Bug Bites

Day two of clinics and my bug bites from yesterday are bigger and redder and they ITCH like crazy! Let me tell you, my bug spray is not powerful enough for the bugs here.  I don’t know where they come from! I am going to have to look into something to keep them off my sweetness!

 

It seems like this year I have been battling more anxiety and frustration. Today, we ran out of medication labels. We were able to make some with the post-its I brought, but not sure what we will do for the last 2 clinics! BUT, I feel like I am learning and becoming a leader with the clinics.  I think to myself, “well I guess since this is year two, I am in it for life.” This scares the crap out of me! I just know that our mission will become bigger and God will make it better.  I saw a 90 yo man today. His health wasn’t too bad, but to be 90 and to walk to our clinic is amazing. I also saw a lady from the place we were at yesterday. She walked 2 hours to get to our clinic because she couldn’t make the one yesterday. She wasn’t young, but she needed to be seen. I am glad she made the trip. We were able to witness to her and pray over her.

 

We showed the Jesus film tonight where we are staying. I got to babysit one of the babies, so her mom could watch the movie. It was awesome. It is so different here. The people are so inviting and just welcome you.

 

Erin said she would like to return. I would like that too. I feel like I am giving her something that my dad has given me, a passion to help others.  Dad couldn’t come this year, and I miss him not being with us. But, I am able to talk with him on the phone and send him pictures. It is hard for the hubs to have me gone too. I have to say it doesn’t get any easier leaving him to come here. He understands why I go and supports me, but it doesn’t make it easier.

 

Bendiciones,

2017 On Mission

This year was something I was looking forward to. My daughter was coming with the team. We all made it safe to LaCampa March 19^th, despite Erin and 2 others getting car sick. I do have to say they were troopers; no vomit was ever seen!

We hit the ground running once we arrived. I had to sort, divide and plan the clinics. I thought J was going to do this, but it was placed in my hands. Let me remind you, in case you forgot, I am still new at this! I had to say “not today satan!” and pray hard. God touched me and told me, I have placed this in your hands to lead. I have you here for a reason. So I leaned on God’s strength and wisdom to help me sort, plan and give me the knowledge to know what to do.

 

So, this takes us to our first clinic.  140 people! It was cold and up in the mountains. Not what we were expecting. Erin helped out with the clinic. This was a lot different than last year’s trip. The clinic today was busier with more people. There were a lot of kids there and thank goodness some of our other ladies were able to have a make shift children time with them.

After the clinic, and on our way back, we didn’t have enough room in the trucks for all of us because some of the men were staying behind to show the Jesus film and they needed one of our trucks. So, 4 of us had to ride in the back of the truck. I volunteered. I wish I didn’t.

You see, in my mind I am not in my 50’s, but I am in my 20’s. So I think I can do more than my body wants me to do.

Well, I did it. And almost fell out! The roads there are dirt, very hilly and curvy. Then I thought it better to be safe after that and sat down in the truck and the bumps were terrible! My behind was so bruised when we got back. No wonder they tell us it is better to stand. I will never forget that trip!

When we got back and unpacked everything, we sat down for dinner and the lights went out...ALL over LaCampa! So we had to have dinner by "phone" candlelight! It was awesome.

 

I felt God that day. He pulled all of us through in healing the people there and touching their hearts for the first time with the love of God. It is amazing how we can go into these little towns/villages and introduce them to Jesus. Without the clinics, we would not be able to go. I am so glad to be a part of something much bigger than me.

 

Bendiciones,

What just happened?

So now that I have returned home after our first missions with medical clinics, I am thinking, what in the world have I gotten myself into!

I am thinking, I thought I knew everything about being a nurse. I mean, I am an ICU nurse for petes sake! I save lives. I hold the hand of someone dying. I pray with families over their loved one. But being on this first trip humbled me. Not only with me reflecting on what I didn’t know and what I learned but also what I take for granted. I mean, I had to rely on my brain and do a little of McGyver stuff in the clinics. In the ICU, I am used to having monitors and machines to help me think and do all the calculations.  I am used to having all the supplies I need right at my fingertips. But guess what I learned- I still know math! Haha! Yes, I had to add, subtract, multiply to ensure I was giving the correct medications and dosages. All me.

This trip also took me to my uncomfortable zone. I had to push myself to not freak out and break down, at least in public.  I’m not telling you what happens when I was alone before bed!

 

I’m not gonna lie, it was hard work. Harder than what I was doing in the hospital in the ICU. Physically, mentally draining. But God knew how to push. I said when I left that I wasn’t going to do this anymore, but I think it was because of my self-doubt in my abilities. Because I found myself looking forward to our 2017 trip and already planning ahead for it. Dad planted the seed in my heart and God watered it and it grew. It has grown into something that I have no idea where it is going. But God is pruning it every year, and I learn something new every year.

 

Now, onto 2017 Honduras mission experiences!

Bendiciones,

End of our 2016 trip

Hospitality

The people that I have encountered are so friendly and will invite you into their homes.  One of the pastors invited our whole team for lunch one day. In their home. One room home, dirt floors. They made some type of chicken soup and tortillas. It was amazingly good. They killed one of their chickens and I am sure they used most of their food to feed us. There was 15 of us on the team. It brought tears to my eyes and got me thinking, I have so much, and they have so little, but they gave so much. Have you invited anyone to come to your house to eat or for fellowship? This pastor actions spoke volumes to me and the team. I was humbled this day.

