Drugs and painting

On Wed. we went to the Bodega. Judy, Dinah and I sorted medicines and organized the pharmacy.
Judy got beat down by a huge cardboard box of medical supplies, while Jeremy got beat down by stomach rumblings.
Terry and Byran also came to the Bodega to help load school lunch tables and chairs in between running errands (or driving halfway to the airport then coming back).
Terry came into the pharmacy to help organize it but I think he really just came in for the air conditioning.
In the afternoon we loaded up the truck and went to San Migel to paint a house. We transfered into Randy's truck and he drove us up, up, up and a little higher to the house we would be painting. We painted the house pink, with a red door and window. There we no matter mishaps during this excursion, except that while painting the upper half of one of the walls I stepped back into the pan of pink paint. Yes, my shoe was covered.
We walked back down the mountian to catch a ride one of the buses. I'm sorry, did I say walked down? No, I mean't hiked down. My legs got the best workout they had had in a long time.
All the kids in the village surrounded the buses as we pulled out.
I love being up in the villages in the mountains. I think that one of my favorite views is standing up in the hills and looking out across the valley, seeing the kids and people run about doing their daily routines.

PT day two

I forgot. On Monday we also headed back to tegucigalpa.
On Tuesday we went to a Special needs orphange to play with the kids and hand out clouths and toys. We stopped at the grocery store first to get some things for the kids.
When we got there Judy, Dinah and I started sortingthe clouths, but then Brett came and found us to tell us that he found a PT who was working with some of the kids now.

Of course, by the time we got over there Dennis and Jeremy had gotten word and were treating some of the kids as well. we all joined in and had an awesome experience.

We headed to a Hospital next. Once there we split up into teams and scattered around the different wards to visit the kids and play with them.

Last year I placed myself behind a video camera, but this year I put it aside and really dove into the kids. I am glad I did b/c I got to really experience the situation I was in. I only wish I could have some out with pics of the the kids, then I could post them. (JUDY)

This day was very emotionally draining, but I think it was one of my favorite days in Honduras..ever.

One thing that made this day special was getting to see Jeremy, Dinah and Dennis experience what a 3rd world country hospital is like. We all know what top notch US hospitals are like since we have worked in them, but knowing what it should be and seeing what it is not can be overwhelming.

A day of PT

On Monday we awoke to our first full day in Honduras.
We split up into groups and Loaded the buses. The construction crew and the PT crew got on the same bus and headed out to the construction site. After dropping the CC off we headed to the local Rehabilitation center to do a little PT.
Once we got there, the manager gave us a tour around the facility and showed us the trade training the patients recieved after the graduated from therapy. Some of the post-patients were making school desks and other were making frames for walkers etc.
Then we were lead to the PT building. Upon entering you could tell that it was a PT room. There were low mats, parallel bars, stairs and even an ultrasound machine.
We split into groups to take on the line of patients waiting and went to work. Dinah and Dennis teamed up and Jeremy, Judy and I made the other team. Each group had a translator. Since I was the one who had just come out of orthopedics I was elected the first to evaluate the patient...in walks an 18 month old little girl.
Dr. Darr I thought of you immediatly
We teamed together and got it done.
I eventually broke off from Judy and Jeremy and saw some less invasive cases to make sure everyone got to see a PT.

After we were done we all took a photo in front of the the gate with the name of the rehab clinic on it, and then loaded up to go pick up the construction crew.

BUT, the construction crew was not finished with the house so we headed back to the hotel....THEN....the entire muffler system fell off the bus.

That night at devo we learned that the locals had banded toether to help finish the house.

This day I was reminded of just how much we have here in the States. The PT clinic did not even have theraband or reflex hammers. Well, they did have A theratube untill Dinah broke it. (her patient did, just kidding)

I stand to praise you

After we dropped our luggage off at the hotel we headed to the church to help....well actually we went and stood.

Ok times out. I had written this section 3 times now, and each time I somehow manage to erase it, so if it is not up to my level of work I apologize.

After standing somemore we helped fill bags with koolaid for the kids in VBS.

Once the other teams finished painting and doing VBS we headed back to the hotel to change to comeback to the church for thier evening service.

The church was packed and the air was filled with singing, preaching, translating and it was awesome.

That night at devo I was exhausted...we had been up over 20 hours and with the time change I was dead on my feet.

But being there listening to the singing and the words...I was at peace.
And as I lay in my bed..knowing I was in Honduras... and knowing what it took to get there ........I was home.......at last.

of course the bed Dinah and I shared folded to the middle, so really it was like sleeping in a hoagie bun.

