Tegucigalpa2017

6:05 AM in the breakfast area.   We are not very good at sleeping in.  We were the only ones there and the staff were glad to have something to do since they open at 6AM and most people sleep in on Sunday morning - not us. Susan and the food area.  We made a sample plate of all the curious foods ... we at least tried to eat ( or in some cases, just take a sniff ) of the local delicacies... A picture out the window as we pulled into the church parking lot.  The ward we attended was only about 20 minutes away from the hotel, so it was not too long. Susan and LeeAnn heading into the church.  The church grounds were cut from the side of a big hill and it was a beautiful building.   But the members inside the building were what made it holy. Claudia Rivas, Susan and Cynthia modeling glasses in our little 'lentes para leer' room after church meetings had ended. We started with about 120 pairs of glasses and by the end of the h...

Our first patient of the day - Elvis.  Great guy and laughed kindly at our broken Spanish. Group picture with the Christensens from Layton Utah.  You will notice the YW on the left - Lidia - has both a pink (designating which stake they are from ) and a red ( papers submitted or received mission call ) wristband.  She will find out where she will serve later this week. This is Oscar Castro.   He came back to the clinic after we had completed his treatment and brought us two little gifts  - a Mayan temple and a Mayan statue.  No, we will not be going to jail for taking antiquities out of the country - but we were touched by his kindness and thankfulness.   So we were sitting at a table a few days ago during one of the meals and met this woman from Utah who served a mission in North Carolina years ago and remembered going to dinner in 1989 with a family in a little town in Virgina called Lawrenceville. That would be Mark - one of m...

This morning we awoke to a nice thundercloud off to the west.  Our first patient of the morning, Eduardo.  He was a great patient and it was good to start the day with him.  Look closely at his tie and you will see the Tegucigalpa Temple. Okay, so not everyone in this photo is smiling.  Handhy ( Andy ) is sad because he has to leave us and we are smiling because his treatment is complete .... Henri dressed up for his visit with us - yes we require formal dress now and even though we thought the room was warm, he left his jacket on because he was cold.  Look closely in the back and you will see Susan's color coded cups of instruments.  She knows it is bad when I examine a patient and call 'rainbow'. The majority of the young women we treated we just delightful and fun.  Here are a few of them. Ernesto - one of the guards.   Towards the end of the evening and we are still smiling. Alex - our last patie...

We arrived here in Tegucigalpa around noon, breezed through customs and immigration and found our baggage intact.   The entire plane was a virtual 'brigada reunion' as we renewed friendships and acquaintances from around the USA from previous trips. Okay. Look carefully.  The big blue suitcase on the far left is our clinic case with all our instruments and supplies.  Then imagine the thrill of watching your bag teeter and bounce for 20 minutes through speed bumps, pot holes and multiple near collisions.   Next time we will ride so we cannot see what is happening to our bags.  Although ....if it dropped off, we were at least in a good position to yell ALTO and try and pick up the remains. Here is our coveted corner "clinic" in the clinic.  We have plenty of room to spread out and even have a window.   You can see the map of Honduras that we brought on the wall -- we have our patients put a little sticker where they are from ...

Arriving at the second 'scariest' runway in the world.   You are most likely wondering how we have these pictures when we haven't even left yet.  Well, this is from 4 years ago and trust us that nothing has changed in Honduras ... We basically fly under an overpass and through some mountains and make a hard left turn and hit the brakes. No enclosed jetways at this airport.   If you are not exceptionally mobile, plan on being carried off the plane.  With no screaming or yelling.  For once.  The people here in Honduras are kind and generous.