 

Our last day in LaCampa, we went to say “see ya next year” to our new friends. Mrs. O made homemade donuts and coffee. I was not a coffee drinker. I told Luis this. He said, “you are today”. So that day I drank black coffee and loved it. And the donuts were amazing!

 

Looking back on this trip, my first medical clinic, my anxiety and God taking it away, God humbling me, God working through me and placing his hands on mine to work the clinics. God placing his thoughts and wisdom on me to know what to do.

Looks like this is only the beginning of something new for our mission team!

 

A month after this trip, I wrote a reflection in my diary. I had a conversation with dad and he told me about him talking with Luis that last day of our trip. He said he was talking with Luis about him not being able to physically do the trips and the work and felt like this was going to be his last trip. Dad said that Luis told him that as long as he brought me with him, there would always be a place for dad. I am so touched by Luis words. I didn’t think I made a difference or impression, or you think you don’t matter much, but you do. No matter how small or insignificant you think you are, to someone else, you are more!

Bendiciones

pressing on

Today we had church and it was 2hrs! The message was talking about passing the torch and I kept thinking how dad put the fire and passion in my heart to do missions. Then I wondered about my kids and if this is something they would want to do. J, our missionary, spoke about her and G and their call to the field. She said that she felt God would not call them separately but put it in both their hearts to go. That got me thinking, I never stopped to ask my hubs if he felt called to mission. This is a conversation we can have.

We had another clinic and I feel the devil working and trying to get me against the goal. These clinics feel so much like work. It is mentally draining. One more day. One good thing was that I got to hold some babies today! They are so cute and so good.

The village we went to today has no church. We were able to witness to104 people today and 44 accepted Christ.

Our last clinic we saw 65 people. There were some sick people this day. One girl had seizures, one 4 yo had a temp of 101.3. But God was looking out for us and there was a doctor at his clinic that day. I was able to send them to him to see him. The only reason they came to us and not him first is because we were free. We sent this doctor 4 patients that day. 

Out of that 65, 37 accepted Christ. This little town has never been reached and God opened the doors through our medical clinics for us to witness to them about Christs love. What an amazing day and miracles seen.

I didn’t want to do anything medical this trip and I feel like I have worked my whole trip, but God used me and my talents to open doors and witness to people. God uses us where we are strong and builds us up. I am learning this new part of my life now, medical missions, and am glad I am getting to experience this.

 

Bendiciones

Spiders

In Honduras, the spiders are very BIG! I encountered one on March 10, 2016! I will never forget.

It was in my bathroom by my towel. When I went to grab it, there he was. I screamed and thank goodness I had clothes on because I ran out of my room! One of the guys came in and took care of it for me. I had so much trouble going to sleep that night!

I met some of the local neighbors and kids. Again, making longtime friends and I am still connected with them today.

I am finding that I am fixing and mending a lot of our team members on this trip. Not sure what is going on, but they are saying that this is the first trip that they are getting hurt. Good thing I came! I have been put to the test. Some injuries are not so serious but some were, like passing a kidney stone. Thank goodness I have a good cell phone plan so we could call his MD and get some direction. Oh, everything turned out ok with him too.

I got to see how pottery is made there. It was demonstrated by O, one of the ladies that live there and is friends with J. It is very interesting how the tools they have are just everyday stuff. She used a fork, knife, corn cob.  While there, I did a check up on her family and was able to give them some medications to help them out. Before I left, O hugged me so tight and prayed over me. It was very moving.

Bendiciones

My very first clinic

2016 mission LaCampa; day 3 is a day of preparation for the medical clinics. I am anxious as I go through the supplies, because I still do not know what to expect and if I will do good. I missed an opportunity to talk with some visitors that came into the hostel. They were from England and hiking here on vacation. I heard the small voice in my head telling me to invite them over and talk with them, but fear took over and I didn’t listen to God. I had an opportunity to witness and didn’t. I know I am not the only one that has done this. If you are one of them, please keep in mind that God does not give up. He will keep giving you opportunities until you trust him and listen.

Day 4 was clinic day. I started my day out with my devotion: 1 Corinthians 7:7- Each of you has your own gift from God, one has this gift, another has that. This spoke volumes to me. My gift is nursing and caring for people. I did this in the name of God for 86 people that day. When our clinic started I was so anxious. And when it was over, I felt it was all chaos. But after dinner in reflection time, our missionary, J, told me that our interpreter, M, said it was one of the best ran clinics, no chaos. I will take her word for it, because she has more experience with clinics than I do. While I was working and being so serious and anxious, she was able to make me laugh and lighten up.

We had a share time with some of the ladies and I felt God nudging me to share my testimony. So, this time I listened and pushed through the fear. I told my testimony of faith and how it got me through cancer. How my hair fell out and how sick I was and how God showed his love to me through my church and family loving and caring for me. I shared how seeing his love reassured my faith. I cried. Like a baby. Everyone cried. I feel like God nudged me so that Maria could share her testimony. She broke down and we prayed over her. I know God will be looking out for her and loving her. Afterward, we fellowshipped together with lemongrass tea. It was amazing. And yes, I drank the water!

 

Bendiciones