrina and her family have been missionaries there in Puerto Lempira for many years now and work at the orphanage Casa Esperanza (Hope Home). We threw our bags in the Gator, jumped in the back, and headed down the dirt road full of potholes. Only a few minutes later we arrived at Hope Home where we would stay that night. I barely had the chance to get out of the Gator with my bags in two before two little boys with big glowing smiles came running over and threw their arms around me. What better way to be welcomed?! They greeted me cheerfully and I told them I was going to put my bags in the room and I would be right back. As soon as we put our stuff away, it was time to head over to the hospital with Katrina and Jess (a volunteer nurse at Hope Home). We took with us mugs, hot water and instant coffee to have some breakfast before clinic started, and we also brought homemade yuca cake. This, friends, is seriously THE BEST FOOD EVER. I know that I have a lot of favorite foods here, but this definitely topped them all (and the best part is that it's so simple- basically yucca with milk, eggs and cinnamon and sugar). So with all this goodness in tow, we gatored down the dirt road through the town until we came to the hospital. This hospital would hardly be qualified to be called a hospital by most people that I know; the building is simple and run down, and the hygiene is extremely poor. But this is all they had and we were going to make the best of it. There, Dr. Marianne was waiting for us with a long list of patients ready to be seen, with her translator as well who would translate for us from Moskitio to Spanish for the patients from the rural areas who didn't speak Spanish. Marianne has lived there in Puerto Limpera for many years, having a clinic at Hope Home as well as having her own feeding program with about fifty children at her house, as well as eight Honduran boys of her own. Every so often she brings patients over to us in San Pedro for surgery. We are very grateful for her partnership and ministry to the people in this part of Honduras (and some from Nicaragua as well). After yucca cake and coffee we began seeing patients, some who had already been operated on at CURE and some new patients who needed operations. Slowly by slowly we continued through the day, some patients doing well and some that no surgery or treatment would heal, ones only to be healed with prayer. Dr. Beemer saw about forty patients in all, about eight hours in clinic. It was a successful day over all, and we were ready to go have fresh seafood soup at Marianne's house (on the beach) about two miles across town, along with her many precious feeding program children.
Here Dr. Beemer is showing nurse Jess how to do clubfoot casting. Jess and Dr. Marianne will be doing the followup casting for the several clubfoot babies who came in that day.
Our clinic crew: Dr. Beemer with a patient and mother, his wife Susan behind him, our Moskitio/Spanish translator to the right, and nurse Jess front left. Below left in green, Dr. Marianne (a hero to Honduras!)
Baby Ana Galilea was born with a hand deformity and amniotic bands on her right leg which need to be treated as soon as possible. She is scheduled to come to CURE for surgery in September with Dr. Marianne
Lindon has severely bowed legs and will also come in September for his surgery.
Harvey was born with a deformity of the right leg and foot and surgery is being planned so that he will be able to walk!
This is Isaac, one of the residents at Hope Home. He and his two brothers were all operated on at CURE in 2009 for their clubfeet. This is him now, with two straight feet and doing well!
After a long day I was happy to lay down and sleep in the quietness with breeze blowing through the window. No AC in Puerto Lempira.... the weather there is simply perfect. I woke up with the early sunrise at five'o'clock the next morning, to a view out my window of the red dirt runway in the distance and nothing else besides trees to be seen and roosters to be heard with the occasional sound of children's voices. I was really happy in this place and wasn't quite ready to leave. A young lady volunteering at Hope Home with ROOM was in the room next to mine, and as the doors to both of our rooms were open, as I was getting ready I saw a little brown baby with nothing but a diaper sound asleep on the middle of the hardwood floor in her bedroom. I thought to myself that I wouldn't mind staying and here and having some little brown baby of my own to take of. I finished getting ready and put my backpack in the Gator. As Jess and I drove out I waved goodbye to the children playing in the yard and digging in the dirt. Five minutes later Jess dropped me at the little shanty airport where Dr. Beemer and Susan were already waiting with Dr. Marianne, and soon my friend Jose who I had met the night before at Marianne's house showed up to wish us farewell. We chatted for the remaining minutes that we had together, and soon a little airplane came in the distance. The passengers exited and the luggage was unloaded onto a rickety wooden wheelbarrow used as a luggage cart. Marianne and Jose walked to the airplane with us and we hugged them before boarding. I know that Dr. Beemer and Susan will be back before long, and I can only hope that one day I will as well! God's plan and His timing area always perfect- so as I ate knock-off brand Lucky Charms and read "Mountains Beyond Mountains" on our flight back to Ceiba (before falling asleep), and then as we drove back to my beloved and hot San Pedro, I had peace that I will one day be able to go back if that is part of the plan.
