“Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and truth.” (I John 3:18)
A mission trip is an expression of Christian love. On June 7, a group made up of St. Mark's parishioners, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and St. Joseph's Hospital will set out to do medical mission work in a rural community outside Santa Barbara, Honduras. We have a comprehensive team - medical, lay, and clerical - and we have gathered as much medical supplies as we can. While we have been given some insights as to what medical problems we may face, we have tried to prepare as comprehensively as possible.
In Honduras, according to the UN, 23.8% of the population lives on less than $1 a day. Another 44.4% lives on less than $2 a day - this is extreme poverty. 30.1% of the population receives no regular health care; 83% are un-insured (World Health Organization). The poplation of Honduras accounts for 60% of those in Central America who are living or dying with HIV/AIDS or tuberclulosis (W.H.O.)
The Team
Honduras
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Our team at the airport. From left to right: Doris (St Mark's parishioner), Kelli (PCOM student and OMM fellow), Liz (team mother), P.J. (St. Mark's parishioner and recent PCOM grad), Sara (St. Mark's parishioner), Paul (Curate, St. Mark's), Amy (St. Joseph's resident physician), Michelle (St. Joseph's physician), Christie (physician assistant, PCOM grad), Mary Cate (St. Joseph's physician assistant and PCOM grad), Nick (St. Mark's parishioner), and Matt (St. Joseph's resident physician). Not pictured is Aron (St. Mark's parishioner) who traveled ahead of the group (and who recently met up with them!)
Safe and sound!
We've arrived! All 12 of us who departed from Newark bright and early this morning are now safely checked into our hotel (Copantl) in San Pedro Sula. The flight was totally uneventful, and the customs process was long but otherwise smooth. We were greeted by representative of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras at the airport, and a hotel bus was waiting to pick us up. The drive to Copantl was an interesting one - a mix of struggling industry and blatant poverty. Even though San Pedro Sula is a city, there are indications that it is a very rural place - fields, livestock and other animals giving testimony.
We are scheduled to attend mass outside Santa Barbara tomorrow morning, after which we will begin to set up our clinic - we begin work Monday morning...more later!
We're leaving on a jet plane... June 5, 2008
"Therefore, as we have oppurtunity, let us do good... Galatians 6:9-10
Just checking out the site to see if all systems are go? And they are, so you folks that will be following our team in Honduras, happy viewing.
Nick.
Packing
Over the past several months, we have been collecting all manner of medications and medical supplies -- antibiotics, gauze, sutures...in all, we amassed eight boxes each weighing approximately 30 pounds. To be in compliance with the laws of Honduras, everything had to have an expiration date of June 2009 or later. We had to make careful inventory of everything we collected and packed to be in compliance with Customs. The boxes were shipped last Friday, and have already arrived in San Pedro Sula.