by Georgia West

It is always difficult to write this article. How do you put into words a heart
overflowing?   Coffee picked just days ago, cooing doves, squealing children are
but a few memories of early morn. Days filled with hard work, warm smiles and
great big hugs.

As we travel up the mountains, piled into the beds of pick-up trucks, we marvel as the
mist shrouds the valley and occasionally treats us to a rainbow. Birds of
paradise line the rutted road as do our black-eyed-susans at home. We reach
our work sites, a one-room church or school without electricity and set to work.
Five-gallon buckets hold all our supplies so the conversion from school to clinics and pharmacy takes but minutes.

Some days the eager patients have arrived early and the line wraps around the
building–always a daunting sight for new members who realize we really will
see 300 patients today!

After a quick history with the nurse the patients wait to be seen by one of our three doctors. The doctors see their patients while perched on a student's chair and patients, often along with several children, occupy a short bench opposite them. It is certainly a startling change for most doctors–no lab, no x-ray and certainly no preauthorization from the PPO!

Many patients have respiratory problems as
they cook indoors over green wood fires.
Others have skin ailments or need something to soothe their aches and pains after working
in the coffee fields all day, equipped only with a bucket, a machete and their hands.
And everyone wants vitamins, parasite medications and a toothbrush.
The pharmacy is their next stop. The pharmacy will fill nearly 4,000 prescriptions
over the four days of clinic. No one leaves without receiving instructions on how to take
their medication.

On the other side of the building, or even outdoors, is the eyeglass clinic. The eye clinic
is at times a magical place where you have the joy of seeing someone's face
when they can see clearly for the first time. Unlike most gringos, Hondurans are
primarily farsighted, meaning they often need nothing more than simple readers to
correct their vision. Who knew that a dollar store pair of readers could keep the shoemaker
in business? Other patients are fitted with prescription lenses donated by the Louisiana
Lions Foundation. Everyone will leave with a pair of sunglasses and soothing eye
drops to protect them from early development of cataracts and pterygiums.

As the week comes to an end our Honduras friends humbles us with a fiesta. I don't think
they ever believe us when we tell them how much more we've received
than given. So we just have to return next year and try again.

ACTS: Honduras is supported solely by team members and the generosity of
parishioners in our diocese. If you would like to help in any way please contact
Georgia or Dwain West at 318-445-9013.

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