The Work of the Mission Continues

 

NY/HELP volunteers don’t know, at this point, when they might be able to travel to Honduras to continue their work helping the people in the mountains. 

On January 25, 2021, health authorities confirmed that Honduras is seeing a second wave of COVID-19 infections, noting a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations and triage center consultations. Health Ministry officials say that COVID-19 consultations in the department of Cortés, home to the industrial hub of San Pedro Sula that is currently dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Eta and Hurricane Iota, have risen by 200 per cent after the holiday season.   Daily new cases have surpassed 1,000 on several occasions in January, while the 8 January daily death count of 52 was the country’s highest since the 56 deaths reported in early August.
Although nationwide hospital occupancy rate is at about 55 per cent, nearly every hospital’s intensive care units (ICUs) are 100 per cent occupied.

 In spite of COVID-19, work is going forward on building the new middle school, which will house a satellite clinic as well.

 

 

The new Honduran doctor and nurse were not able to travel to the clinic in La Laguna in December due to the road being impassable after the last hurricane.

With the needed addition of the two medical people, our need for donations has grown so we will be able to afford this necessary help in the clinic.

Any donations you can give would be especially appreciated.  Checks can be made out to NY/HELP Honduras and sent to:

NY/HELP

c/o Arcade United Church of Christ

PO Box 95

Arcade NY 14009-0095

News from NY/HELP Honduras

 

The clinic in La Laguna has not had a doctor visit to see patients since Dr Gordon’s last trip in the summer of 2017.  In the last month or so NY/HELP has found new medical help for the clinic.   One is a local Honduran doctor and the other is a Honduran nurse practitioner. The doctor now comes up to the clinic once a month, and the nurse practitioner twice a month. They see many patients and our nurse, Mirtila is grateful for their presence. That is most definitely great news!  Now our group needs to raise more funds so that we can pay for their services, an expense they didn’t have when Gordon was going down yearly.  It costs $150 per month for the doctor, plus paying for the transportation to get her up the mountain to the clinic.  It costs $125 per trip or $250 per month for the nurse practitioner, plus his transportation as well.

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The other news is that Honduras was not spared when Hurricane Eta hit Nicaragua earlier in the month.  Honduras did not take a direct hit, but the hurricane’s path went across Honduras slowly, bring with it much wind and rain.  Lower areas got raging waters and floods.  La Laguna, up in the mountains, did not have flooding, but the wind and rain badly damaged our nurse, Mirtila’s house. Pictures are below.

 

 

Any donations you can give would be especially appreciated. Checks can be made out to NY/HELP-Honduras and sent to:

NY/HELP

c/o UCC Congregational Church

PO Box 95

Arcade, NY 14009-0095

 

More about Covid-19 in Honduras

NY/HELP's first Honduran coordinator lives in San Pedro Sula now.  I texted back and forth with him today (with the help of Google Translate).  He says there are about 95 cases in San Pedro Sula.  People are to stay in their homes until April 12.

He said there are no buses or taxis running. People can't go out -- are alone in their block or neighborhood.  He was planning to go to a small store to see if he could get some beans to have in an emergency.

We are in his prayers. Please keep him, and the people of Honduras in your prayers until we get to the end of this pandemic.

Covid-19 in Honduras

From Alba Luz, the head of the CEVER School

Everyone is on lockdown.

In Yoro there is already a positive case of COVID19. There are also several suspicious ones. No one can travel to Yoro from the tribe or visa versa. 

Supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and service stations are closed. There is already little food in the homes.

She said, “We have 12 days with my family alone at home.”


Please pray for our friends in Honduras.

Mission Trip Returrned March 6th.

Just to let you know that our team consisting of Connie, Shelsea, Justo, and Scott returned yesterday (March 6) from Honduras after a very productive trip.  We will soon be submitting a trip report, but this is just some highlights.

 

Overall, we focused on improving communication and encouraging tribe empowerment (decision-making).  Our time was work intensive with full days, many meetings, two sewing graduations, two teacher workshops, two community meetings, and the staking out of the remaining five classrooms needed to complete the six-room, grades 7-9, Lower Village School/Clinic.

Mission Trip to Begin February 28

Four NY/HELP volunteers will be traveling to Honduras Friday, Feb 28 to spend a week with the people in the mountains of Honduras.
 They will visit the clinic in La Laguna and also the village of Mescales lower down the mountain where a new Middle School is being built for the students in that area.

Below are pictures of the new middle school under construction.

Above Joel and Reina are having lunch with a man who is the head of the Village of Mescales.

 Above are students from El Chorro and Agua Blanca. 

There will be more pictures after our volunteers return home from this latest trip.

The Clinic in La Laguna Renamed

At their November 3, 2019 meeting, NY/HELP proposed renaming the clinic in Honduras after Dr. Gordon Comstock. The people of Honduras approved this andCEVER (the vocational school in nearby Yoro), made this plaque for the clinic. A very special honor for an incredible man.

This new plaque will be hung inside the clinic.