Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas to all!  While Christmas wasn't quite the same for me this year, it definately will be one to remember.  My Christmas really came a week early with a surprise visit from my parents.  It was Wednesday afternoon, we had gotten done with clinic early that day, and Peggy said that she needed to go to the airport to pick up some packages and wanted to know if I wanted to go along for the ride, she was going to stop at the grocery store as well.  So I thought, why not, I have nothing better to do.  As we walked into the airport, I had in my mind we were picking up packages, so we would find them at the continental office.  Out of customs walks this guys that looks like my dad, but no, what would he be doing in Roatan?!  And besides, he just kept walking right on by.  Bt wait, am I just seeing things, or is that mom right behind him?!?  It can't be can it??  Needless to say, it took me a minute to register what I was seeing, I was left speechless, very surprised, and excited to see them!  So began my Christmas.  Over the course of the next 6 days, we would work at the clinic, tour the east end of the island, take a water taxi into the mangroves, eat seafood on the beach as the sun sets, cook together, eat together, and just simply enjoy one anothers company.  Wonderful!  I love my parents...and my whole family!
Over this past week, there was one incident at the clinic that has really stuck with me and will remain with me forever.  There were these 3 little kids, all brothers and sisters- a 12 yr old boy, a 7 or 8 yr old girl, and a 2 or 3 year old boy.  The 2 boys needed to be seen by the doctor and the sister was just along with them.  The kids looked so sad and you could tell that the little boy could use a diaper change.  Upon bringing them into the triage room, I realized they didn't have any parents with them.  When I asked them where their parents were, the 12 yr old answered by saying their mom was in Coxen Hole.  Oh no, this is not good news for them.  We are not allowed to see patients at the clinic without some adult with them.  My mom and I finished triaging them, I confirmed with Dr. Rafael that we could not see them, and then I told the receptionist this.  She then told me that the mom was just out in the car.  Ok, these kids will get to be seen.  However, when Dr. Rafael went out to get them, they had no parents.  He came back in to tell me their parents had left and we will not be able to see them.  Are you serious?  These kids look and sound sick, how can we not treat them.  But, we must follow protocol.  After a few minutes, the receptionist comes up to me and says that Dr. Rafael has agreed to see the children, if I am willing to go with them.  Of course I will!  So, when it was again their turn, I went out to get them and my heart just melted.  Here, a couple women that had been sitting on the porch of the clinic with their own kids, are changing the little boy's diaper, they had gotten them all a pastelita and juice.  What stong sense of community and family they were showing to these kids that none of them knew!  Into the doctor's office I went with my sick children.  The older boy had been having fever and chills, not eating well, and headaches-- he will need to go get some labs done to test for malaria and dengue fever.  When he was brought back to the clinic with his labs, again he was alone so I took him in and the results showed positive for malaria.  A course of medications and he should be as good as new.  The little boy came in with a nasty cough, runny nose, and fussy-- turns out he had croup and bronchitis.  A few antibiotics and he, too, will hopefully be set to go.  I am soo happy that we were able to help these children.  It really made my day.  Then after clinic that day, we had a Christmas party for the kids.  When we walked out of clinic to all the kids anxiously awaiting, here were those 3 children sitting off to the side under a tree waiting for their ride-- but also, they were on the outside looking in.  I couldn't just leave them there, so I immediately went over to them and invited them to join in the party.  Then when their ride got their, I made sure their parents and pastor understood the medications, I got the kids some cookies and sent them on their way.  Oh what a blessing those kids were to me that day.  It made me sad to see them there alone and fending for themselves (to some degree), but they are the reason I love doing what I am doing!
Christmas Eve I was able to go out on the dock to soak up some sun, so it didn't quite seem like Christmas, but it was nice none the less.  Along with soaking up some sun, we met up with a group that was doing a food drive on the island and went into the Colonia to deliver bags of food to families.  Four vehicles went into the colonia, each with 75 bags of food; what a different way to spend Christmas.  We have so much that I think we forget just how much others don't have, especially on the holidays.  As I talked to people in the colonia asking them what they were doing for Christmas, a common response was nothing, we have no money this year.  How sad!  They didn't have gifts, they didn't have food, the whole spirit of the season just really seemed to be gone.
Then Christmas day was filled with some adventures and lessons!  A volunteer was coming in at 1:15 so I went to the airport along with one of the boys from the colonia and another volunteer.  We waited for nearly an hour before her flight finally landed at 1:45.  After greeting her, we headed out to the truck, got all loaded up, only to find that the truck didn't want to start.  Great!  Why don't we try popping the clutch?  Ok, sounds good to me.  So Heather, Moises, and Johanna got out to give me a push, but no such luck.  Well, let's try the jumper cables.  I'll go get Paul, a guy I knew that was at the airport.  As we are hooking up the jumper cables, it is starting to rain and the cables don't have rubber on the handles so they risked getting electrocuted to hook them up.  Attempt #2 at starting the truck?  Unsuccessful!  So we called Dee and him and his friend came to help us get it started.  Turns out that in order to pop the clutch, you have to be in 2nd gear, and release the clutch and push on the gas after being given a push.  Who knew?!  So we go to leave the airport only to kill the engine and we need to pop the clutch again.  Now onto the gas station.  It at the top of a hill and I know that there are arrows on the ground marking which way you are supposed to drive into the lanes, but by the time I got up there it was too late to change lanes.  Oh well, it's Christmas, so not many people are out needing gas right?  Well the guy working the pump wants me to change lanes, but I inform him the only way to start my truck is by giving it a push.  So he reluctantly fills up with gas and then waits for us to go.  Since I was waiting for Dee to pay he tells me he can give me a push.  Here I am sitting at the top of a hill that leads right into the main road and this guy wants to push me down it...are you serious?!  Down we went!  But, the first 2 times weren't quite enough for me, so I didn't quite remember all the steps to popping the clutch so let's just say a perfect hill and spot for it and I failed....oops!  Alright, 3rd times a charm.  Truck in 2nd gear, check! Clutch released after getting a push, check!  Lots of gas, check! And we're off- this vehicle isn't stopping until we get home!  Now, not only do I know how to drive a stick shift, but I know how to pop a clutch on one as well- and I thought I was only going to learn things about nursing while volunteering :)
Well, I hope everyone is having a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!  As much as I wish I could be home celebrating with each and every one of you, I know that this year God has been using me in other ways.  Take some time to look around and count your blessings.  Look at this holiday season not for the consumerism, but for the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of our Lord, Jesus.
Merry Christmas!  Happy Holidays!
xoxo