Our clinic crew: Dr. Beemer with a patient and mother, his wife Susan behind him, our Moskitio/Spanish translator to the right, and nurse Jess front left. Below left in green, Dr. Marianne (a hero to Honduras!)
Baby Ana Galilea was born with a hand deformity and amniotic bands on her right leg which need to be treated as soon as possible. She is scheduled to come to CURE for surgery in September with Dr. Marianne
Lindon has severely bowed legs and will also come in September for his surgery.
Harvey was born with a deformity of the right leg and foot and surgery is being planned so that he will be able to walk!
This is Isaac, one of the residents at Hope Home. He and his two brothers were all operated on at CURE in 2009 for their clubfeet. This is him now, with two straight feet and doing well!After a long day I was happy to lay down and sleep in the quietness with breeze blowing through the window. No AC in Puerto Lempira.... the weather there is simply perfect. I woke up with the early sunrise at five'o'clock the next morning, to a view out my window of the red dirt runway in the distance and nothing else besides trees to be seen and roosters to be heard with the occasional sound of children's voices. I was really happy in this place and wasn't quite ready to leave. A young lady volunteering at Hope Home with ROOM was in the room next to mine, and as the doors to both of our rooms were open, as I was getting ready I saw a little brown baby with nothing but a diaper sound asleep on the middle of the hardwood floor in her bedroom. I thought to myself that I wouldn't mind staying and here and having some little brown baby of my own to take of. I finished getting ready and put my backpack in the Gator. As Jess and I drove out I waved goodbye to the children playing in the yard and digging in the dirt. Five minutes later Jess dropped me at the little shanty airport where Dr. Beemer and Susan were already waiting with Dr. Marianne, and soon my friend Jose who I had met the night before at Marianne's house showed up to wish us farewell. We chatted for the remaining minutes that we had together, and soon a little airplane came in the distance. The passengers exited and the luggage was unloaded onto a rickety wooden wheelbarrow used as a luggage cart. Marianne and Jose walked to the airplane with us and we hugged them before boarding. I know that Dr. Beemer and Susan will be back before long, and I can only hope that one day I will as well! God's plan and His timing area always perfect- so as I ate knock-off brand Lucky Charms and read "Mountains Beyond Mountains" on our flight back to Ceiba (before falling asleep), and then as we drove back to my beloved and hot San Pedro, I had peace that I will one day be able to go back if that is part of the plan.
Flying into Puerto Lempira
View of the airport from the plane window
Marianne's house after dark. I'm standing on the shore- the house is built over the water. And it's like manic land in there- big dogs, little dogs, new puppies, boys and girls of all sizes running in and out of the house. Boys cooking and sweeping up spilled rice and mopping up the mud all over the floor. And somehow Marianne has peace through all the chaos, and it's a beautiful thing to be a part of.
Gathering around the big table with many of Marianne's children for dinner. There's a small church made up of chairs and a thatched roof right beside the dining area here, so we got to listen to the youth practicing their music during and after dinner.
View of the airport from the plane window
Marianne's house after dark. I'm standing on the shore- the house is built over the water. And it's like manic land in there- big dogs, little dogs, new puppies, boys and girls of all sizes running in and out of the house. Boys cooking and sweeping up spilled rice and mopping up the mud all over the floor. And somehow Marianne has peace through all the chaos, and it's a beautiful thing to be a part of.
Gathering around the big table with many of Marianne's children for dinner. There's a small church made up of chairs and a thatched roof right beside the dining area here, so we got to listen to the youth practicing their music during and after dinner.
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