Hondurashttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/en-US2008-08-07T20:18:07ZSquarespace Site Server v5.0.0 (http://www.squarespace.com/)And on the 6th day We restedhttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/15/and-on-the-6th-day-we-rested.htmlHonduras2008-06-15T23:54:31ZAnd God said it is good and I am well pleased.

Thus sayeth the Lord

]]>As the team dis-assembled last night...http://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/15/as-the-team-dis-assembled-last-night.htmlHonduras2008-06-15T18:22:53Z

I became so aware of who we are collectively and how we changed each others lives, and those for whom we had the privilege of serving along side of in Trinidad. We are most humbled for the opportunity to instill this overwhelming level of pride in our supporters and friends and family. How wonderful to know that our support from across the nations sustained us and helped us to be successful in our efforts.

Whilst I lay in the comfort of my own bed this am at 1:30, it stuck me as to the magnitude of commitment and the level of professionalism that existed between us all. We are all unique in our own rite, however; There were no individual's in our daily challenges, we are and always will be

"Team Honduras". The Deacon, the Organizers, the Doctors the Retired folk, the Teachers, the Nurses, the PA's the Students, the Former Marine, the Interpreters, the Church Madras's, the neighbors, the Rector-Padre and so many more...

Pardre and peeps...

That is a great feeling and I am so happy to be part of such an enormous endeavors and from the deepest reaches of my soul I personally wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to:

Paul- for your presence among us all and your many endearing qualities that either intellectually stimulated me or made me laugh and yes this morning cry, as I sit listening to your last sermon as Curate of St. Mark's. I was taken by surprise by you and look forward to a long friendship between us, your cool! I'm sure your Parents and family are proud and supportive, because I can see in you, thier choice parenting abilities, they are lucky! Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Just chill'inPJ- for your drive , energy (most days), your respect for each of us, your time and talents professionally and your friendship. It is important for us to remember our place in the world and I, am but his servant as are you, thus we nourish each other in comradeship and deed. Your family Should elivate your accomplishments and encourage whatever your next challenge. Thank You! Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Sara- Muchos Grasis! You Rock and I am blessed to have you in my inner circle now. Your skills and knowledge of the Spanish language will help you in all your future endeavours be kind to yourself and be well always. May the stars you wish upon and reach for always be at your finger-tips. Your Friend In Christ, Nick

At the days end...Doris- What can I say? You are a fascinating study in the human spirit. Your reliance and determination has definitely served you well over the years. One can only aspire to be so kind and understanding, my lesson and gift from you, enthusiasm for life and all things old and new. Bless you and be well, may your next adventure be just as great! Your Friend In Christ, Nick.

You make me smileKelli- What privilege and honor for me to know you. So we now have two Missions under our belt together and I so look forward to another, but only wish we do not loose touch until then, let's remain close and promise to nurture our friendship, that it will always remain in our hearts and minds. I know that your folks are elated over your success, so keep going where life takes you, it is a gift. Your friend In Christ, Nick.

Dr's & HydrationMatt- As roommates go, your TOPS! Your broad base of stimulating conversations, views on life, knowledge of medicine are all to be admired and reflected upon. And as I get my head out of the clouds and back to reality of our own lives I trust that you and I formed a bond that will only be fostered by more social situations with you and your(s). "Carpe Diem" Many thanks to you for making me laugh so much at then end of some "Krazy" days...

Humble BeginingsMary Cate- Girl ,you're on track for great things and well, I've never encountered anyone with your approach to life, for any given situation, and I just love how you manage to see life through the "Rose colored spectacles" Certainly not an "Princess" , but a Force not to be reconed with, thanks for keeping us all grounded and aware. Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Our Pot of Gold!Christina- Well not sure where to start with you, you make friends everywhere and are such a delight to be around. I feel so happy in your presence and find you to be so witty and beautiful, both inside and out, may all your dreams be realized an may you and Beau, have as many years and more, as Reed and I together. 10 on the hair flip! Let's make a point to stay in touch? Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Death has no DominionAron- Could not have managed to get on as well as I did without your knowledge of the language and your ability to mix a mean antibiotic. Not to mention your specialty in "pest control" You can add some Medical Latin to your credentials now! And I my Spanish writing skills which could only be acquired through a mission such as ours. So glad we served together and hope to maintain and foster more time as friends through St. Marks as well as on our own. Best of luck upon your return for the rest of Summer activities, Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Amy and the gangAmy- Like finding a goodluck charm. Cracker Jacks a prize at every turn... Fun, adventure, skills, compassion, care, knowledge, and so on, and so on... You make me proud to know you, so let's stay connected ok? Lord knows we need lots of friends, until we meet again, Your friend In Christ, Nick

s'up!Elizabeth- I hold such a fond affection for you diplomacy and your nurturing ways, you exemplify all the qualities of Mom to many of us and your caring ways with the live you touch are eched in my memory for safe keeping, as are the goodies. Be well and happy in all your do next, may it too hold many new experiences and keep you safe. Always in Gods image do we serve and sustain. Your Friend In Christ, Nick

