We saw a total of 664 patients during our brigades this month (this does not include the members of our group who saw doctors and got medications) and 70 of the patients were able to get dental care. We gave out 50 maternity kits (which included diapers, blanket, onesies) and scores of compression socks. Everything is free to the people who come to the brigades. We will start planning for our January trip soon, donations will be used to purchase medicine, supplies, and to pay our Honduran colleagues. We are most grateful for the support from so many that allow us to do this work. To donate: https://givebutter.com/nEdX5k. To learn more and for information on participating on a future trip, please email leet22@gmail.com.

When we do our medical brigades, we have young Hondurans assisting us, they serve as interpreters, assist in the pharmacy, with the patient forms, and more. This past trip we had 2 nurses, 2 interpreters, a dental student, and 3 who helped in different areas of the brigades. They are critical for the success of the brigades and help the US volunteers to better understand daily life in Honduras. The above note is from one of our nurses who participated in the brigades last week and this helps to illustrate that the impact of our service work goes beyond the medical care provided to the communities. This was her first time with our group. Photos of our group that include our young colleagues are below.

We will have 5 volunteers from the States (who pay their own way) and our Honduran colleagues will include 4 physicians, 4 nurses, 2-3 interpreters, a pharmacist, dental student (who does cleanings), security guard, driver, and our logistics person. We typically have a few young Hondurans assisting with our brigades, the photos shows the ones who worked with us in January. We’ve purchased about $6000 of medicine from Honduran pharmaceutical companies, each patient will see a nurse, a doctor, and get medicine from the pharmacy, all at no cost to them. We’ll provide maternity bags for expecting mothers and ones with infants. This summer we’ll work along side of Mission Honduras for 2 our of brigades. Mission Honduras has distributed water filters in many villages and returns to do to checkups to ensure the filters are working well.

We are going to Honduras soon to do medical brigades in 4 villages, Coyolito, La Mesa, Chaguite, and El Plan. We work with the Horizons of Hope Foundation in Honduras and their co-founder and logistics person, Carlos (Churri) Aguilar. Churri coordinates the hiring of physicians, interpreters, security, and other personnel, our living arrangements, the ordering of medicine and supplies, and so much more. He is an excellent colleague who is collaborative, thoughtful and forward thinking. He’s had some extra prep work for this trip and we are looking forward to working with him soon. The photo is of Churri with Dr. Amy Fong, who has been a physician with our group in past brigades (she’ll be with the Mission Honduras water group this August).

We will use this page to provide updates on our work in Honduras.