Honduran News,
June 14, 2007
The Discovery Medical Mission Ciriboya Project a United Methodist VIM, AHMEN
Team joined member of the CHIMES group from California to minister to
the Garifuna people on the mosquito coast of Honduras. Our team worked very hard
in the heat, upper 90'sF and high humidity. Even late at night the temperature
was still in the 80'sF. Staying hydrated was a challenge, two of our members
suffered heat exhaustion. The team members did not leave their place of service.
The need for care was great!
The Discovery Honduran medical, eye, and vet teams joined Honduran, Garifuna
and Cuban doctors and medical personnel to treat over 1100 people. The people
received eye exams and were fitted with glasses the same day.
After being examined by one of the doctors, they went for lab work as needed
and went to the pharmacy for prescribed medicine.
Over one million vitamins were given to the people. Their eyes were
examined with the most up to date optical equipment. The vet team
treated over 1000 dogs, horses and cows.
What a sight to see, all the different cultures working together
in ministry to the Honduran people. There is no doubt that we
can accomplish much in ministry together. The reason we are in
Honduras is to join God in
HIS ministry in Honduras! Praise be to GOD for allowing us to
serve the Honduran people.
This Sunday June 17 at Discovery UMC, Hoover, Alabama the 1100
plus names of people treated will be placed on the altar for a
time of prayer! God is blessing our joint ministry!
Joe Jones, Team Leader, Discovery United Methodist Chruch
Ciriboya Clinic, Ciriboys, Honduras
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Dr. Wendy King, an ER peditrican from Atlanta
Georgia, dresses the wound of a four-year-old burn victim.
Assisting her is veternarian Stephanie Maples. The night before,
the child's grandmother walked 30 minutes in the dark carrying
him to the clinic in Tocamacho when she heard that a medical
team was present. Following her were a few neighborhood children.
While Dr. King gently scraped the burned skin from the boy's
tiny arms, he never cried or whimpered. |
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Although the clinic had closed hours ago, it
was full of spectators, curious children and the American
team. Occasionally, a bat even flapped down quickly from the
rafters. Dr. King armed the grandmother with antibiotics and
pain medicine and requested that the child return the next
morning for a check-up. After walking another 30 minutes home
and sleeping little during the night, the grandmother rose
early and repeated her journey. Although she worries about
some swelling in the child's hand, Dr. King feels confident
that the child will heal well. If he had not received medical
care, he may have suffered from a fatal infection. |
 |
A Honduran dentist joined our medical team as
we traveled to Tocamocho, Pueblo Nuevo, and Ciryboya. He pulled
135 teeth in two days. He told me that many times he has no
pain killer and must use psychology to calm his patient's
fears and pain. |
A Garifuna woman from Pueblo Nuevo, who helped cook the medical
team's lunch, blesses the food with a prayer. |
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In a church in Limon, Christians gather five nights a week
to lift voices and beat drums in praise to God. |
Through a grant written by UAB Dr. Brad Guffey and private
donations, Discovery United Methodist delivered over $300,000.00
worth of medications to Honduran people, who lack human and
medical resources. (I need to check with Brad about the monetary
figure. I believe that's what Joe told me.)
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Showing gratitude, this elderly man hugged and kissed several
members of the Discovery AHMEN team after he received prescription
eye-glasses. Under the leadership of Hugh and Mary Guffey, the
eye clinic also distributed reading glasses and sunglasses. Every
school-aged child in the villages of Ciriboya, Tocamacho, and
Pueblo Nuevo received sunglasses as a preventive measure against
cataracts.
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