Postcard

Spectacular views on our way to and from Xela

*sorry I wrote this post a week ago and never posted, if that makes more sense


It's already been a week. 2 more weeks still feels like forever though. So I left off at Casa Manen and so many experiences have occurred since then. I will try to recall everything that has happened. Sunday after we settled into the hotel we left for Xela to meet with the girls for an hour or so before dinner. I was completely unprepared for the barrage of hugs, tears, and kisses. Of course the girls were more excited and connected to the members of our team that had visited in past years, but they still hugged and clung to me and the new members. I tried to get to know them with what little spanish I knew, basically asked their names and age and was completely confused when they gave me long answers which I didn't understand. We ate a beautiful cake that the girls baked and then the sisters gave us a tour of the orphange/home. The girls were so excited to show us their dorm rooms and all the specialty rooms where they learned a trade. The orphanage had a room for embroidery, sewing, baking, art, classrooms, and chapel. The building was amazingly clean compared to the dirt and mud roads that led up to it.

After leaving the girls we went back to the hotel, ate a simple meal and had a devotional. Then afterwards the medical team met to set the game plan for the next day.

Breakfast always starts at 715. Monday morning we ate a huge breakfast and headed to the church down the dirt road from the orphanage. We unloaded the supplies, set up the pharmacy, triage, and clinic areas.  Towards the back of the church the sisters had already set up a semi private clinic room which consisted of a pew with a sheet hanging by rope to conceal the area. Already there was a line of patients there for us to see.Every 2 hours or so we would rotate areas. So the first day we were off to a slow start. I began in the triage area, taking in patients,asking them for their chief complaints and taking vitals. ALL IN ESPANOL! We saw 48 patients the first day.

more later..