I want to take a moment to share with you the incredible experience that I had during my medical/surgical mission trip to Tegucigalpa Honduras. It was filled with challenges, hope, and immense fulfillment.
I would like to start off with one of my fears that causes me hesitation just prior to leaving for each mission trip. Often people, co-workers, or friends will say things to me to discourage me from going on a mission trip to an underdeveloped country. Saying: " Why are you going to the murder capital of the world?" " Are you sure you'll be safe there?" " You know that good deeds don't get you into heaven". I struggle with these kinds of comments every year. I have been on multiple trips and it is still hard to hear these comments. I refer to the Bible to remind myself that helping the poor is a biblical principle, helping the poor is important to God, and this moral obligation strengthens our relationship with God.
After hearing such comments I wonder if the Honduran Government really wants us there.
Well, this year God answered one of my prayers. A Honduran Congressman visited our team of 25 volunteers.
We had a Hand surgical team, a spine team, a pediatric hand team, and a sports medicine team. The Honduran Congressman visited us right after we finished one of our family style meals at our hotel. The Congressman spoke to us through an interpreter. I became teary eyed when the Congressman was speaking because he was truly speaking from his heart. He reported to us that he knows that the health care system in Honduras needs a lot of improvements. He has ideas and plans to make it better. He wanted to tell us and ALL other mission teams that American missionaries are WELCOME to help in Honduras. We are all welcome to keep returning because he knows that Honduras needs help. After he met with the group he sat down with two of our surgeons to get their input and ideas. From now on, when someone tries to discourage me from returning to Honduras for a mission trip, I can say with confidence, " The Bible gives messages to help the poor in the Old and New Testaments and the Honduran Government wants us there."
I was serving as an Occupational/Certified Hand Therapist. I feel as though I had the most fun on the team. After the surgeries, I would locate the patient on the floor and bring them down to the Physical Therapy department and remove the post-op dressing, throw away the heavy 1/2 cast, re-dress the hand with light weight sterile bandages and then fabricate a custom very light moldable plastic splint placing the hand, wrist & fingers in a specific position that is best for their healing. Me and the other hand therapist would teach them their exercises and make their splints colorful and bright. We received a lot of smiles and hugs along the way.
The splints were so popular, that when I returned to the patient floors in hospital Escuela, the patients that were not seen by our team, they would try to trick me into removing their casts and replacing the heavy cast with a colorful splint. I had to say " Lo Siento no puedo" I'm sorry I cannot.
I would like to share the story of Karen. Her journey with us was the most impactful for me.
Karen was involved in a horrible autobus accident about 2 1/2 weeks just prior our arrival to Tegucigalpa.
Her left arm suffered a very large area of road rash burn that required a skin graft. About the exact same time as Karen's accident, one of our surgeons received a generous donation of artificial skin substitute material ( he had been working on this donation for a year). On Screening day, the surgeon was excited to see Karen's case because her left arm burn was the perfect case for this expensive material. Karen's debridement and surgery went very well. Karen quickly changed from sad to happy wit hope. I was able to see Karen post-op to fabricate a light weight colorful arm splint to rest the arm while her new skin cells begin to proliferate. The story goes on, As I'm looking for 3 post-op patients that I couldn't find because they got sent home earlier that expected, I decided to put my list of things to do back in my pocket. I told myself, it's God's plan, not my plan. Then my interpreter noticed Karen, still in a room 2 days later. I felt a nudge to go sit down and talk with Karen. Karen asked me why was she still in the hospital? The doctors won't let her go home until the American Surgeon says so. I knew that Karen of course could go home, but felt a sense that I needed to text the surgeon anyway. The Dr got right back to me immediately, he said Of course Karen can go home, while you are there, is Karen willing to let you video her thanking the company for their donation.? Karen said yes but was nervous, so the interpreter and I fixed her hair and helped her feel pretty for the camera. Karen spoke broken English, therefore her video has already touched many hearts about giving. I hope that her video will be used by God to help answer some other people's prayers.
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus"
Philippians 4:19
In summary, The GHO trips have been my favorite mission trips because of the fellowship, the kindness of every team member, the ease of trip planning, the morning devotions, being able to visit my sponsor child through MDM Honduras, the eagerness for learning by the Honduran hospital employees, I could go on and on.
I'm impressed with the quality of care that the Honduran doctors and staff want to give to their patients.
Thank You GHO, MDM Honduras, & CDMA for providing these opportunities to us.
