Honduras 2012

Jan 22, 2012

Our flight left Philadelphia around 6 am to Miami where we had a four hour layover before our flight to Honduras.  There are 22 of us on our team, so we had quite a collection of boxes, crates and luggage at both airports!  Check in and the flights were uneventful.  We had ice and snow yesterday at home, so we were a little concerned how travel would be to the airport, but it seemed ok.  The early hour certainly helped. 

Once in Honduras it took a little while for immigration and collecting our luggage, but everything arrived.  Our hosts met us and had arranged a school bus for all of the luggage and passenger vans for us.  The drive to the clinic and compound where we are staying was less than an hour.  The roads were well paved and traffic was light though still not as orderly as we are used to in the US.

The Luke World Mission has been here in El Castano for eight years or so.  Dr. David Yoon and his wife (Family Medicine and Dentistry respectively) are the main organizers.  There is a dentist who lives here and many volunteer groups that come in and out.  A large dental group was just here last week.  Some of our team will be seeing patients in the clinic and going out to surrounding villages, and the surgical team will be going to the hospital in El Progresso.  We were also joined by a plastic surgeon and general surgeon from New Jersey who have been here several times before and helped us make our connections here and a medical student.

From the air, Honduras looked lush and green and mostly agricultural.  We didn’t spend any time in San Pedro Sula  but went right to the Luke World Mission compound.  The facilities here are quite nice and we will be spoiled and well fed!  They had a snack ready for us and then we had time to unpack some supplies and relax.  Soon we will have dinner and then get ready for tomorrow.  We already know of several Gyn and General surgery cases which are scheduled.