Carol in Honduras

Our last day in Copan and so many things to catch up on.   The “Rice Foundaiton” set up their clinic in Copan Ruinas. So, at the top of the list was to make them aware of the orphanage and see how we could best meet some of their needs.   I wanted to make sure that, at the very least, Gabrielito (the child with the infection behind his ear) and Rosa’s little guy Nelson had access to the pediatrician.   My real hope is that they might actually go to the orphanage.  Robert will speak with Dona Delsy on Tuesday and ask for her permission to explore this.

Robert and I spoke with the Pastor at the Amigos school about having the children from the hogar attend.  This school is quite strict and wants commitments for attendance for the entire year. He was hesitant to take these children on as that has been a problem with the hogar in the past.   Their Grade One class is really full but, when we described the children that we had chosen to support, they agreed to try to do their best for them.    Belkis and Eduardo (who have both been identified with probable learning problems and simply wouldn’t manage in the public school) will be attending as well as Brayan (a sweet little guy- Grade 1 student) These children will be sponsored through A Better World.

The folks at the Ixbalanque school had been unable to get in touch with the mayors wife for us to meet with her so I’ll e-mail them within the next week to get her e-mail address.

In the afternoon we took Rosa’s little guy back to the Dr.   The Dr. was really pleased with the way the lesions were clearing up.   They look like they will scar though.   So, for now, little Nelson is doing well.

Our last task was to make a last trip to the orphanage to check the tooth-brushing charts and give out finger puppets.  We also brought a supply of soap, shampoo, lice shampoo, and scabies medicine.  I’ll miss some of the wee characters there and feel strange heading back home where we seem to have so many advantages over these little people.   Robert will be staying long term in Copan and will continue to spend time at the hogar.   Christiane is on her way back to Utila.  And- I’m heading home back to my cozy house, husband and fluffy puppy.

Carol with Nelson

Gabriel and Naún

Carlos (aka Chino)

For Christiane and I, it was a laid back day.   Robert however, was up at the hogar early this morning to help get the kids ready and walk them down for church.

Tonight we made a list of what we needed to do tomorrow (our last day in Copan).   We will speak with the pasator who runs the Amigos school about some children at the hogar attending, and stop at “Aqua Pura” to see about water filters for the drinking water at the hogar.   I need to buy a supply of soap and shampoo as well.

These are some of the “faces” at the Hogar Angelitos Felices.

Gabriel

Robert with kids

Christianne with kids

First thing this morning Robert, Christiane and I made our way to Copan Green to arrange for another supply of water to be delivered to the hogar.    Telma’s nephew (who works with World Vision) will be here visiting tomorrow and we will talk with him about biosand filters that he may be able to help us with.

Jean-Mari's birthday

The afternoon was spent at the hogar where there was a celebration for Jean Marie’s birthday.   I brought the girls a notebook with a page each of the medications that there are in the school and included information on what conditions they are used for and duration of treatment etc.  I drew Dona Delsy’s attention to the child with the skin infection on and behind his ear.  She said that it started out as scabies and then he scratches and it gets to this point.   She said that they will put him on an antibiotic but I encouraged them to have him seen by a Dr.

Valentine's day cakes

There was a fun barbeque celebration at our Posada today.   The cake was marvelous- a work of art we thought.   We all enjoyed it very much.

Telma

This is our landlady Telma.   She is a tremendous source of information about the local community and where best to locate whatever we need.  She also seems to be able to diagnose most everything I talk to her about including the rashes that I show her if I take pictures of them.   She is a fabulous hostess, a keen businesswoman as well as being a terrific mother and organizer.   I don’t know what our time in Copan Ruinas would be like without Telma.

We will purchase a supply of soap, baby oil and shampoo .   I had a number of small bars of soap that I am bringing up each day but they seem to be used up really rapidly.

Water dispenser

When I originally thought about what would be most helpful for the hogar, it was to be able to link already existing services here in Honduras to the hogar.   I feel like we were able to start that today.   Visiting the Ixbalanque Spanish school, we asked Amadea (one of the owners) how we could find out about brigades (medical, dental, optometric) who might be in the area.   Amadea suggested she contact us whenever she knows there is going to be a brigade in the area.   She is also going to organize a meeting for us with the mayors wife to see if we might be able to work with an “Amigos” organization (a University with an optometric program) to explore having a week long eye clinic here in Copan Ruinas.

Visiting with Doña Delsy earlier in the day, we discussed water filters for the hogar.  There are a couple of possibilities to explore re: providing a more permanent drinking water supply.   In the meantime, we will arrange with Copan Green to continue to deliver bottles of water to the hogar.

Christianne with the dental poster

Gabrielito's ear

At the hogar today Hanna and Jean-Marie (Jay) had some questions about the medications they are responsible for administering.   We reviewed the list of medications the children are on.   There were a number of scabies treatments, steroid creams and antibiotics.   It seems like skin problems here are major.   One of the children has an infection on and behind his ear that needs attention.   There was also an infected finger and a body rash that need to be monitored.   The kids bring out the tooth-brushing poster to have Christiane read to them again every time we are there so hopefully it has an actual impact on their oral hygiene.

Tomorrow is Valentines Day.   Feliz dia del amor!

Putting the cream on Brayans foot

Robert made his daily trip to the “hogar” this morning to clean and treat Brayans fungal foot infection.   It’s nearly healed.

We met with the two girls from New Zealand who will be at the hogar until July.   We discussed a couple of children they had medical questions about.   I’ll check the kids tomorrow for the medical conditions Hanna and Jay were asking about.   We also discussed the teaching opportunities available with the animal puppets and the hygiene resources that I have.

Some smiley kids from the Hogar

They are involved in the administration of any medications and vitamins at the hogar and we’ll review those instructions tomorrow at the hogar.   They are keeping up with the tooth brushing charts and on Sunday we’ll give out finger puppets as rewards for the weeks worth of tooth brushing.  I think the puppets will be a real asset to the hogar for the months that they are here.

Linda making tortilla's - almost a full time job!

It was Massimo’s birthday today and it meant a lot of cake- at the hogar in the afternoon and also at our Posada tonight.   The painting of the hogar is coming along nicely.