Sincerely
Constance Kurash
I would like to start off with one of my fears that causes me hesitation just prior to leaving for each mission trip. Often people, co-workers, or friends will say things to me to discourage me from going on a mission trip to an underdeveloped country. Saying: " Why are you going to the murder capital of the world?" " Are you sure you'll be safe there?" " You know that good deeds don't get you into heaven". I struggle with these kinds of comments every year. I have been on multiple trips and it is still hard to hear these comments. I refer to the Bible to remind myself that helping the poor is a biblical principle, helping the poor is important to God, and this moral obligation strengthens our relationship with God.
After hearing such comments I wonder if the Honduran Government really wants us there.
Well, this year God answered one of my prayers. A Honduran Congressman visited our team of 25 volunteers.
We had a Hand surgical team, a spine team, a pediatric hand team, and a sports medicine team. The Honduran Congressman visited us right after we finished one of our family style meals at our hotel. The Congressman spoke to us through an interpreter. I became teary eyed when the Congressman was speaking because he was truly speaking from his heart. He reported to us that he knows that the health care system in Honduras needs a lot of improvements. He has ideas and plans to make it better. He wanted to tell us and ALL other mission teams that American missionaries are WELCOME to help in Honduras. We are all welcome to keep returning because he knows that Honduras needs help. After he met with the group he sat down with two of our surgeons to get their input and ideas. From now on, when someone tries to discourage me from returning to Honduras for a mission trip, I can say with confidence, " The Bible gives messages to help the poor in the Old and New Testaments and the Honduran Government wants us there."
I was serving as an Occupational/Certified Hand Therapist. I feel as though I had the most fun on the team. After the surgeries, I would locate the patient on the floor and bring them down to the Physical Therapy department and remove the post-op dressing, throw away the heavy 1/2 cast, re-dress the hand with light weight sterile bandages and then fabricate a custom very light moldable plastic splint placing the hand, wrist & fingers in a specific position that is best for their healing. Me and the other hand therapist would teach them their exercises and make their splints colorful and bright. We received a lot of smiles and hugs along the way.
The splints were so popular, that when I returned to the patient floors in hospital Escuela, the patients that were not seen by our team, they would try to trick me into removing their casts and replacing the heavy cast with a colorful splint. I had to say " Lo Siento no puedo" I'm sorry I cannot.
I would like to share the story of Karen. Her journey with us was the most impactful for me.
Karen was involved in a horrible autobus accident about 2 1/2 weeks just prior our arrival to Tegucigalpa.
Her left arm suffered a very large area of road rash burn that required a skin graft. About the exact same time as Karen's accident, one of our surgeons received a generous donation of artificial skin substitute material ( he had been working on this donation for a year). On Screening day, the surgeon was excited to see Karen's case because her left arm burn was the perfect case for this expensive material. Karen's debridement and surgery went very well. Karen quickly changed from sad to happy wit hope. I was able to see Karen post-op to fabricate a light weight colorful arm splint to rest the arm while her new skin cells begin to proliferate. The story goes on, As I'm looking for 3 post-op patients that I couldn't find because they got sent home earlier that expected, I decided to put my list of things to do back in my pocket. I told myself, it's God's plan, not my plan. Then my interpreter noticed Karen, still in a room 2 days later. I felt a nudge to go sit down and talk with Karen. Karen asked me why was she still in the hospital? The doctors won't let her go home until the American Surgeon says so. I knew that Karen of course could go home, but felt a sense that I needed to text the surgeon anyway. The Dr got right back to me immediately, he said Of course Karen can go home, while you are there, is Karen willing to let you video her thanking the company for their donation.? Karen said yes but was nervous, so the interpreter and I fixed her hair and helped her feel pretty for the camera. Karen spoke broken English, therefore her video has already touched many hearts about giving. I hope that her video will be used by God to help answer some other people's prayers.
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus"
Philippians 4:19
In summary, The GHO trips have been my favorite mission trips because of the fellowship, the kindness of every team member, the ease of trip planning, the morning devotions, being able to visit my sponsor child through MDM Honduras, the eagerness for learning by the Honduran hospital employees, I could go on and on.
I'm impressed with the quality of care that the Honduran doctors and staff want to give to their patients.
Thank You GHO, MDM Honduras, & CDMA for providing these opportunities to us.
Sincerely
Constance Kurash
I'd say that my thoughts are in my story, I hope you choose to post it :)