Overlooking the gorgeous mountains of
Honduras, the first morning of my mission trip started on a beautiful cool
morning at the "Rock" for our devotional. After singing and
listening to a short message, we made plans to attend our first work day
building a home. I was asked by Gayle Davidson, our Nurse Practitioner and Doctor, to join her at a clinic that she would be conducting that day
instead of going to the building site. At first, I was disappointed
because I thought I was asked because I was "too old" or it was
thought the day would be too much for me. Little did I know that the work
at the clinic is just as hard as the physical building!!! When we arrived
at the site for the clinic, we began setting up tables for the triage area, a
doctor's examination area, and a pharmacy. I had helped the night before
with labeling medicines and was familiar with some of them and began setting
out the bottles, etc. according to specific needs...vitamins, antibiotics,
allergies, stomach, etc. My brain immediately "kicked into high
gear" as the first patients started coming with their prescriptions.
I learned how to listen to the Gayle in the background and get a head start on
what was needed, learned how to recognize different medications, and learned
how to read labels in Spanish! It was an exhilarating experience to be
useful and needed to help fill the prescriptions. I worked along side
Belinda Smelser and Maria, one of our interpreters, and was just as tired at
the end of a long day as if I had swung a hammer. I am grateful that I
was asked to help serve 152 patients that day, but the MOST IMPORTANT part
of the day was the contact with the people of Honduras. They are so kind
and sweet, patient and loving, and I will NEVER forget those first hugs of people
who are so grateful to have medical care that we take for granted. It was
an awesome beginning to my first mission trip and the start of what turned out
to be an inspirational, amazing 12 days. "I Stand in Awe of
God" has a special meaning to me now, and I pray I will be able to have
the privilege of serving again in this way. Alex Riggs and Megan Davidson ran triage and the door. Another endless job, they excelled at figuring out the problems we faced and the kids entertained.