Michelle with Volunteers and Team HondurasMichelle- Just a delight! And Funny beyond belief. What a joy to get to know you and work along side you as our Medical patriarch. Thanks for the guidance and the morning laughs and all the conversation, whether regarding medicine, religion, poverty, geography etc. I owe you! Your Friend In Christ, Nick

May all your hopes and dream for world poverty and peace be consider or realized. My heart is filled with joy this day and I aspire to be like all of you who reflect GOD and Love.

With much affection,

Nick

]]>Homehttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/15/home.htmlHonduras2008-06-15T14:26:34ZWe made it! There were a few delays at the airport, but Team Honduras safely arrived home safe and sound last evening (all, that is, except for Aron, who is staying a few more days in Honduras on vacation).

Aron at work in the pharmacy dosing parasite medication for childrenMembers of St. Mark's as well as some family met us at the airport and drove us home.
It's hard to let go of a trip like this...I'm sure we'll all be struggling with ways to forever incorporate what we learned and lived into our daily lives.
Stay tuned for some more reflections as well as information about a presentation we will be doing at St. Mark's sometime in the fall. Adios for now!

]]>Adioshttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/14/adios.htmlHonduras2008-06-14T14:24:55ZIt’s hard to believe, but we’re getting close to leaving for the airport. If you asked me how long I’ve been here it would take me a minute to come up with the right answer. One the one hand, it feels like we just arrived yesterday, and on the other, it feels like a little piece of me has always been here. Is that possible?

Kelli with new friendsOne of the nice things about a trip like this one is that we can remove ourselves from the chaos of our lives and focus in on the work that needs to be done. And it would be impossible to leave here without realizing just how much work does indeed need to be done.

Christie inserting an IV into a dehydrated womanI think all of us are now a little more inspired to take up that work.
We owe a big debt of gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported us in this journey – financially, morally, spiritually…trips like this don’t happen without a lot of help. So a big THANK YOU to everyone to helped make this possible. And a special thanks to everyone’s families for letting their loved slip away for a week – I know it’s not easy, and I thank you.
I’m off to pack – see you soon!!!

]]>R & Rhttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/14/r-r.htmlHonduras2008-06-14T13:00:15ZOk, the group split into three today so as for everyone to get their hearts desire for relaxation. So the following are some of the adventures collectively. This group, PJ, Sara, Aron, Kelli, Christie & Nick all went to Pulhapanzak- a fantastic adventure.

The fallsI know it's "Krazy" but there we were and suddenly the falls called to us and before we knew it, we just took the plunge! Our pictures will do no justice, but the experience is etched in our minds. "A picture no artist can paint.” Liz and Doris made their way to Copan and explored the ancient Mayan ruins, while Mary Cate, Michelle, Matt, and Paul stayed local, spending time at the market and the hotel pool. I think we all got to see a side of Honduras we haven’t yet seen – it was a wonderful way to spend our last day here.

]]>Our local support members: we could not have done it without them!http://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/13/our-local-support-members-we-could-not-have-done-it-without.htmlHonduras2008-06-13T14:13:22ZFrom the meeting at the airoport to the packing up, we are so blessed to be in the company of the many fine local people of the towns of San Pedro Sula and Trinidad. They are the most professional group of individuals and we owe them a debt of graditude for thier time and energy. Mucho Blessings! Lets meet them:

Celia Translator
Yury- (Deya) Traductor and student
Kenneth Traductor
Hector Madrid Presbitero
Sury Translator
Salvador Erv cargado Del Templo
Hector Translator
Elvia Translator
Pasar En elporton
Petroria A vetar pacieutes
Mary Secretaria

]]>Who are we?http://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/13/who-are-we.htmlHonduras2008-06-13T13:45:21ZWe are quite a group. We range from 26 years of age to 82, and from 6’6’’ to 5’1’’. We are Episcopalian, Catholic, and “other,” and our political beliefs span the spectrum.

