One day at the airport in San Pedro Sula, a man approached me and introduced himself as Rev. Daniel Castro...a former president of AIEH. He had heard that we were working with the clinic of Pinalejo and explained that he works with a Children's Orthopedic clinic in San Pedro. If we ever needed anything at all, he was there to help us. He gave me his contact info and was on his way. Another chance meeting that has proved to be an incredible opportunity.
A number of weeks ago, David, Artie, and I stopped by the clinic to see him to find out more. We learned that they specifically serve children up to age 17 through an organization called Cure International. Their goal is to be able to provide services to the poorest of the poor who have no resources.
Daniel also told us that he could refer other types of patients that we encounter in the clinic to specialists that have the same goals. This kind of connection is fabulous as someone trying to negotiate an appointment with someone like a cardiologist or Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor would otherwise have to wait months on end to get an appointment, pay more money, and likely get lost in the system. The reality in Honduras is that there is just not enough health care to go around.
So, we set up our first appointments with Daniel and his clinic. He told us to be there before 6:30 AM on May 11. We made plans with the two families that needed services and made the trip. We took in one family with a baby with a club foot who is undergoing a process of casting to correct the foot. We also took in a little girl named Zusel who is 5 years old and has never been able to walk. She has some problems with her hips and tendons and how everything is connected.
So, we got up at 4 AM, met the two families at 5 AM and were at the clinic by 6 AM to get in line. There were others there already waiting. We learned that all of them had little cards with their appointments written on them. We had not been given appointments. As the nurses organized the people and gave them numbers to get them into order, I started to get nervous wondering if we would be seen. We explained that Daniel had told us to be there and the nurses told us that we would have to wait for him to come in. We called him and he assured us that he would be in.
For us, it was a role reversal from working on the other side in the clinic at Pinalejo. We have to maintain order and do crowd control for the long lines of people that come in and wait at the gate at 6:30 AM to be first in line when it opens at 8 AM. We have people that try to convince us that they are sicker than the others. They tell us that they have travelled by foot, by hours to get to the clinic. Answers like "come back tomorrow" are not realistic for these cases to we do the best we can to accomodate. We see people become urgent. They push and crowd to try to get in.
We found ourselves sitting there in line, wanting a number to be garunteed an appointment. We started looking around and thinking, Zusel can't even walk...she needs services more than some of the other kids. We kept thinking, "we all got up at 4AM and travelled all the way from Pinalejo to be here." Maybe if we sit closer to the door our chances will be better...I found myself experiencing that same sense of urgency.
And, as promised, Daniel arrived and got our appointments set up. We got our numbers and waited patiently without worry that we would be seen. Thankfully, we had the connection to Daniel. Those who have to advocate for themselves alone probably have an even harder time. For us, it was a valuable experience to know what it feels like to be on the other side of a gate...waiting.
Waited almost 5 hours to be seen. That is how it works in Honduras and nobody complains. We have gained a respect for these parents who advocate for their children. Zusel's mother has carried her everywhere for 5 years...not to mention caring for her other 3 children. She is a gentle, patient, and humble woman and we only see her offer love to her daughter. A woman of strength.
We got to play while waiting and have fallen for Zusel completely, a sweet sweet girl who offered us all kisses upon being delivered back to her house after a long day. Both families have follow-up appointments during the summer that we will help to get them to. Zusel has to spend time building up some of her muscles to see if surgery is possible.
...For now, there is hope that she might walk.
"The Place Where You Are Right Now"
We went to La Vueltoza, Honduras in the mountains: the site of the 2007 Pilgrim Lodge Mission Project. PL will be sponsoring the Honduras Partnership project to rebuild 9 houses in this community. This house is one of them. Jack and Becky will be resident first-hand witnesses and experts about this project at Pilgrim Lodge this summer. They were a great help with taking photos and getting information that we can use for the presentation we'll do with the campers.
We worked them so hard that after a week, we had to send them back to college. Both are students at Colby.