Yorito Mission Trip July 2004
7/23/04
Packed today for something I’ve wanted to do for a VERY long
time. CD and I leave in
the morning on a mission trip.
We’re going to Honduras with a group called
AHMEN (Alabama Honduras Medical Educational Network).
7/24/04
Arrived at Birmingham airport about 4:15
am; flight is scheduled to depart at
6:30. It was interesting
watching people arrive in our group, none of which we knew except
for Staci Mitchell. Some
seemed a bit reserved; others were more out-going. But
all were friendly. We left
on time and flew to Houston, leaving there
about 10:15 am. I have some nausea – probably from the
new gerd medicine, nexium. It’s
my first full day without the iron pills too – Dr. says
I’m no longer anemic! We landed at San Pedro Sula about 12:40 (11:40 local time, Central
Time with no daylight savings time).
Waited in line for immigration checks,
which didn’t take too long, shorter than I’d expected. Gathered our luggage, lots of it, and went outside
to wait for our bus. We
waited in the HOT sun for about a half hour and then the school
bus – turned church bus - pulled up.
We drove to El Progresso, probably about an hour.
Had lunch at Pizza Hut; it was very good (tasted like American
pizza). About 2:30 we left for the
long bus trip to Yoro, almost 3 and a half hours. Hot, no air conditioning, terrible roads, mostly
dirt, some paved but full of potholes. Trash littered the roadside. Our bus labored; bet we didn’t average
30 miles per hour. Some
road construction was occurring.
But the drive was beautiful.
Corn was planted on the very steep slopes – had to
have been done by hand. Cows
grazed along the roadside, some “tethered” to trees. Cowboys on horseback were a frequent sight.
Adults and children waved to us as we drove through some
small villages. We stopped for a “drink break” at a roadside stand
about an hour and a half into the trip.
Finally arrived at our hotel and cleaned up a bit. It wasn’t 5 star, but ok…clean,
shower (no tub) and no hot water at the bathroom faucet (shower
did have warm water). Had dinner at the hotel’s
restaurant. We are
told not to eat the cheese of any kind unless it is melted or
to have salads. I had frito chicken and pollo y arroz. Showered and went to bed about 9:30.
Sunday, July 25th
Arose about 6, slept well. Tanya and Kelly said they’d heard gunfire
about 3:30. I’d heard nothing, which is strange, since
I am such a light sleeper. Guess
I was just that tired. I
went for a brief walk with CD and Dr. Birdsong, a retired ob-gyn
from Jasper. 
Some shop vendors start opening about 6:30. We walk maybe 3 blocks or so and see Lexie and
Bucket returning from their morning walk.
We’re met by two who had a little too much “fun
“ last night and are staggering down the street.
This may be a wild place!
We arrive back at the hotel and go into the restaurant
for some strong coffee – no leche –might not have
been pasteurized, we’re told.
The bus left for the 45 minute drive to Yorito, where we
are to set up the clinic. And
I thought the roads were bad coming from El Progresso!
Winding, dirt and paved, winding, and winding some more. But it is a beautiful drive. We see the mountains in the distance and the
air (remember no air conditioning) is fresh and clean. We arrive in Yorito, a small town of about 2,000
east of Montana El Pijol. We
are “setting up” at the local pastor’s house,
Modesto Gonzales. Actually, it is his church. The church is downstairs, his parsonage is upstairs.
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