Sunrise over San Pedro SulaSome of us claim St. Mark’s as our home parish, while others do not. But one thing I know for sure, and that is that whoever we were when we arrived in Honduras, we are different now. How could we not be?

Michelle treating a patientWe’ve traveled thousands of miles to get here; we ran a medical clinic and treated over 350 patients in four days of work (well, three-and-a-half, really). We’ve been greeted with the most open of arms by a small community that uses a beautiful yet run-down church as it’s epicenter, and we’ve seen levels of poverty that just don’t exist in the U.S.

The church in TrinidadAnd so we did the only thing imaginable – we came together as a team and did our best to leave this place a little better than how we found it. What a privileged group we are.

]]>Our best for lasthttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/13/our-best-for-last-1.htmlHonduras2008-06-13T01:27:06ZWe sure went out with a bang. It was by far the hottest day of our trip, and we were all fighting exhaustion as we arrived at Trinidad a little before 9 this morning. There were already 50 people waiting for us, and they were some of the hardest and most involved patients we’ve had yet. In addition to the usual parasitic infections and vitamin needs, we encountered severe dehydration, an infant with a defect that prohibited him from passing his stools, and a young lady who had attempted suicide and was living with an abusive husband. That women was especially difficult for us – it took the skills of our Deacon and the dedication of Padre Hector to assure her safety. We saw nearly 70 patients by lunchtime, and we were well over 100 for the day.
And it’s an especially good thing our boxes arrived, because in them was our equipment to start an IV for fluid resuscitation. This was particularly important to me (P.J.), because during lunch break it was the overwhelming opinion of our medical staff that I needed some IV fluids. Apparently in the chaos of the day, I forgot to hydrate, and I suffered the consequences. I am blessed to have traveled with an astute, caring, and capable group of professions.
We left Trinidad today infinitely richer for our time there, and the locals who helped us made sure that we knew their gratitude for our work. Hugs, kisses, and the promises of a return visit made our departure a moving one.
We are taking the day off tomorrow to explore some of the country of Honduras. It is an amazing place with a beautiful people – I can’t wait to see some of it.
(Sorry about there being no pictures - the internet is being funny; more later!)

]]>Final pushhttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/12/final-push.htmlHonduras2008-06-12T11:57:25ZIt’s hard to believe, but we’re about to set off for our forth and final day of work at our clinic in Trinidad. We’re exhausted, I know, but I find the work we do equally energizing and inspiring.

Matt questioning a patient
Last evening, Deacon Paul read to us the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes – while at first there seemed like there was not enough food, suddenly there was ample food, and then so much that there were leftovers. When we were packing for this trip, we kept asking ourselves if we had enough medications and supplies.

Amy examining a patientAnd then when our boxes got held up in customs, we had to purchase some things in order to keep us going. Then our shipments all arrived – a good thing, as we have already consumed much of them. But there will be leftovers. We’ve already arranged with the Rector of the church in Trinidad, Padre Hector, to take some of them to a local Episcopal clinic – and I’m sure he’ll gladly take the rest.

Liz taking a blood pressure
So off we go!

]]>There's Plan A, and then there's Team Hondurashttp://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/honduras/2008/6/12/theres-plan-a-and-then-theres-team-honduras.htmlHonduras2008-06-12T00:24:03ZOne thing we knew coming into this trip was that we’d have to be flexible. As of this morning, three of our eight boxes were still tied up in customs. We had already performed minor procedures without some of our equipment – we had to use steri-strips (fancy tape) in place of sutures, and topical anesthetic instead of injectable (which is not nearly as effective) – but now we were running short on medications. So we simply got creative.

Doris triagingWe substituted as much as we could yesterday - Christie even gave her own asthma medicines to an elderly lady because we had nothing else for her - but eventually we got to the point where we were flat running out of supplies. Part of that was because we have seen larger quantities of conditions we did not except: huge numbers of hypertensives, diabetics, and patients with gastritis have come our way. So this morning we made a run to the pharmacy (good thing we had extra money in our budget!) and stocked up with what we could. They didn’t have as much as we wanted, but we still came away with a lot of stuff. And a good thing too, because this morning we saw more of the same: gastritis, hypertension, aches and pains, and infections of all sorts. And of course parasitic worm infections and malnutrition are more common than not.

Kelli performing OMM - on a church pewBy mid morning we were again at a critical level with many of our staple medicines, and then…our three boxes arrived. Just like that we were again well-stocked with what we needed. Our level of success, if we are to have any, will directly related to our ability to stay flexible, make adjustments, and have faith that, if we do our best, we will make a positive difference down here.

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