We returned to the International Church of Comayagua, where the medical brigade set up shop to serve the locals in profound ways. There was general wellness checks, a dental group, and a pharmacy that aided people who normally could not afford such services. Another group took care of the kids while the parents sought treatment, with a bounce house, face painting, popcorn and more!
Day 3 Recap
A few of the men headed up into the mountains to work on home improvements for a local disciple named Kaylee. She is building her own home brick by brick, and we did our best to clear the brush surrounding the small domicile, and make the entrance accessible. We will continue to raise funds and return next year hopefully with the intention of installing windows and doors, and improving the roof, and also pouring concrete for the floor.
The second part of our day was spent visiting a public hospital with a maternity ward. This was a very sobering experience, as there are few public hospitals in Honduras, and people have to travel several hours just to reach one. Although there are private hospitals in Honduras, most people cannot afford access to them. This leaves public hospitals as the only choice for most of the country.
These public hospitals are small and lack many resources. There is very limited staff, and they are even more limited in resources like medicine and equipment.
The women on our team had the opportunity to go inside the maternity Ward at the hospital, rotating in small groups. We got to see women before they gave birth, women in labor, and women right after giving birth. These are very simple, basic rooms with several women in each room. There’s no privacy, just rooms with beds in them. Some medical students on our team from the US found out that the hospital has hardly any equipment, and there are very limited medicines. One student volunteered for a few weeks in Honduras before our mission trip, and they had to provide their own masks and gloves. We also learned that women here at the hospital give birth without epidurals. Yes, women have given birth for ages before modern medicine without pain medication, but in our age of modern medicine, it was a reminder to me that this is still a privilege for many. Overall, visiting the maternity Ward was a reminder to me of so many privileges we have in the US.
The men and women on our team who were outside with those waiting handed out juice boxes and talked with them, learning their stories and praying with them for their loved ones inside. Each small group had at least one person who could communicate in rudimentary Spanish. Hearing the stories of their loved ones inside was moving. One family had been outside for eight days waiting on their mom, who was inside with diabetes complications. Yes, outside waiting for 8 days, in the heat, rain, thunderstorm, overnight, etc. Many live too far away to head home, so they are left to live outside the hospital during their wait. Another family was waiting for a 2-year-old who fell off the back of a motorcycle and cracked their head open. The child is undergoing surgery, heartbreakingly sad. Some young girls were holding babies outside, some were older sisters caring for their youngest sibling (one girl had six younger siblings, and she looked no older than 14), while Mom was inside getting a check-up, and others were there with their own young babies who looked barely any older.
While talking with people and praying with the people outside, we saw three emergency situations involving ambulances. Two young men were brought in who had been involved in motorcycle accidents; one had his head wrapped in gauze, and you could see the blood through the gauze. Another had a leg injury, and upon transferring him to a gurney, he looked to be in incredible pain. We also saw a newborn being rushed outside into an ambulance on a ventilator. We then saw a woman, the mom, walking behind and managing her own IV pole, we just undergarments on. Even though they were rushed out of there, the ambulance sat there for at least 12 minutes before leaving. Are Honduran brothers and sisters with us told us that they would most likely be taken to the next biggest public hospital 2 hours away, but the likelihood of better care there was very slim.
The ambulances were very rudimentary. Basically, a stripped-out van or Jeep style. Our ambulances in the US look like a country club compared to these ones. I couldn’t see many supplies inside, it looked like an empty van. They just don’t have the resources. Once they unloaded the passenger of the one they had to spend time fixing the ambulance including fixing a flat tire.
Not to say the US healthcare system is flawless, but seeing this makes me see what incredible benefits we have within that imperfect system. It was a very sobering and eye-opening experience. Many of us left with heavy hearts, grappling to process what we just saw.
The pictures attached cannot capture what we saw. And I did not include many pictures inside and outside the hospital, because we just didn’t feel right taking pictures of our fellow brothers and sisters in these vulnerable states. – written by Jennifer Alexander