We got on this plane without anymore incidents. We were making one stop in El Salvador then changing planes and jumping over into Honduras. I was sitting between Judy and Dennis when we landed and the Stew. Announced "Welcome to Nicaragua!" WHAT?
I quickly found my boarding ticket and there was nothing about making a stop here. Judy exclaims, "DO NOT get off the plane...I AM NOT GETTING OFF THE PLANE!"
After we all changed our pants and calmed down we settled back took pictures and waited till we took off again this time for El Salvador. By the time we reached Honduras we had gone through 3 different times zones and 4 different countries within 4 hours. The US, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.

When we got to the Tegucigalpa airport it was a sight. Over the past year they have remodeled and built onto it. It was beautiful. After going through immigration and having our finger prints scanned (new) we went to await for our luggage which might not be there. As we are sweating it out, a American Airlines attendent came up to me and asked if we were us and that our luggage had arrived yesterday. YIPPEE!!!!We had to wait for our luggage to be brought over and then had to scan them to leave the airport, which is something that I had never done before. There was a new glass frosted wall that prevented us from seeing who was waiting for us, but as I got closer I could see Terry's shoes!!

HOME at last!!!

We all headed outside to Terry's and Jen Arnold's cars and loaded up to head out to Chomeagwa (sp?) a town about 2 hours from Tegucigalpa.

Photos from Central America

This is Dinah, Judy and I sitting on the plane on the runway in Nicaragua, the country we did NOT know we were going to.

This is Jeremy, Judy, Dinah and Dennis sitting in the San Salvador Airport waiting to fly to Honduras.

The never ending day

The lady at the American Airlines counter was not happy with us, but she gave us our boarding passes for the flight to Miami, BUT not for the flight from Miami to Honduras. She said we would need to pick those up in Miami.

2 hours later we land in Miami and proceed to find our gate, but we have a 5 hour layover. We could not find a screen that told of our flight so we had to ask which one it was. Once we march all the way to the end of the airport, from D terminal to A terminal, we find there is no one at the gate.

Well, since we had 5 hours to kill we decided to head to get something to eat and watch the world cup. Well, the game went into double over time and then into penalty kicks. We dragged ourselves back to the gate at the end of the hallway to get our boarding passes. We still had about an hour and 20 min before boarding time.

We waited in line and THEN we we reached the front of the line we were told that the plane was over booked and our tickets had been given away.....WHAT?.

Yes, the counter guy at TACA airlines said that at an hour to boarding time, if you have not checked in your tickets are given away. Well, Judy went to work, I was put in time out over by the people mover.

See there is a saying about TACA airlines which goes something like this...T=take A=a C=chance A= airlines

After about 2 hours, alot of walking and being reassured our luggage will not be lost we leave Miami airport with vochers for 2 rooms at the Courtyard Marriot, 2 free meals, and a $200 TACA vocher. Oh and transportation to hotel in paid for.

At this point we are all tired and realize that we will need to wake up at 1:45 am to get to the airport at 3am for the 5am flight, so we order our food, take showers and go to bed....at 6pm. The boys on the other hand decide to go to the Fl marlins vs Boston game.

I feel asleep about 6ish but wake up around 830pm and cannot fall back asleep untill about 1130pm. Of course I packed underwear in my backpack but my plan to pack an extra pair of cloths fell through sat morning, so I had to put back on the cloths I wore the day before.

We make it to the airport on time and get our boarding passes, BUT when I asked about our luggage TACA responds with "American Airlines never transfered your luggage to TACA"
So I spent the next few min talking with AA and trying to figure out where I bags were. Well, here is another meaning for TACA, T=that A=aint C=coming A=amigo or "Take a carry on always"

American said we could not claim our bags untill we made it to Honduras and then we would have to claimthem with TACA....oh yeah right.

We made the lonely walk back to the end of A terminal to await our flight.

In the beginning

This years journey to Honduras began on Friday June 30th.
I left Dyersburg around 1:30pm to drive to Nashville b/c Judy, Dinah, Jeremy, Dennis and I were flying out of BNA at 6:30 am to Miami.

Judy and I stayed at Dinah's and then met the boys at the airport. On way to the airport we realized that we were not sure which airline we were flying to Miami, but we knew we were flying TACA airlines from Miami to Honduras.

Trying to check in at the airport was a little difficult since we had NO paper work to give the counter personnel to verify we were changing carriers in Miami. The CSR asked us at least 5 times if we had any papers to verify the changing of carriers, so we had to do a little dance with waving of the arms to say, "Again No, we have NO paper"......and so began.......

HONDURAS........The Musical

Screen play by: Anna Palmer and Judy Mitchell
Music By: Various artists
Choreography By: Judy Mitchell and Anna Palmer