Literally and figuratively, when something comes to Roatan, it doesn't come lightly. When it rains, typically it isn't just a light little rain shower for a couple hours. Rain last at least the day if not into the next day or two. The aftermath of a rain shower usually involves mud puddles for about a week (unless of course we get a nice warm day afterward). When donations come to the clinic, we never just get one little shopping bag. Many times we see donations come by the suitcase-full. These suitcases don't come from just one volunteer, but several. So yes, with all these donations there are typically many volunteers in the clinic at the same time. Just like when we experience a dry spell from rain, we also experience dry spells from volunteers and donations. Sometimes, these dry spells don't seem to come frequently enough. Not that we don't appreciate donations and volunteers; it just means that we constantly have work awaiting us, and new people to orient to the clinic. Keeps us busy!
Over about the past two months, we have had several volunteers in every week and with them came suitcases full of donations. Could these people have been fleeing the cold? I think so! Now that we have just about reached the end of March, we have sent most of our current volunteers home and this weekend we are only getting 1 or 2 more volunteers in. This week (and hopefully another one or two after it) should be a quite week in the clinic- our "drought". Therefore, while we had lots of donations to sort through and many people to direct, it was important to remain thankful. These donations could be stocking us up for the next several months as it seems the people that come down for the summer come for longer stints than the students that come for 4-6 weeks at a time.
Outside of the clinic, we have spent a lot of time lately just hanging out. During March, there was a group of about 10 of us; we could sit around all night and just have a great time. Unfortunately, most of them all had to leave this weekend :( The weather is slowly getting warmer and warmer; today the temp was in the upper 80's, warm and sunny! In case any of you are concerned, my tan is coming along quite wonderfully ;) Since people were going to the airport throughout the day today, we decided to just stick around the house and spend some quality time out on the dock; tomorrow will probably be similar, but we will be down on the beach in West Bay. Whoa is me, my weekends are so rough!
Yesterday, we went out to the east end of the island where there was a thank-you BBQ for a group of Stanford students that were here on spring break. Over the course of the week they helped establish some vacation bible schools and they repainted the ER in the hospital. This BBQ was complete with singers and 2 groups of Garifuna dancers. What a cultural night we had- it was spectacular!
Last week I went to a meeting about double-dutch jump roping down the road at the Sand Castle Library with some island kids. What I thought was just going to be an information meeting was actually me deciding on a day of the week that would work to teach these kids how to double-dutch. That's right, I am now a double-dutch coach. I didn't know that I was qualified for that but apparently I am. See you at practice on Wednesdays!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
40 Days and 40 Nights
The season of Lent is upon us. Since I have more time down here than I've ever had in the states, I sometimes tend to question things or think about things more. So naturally, with the beginning of Lent, I thought, historically, what is all behind the season of Lent. Was it originally more than just a waiting and preparing time for the death of Jesus or were there other things done during this time? Therefore, prepare yourself for a little history lesson.
The word Lent comes from two different Anglo-Saxon words that mean "spring" and "March". There has always been some form of Lenten preparation before Easter, it has just varied by how many days and/or hours. It sounds as though there was some confusion as to whether it was supposed to be 40 hours or 40 days....something lost in translation (don't I know the feeling sometime, haha). So, by the end of the 4th century is has been decided that Lent is a time of prayer and fasting in preparation for the death and rising of Jesus that would last 40 days. However, 40 days has been translated into many things over the years as well. Depending on where you lived, determined how much fasting you did. Some fasted for 40 days but only Monday through Friday; therefore, Lent lasted for 8 weeks. Others fasted for 40 days but fasted on Saturday as well and therefore Lent only lasted 6 weeks. So a consensus was reached; fasting would take place Monday-Saturday for 6 weeks and with the addition of Ash Wednesday as the beginning of Lent, there were 40 days of fasting before Easter. The next big question was what do we fast from? In some areas they fasting from any meat and animal products while others made exceptions for things like fish. Over time, it was decided that fish would be allowed and fasting only had to take place on Ash Wednesday and Fridays. The part about fasting from animal products was also dropped so people could have dairy and what have you. the interesting thing though is that Easter eggs first started to be blessed because of the fact that dairy/animal products were not allowed during Lent. Now that everything is sorted out, the way practices stand today is this: Fasting occurs on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, abstaining from meat happens on Fridays. People give up something during lent as a sacrifice and often are encouraged to perform a spiritual work. According to the site I read, technically Sundays and solemnities (Feast of St. Joseph and Annunciation) aren't included and therefore you can have whatever you gave up. (http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0527.html) However, you might as well just tough it out; Jesus wasn't given any days off, so why should we take a day off?
As we begin this time of preparation for the death and rising of our Lord, think about how you are preparing yourself during this time. What sacrifices can you make? What spiritual practices have you strayed away from or sloughed off on lately that could be picked back up? Are you ready for judgment day if it were to come today or tomorrow? I encourage you to join me in thinking about these things and preparing yourself for judgment day just as Jesus did during his 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. We never know when our time will come.
Happy Lent!
The word Lent comes from two different Anglo-Saxon words that mean "spring" and "March". There has always been some form of Lenten preparation before Easter, it has just varied by how many days and/or hours. It sounds as though there was some confusion as to whether it was supposed to be 40 hours or 40 days....something lost in translation (don't I know the feeling sometime, haha). So, by the end of the 4th century is has been decided that Lent is a time of prayer and fasting in preparation for the death and rising of Jesus that would last 40 days. However, 40 days has been translated into many things over the years as well. Depending on where you lived, determined how much fasting you did. Some fasted for 40 days but only Monday through Friday; therefore, Lent lasted for 8 weeks. Others fasted for 40 days but fasted on Saturday as well and therefore Lent only lasted 6 weeks. So a consensus was reached; fasting would take place Monday-Saturday for 6 weeks and with the addition of Ash Wednesday as the beginning of Lent, there were 40 days of fasting before Easter. The next big question was what do we fast from? In some areas they fasting from any meat and animal products while others made exceptions for things like fish. Over time, it was decided that fish would be allowed and fasting only had to take place on Ash Wednesday and Fridays. The part about fasting from animal products was also dropped so people could have dairy and what have you. the interesting thing though is that Easter eggs first started to be blessed because of the fact that dairy/animal products were not allowed during Lent. Now that everything is sorted out, the way practices stand today is this: Fasting occurs on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, abstaining from meat happens on Fridays. People give up something during lent as a sacrifice and often are encouraged to perform a spiritual work. According to the site I read, technically Sundays and solemnities (Feast of St. Joseph and Annunciation) aren't included and therefore you can have whatever you gave up. (http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0527.html) However, you might as well just tough it out; Jesus wasn't given any days off, so why should we take a day off?
As we begin this time of preparation for the death and rising of our Lord, think about how you are preparing yourself during this time. What sacrifices can you make? What spiritual practices have you strayed away from or sloughed off on lately that could be picked back up? Are you ready for judgment day if it were to come today or tomorrow? I encourage you to join me in thinking about these things and preparing yourself for judgment day just as Jesus did during his 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. We never know when our time will come.
Happy Lent!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Only in Roatan
Here I am, six months in; halfway done! I can count down instead of up now! Things are still going wonderfully, but the island is starting to wear on me. There is only so much one can take of living on an island 30 miles long and 4-5 miles wide with no where to go...even if some people would consider it "paradise".
Time at the clinic is continually passing, yet one day seems to run into the next. We are now at the point of licensing for the upstairs, so that is exciting. Last week we had the pre-inspection and we got an 81% (or 25 things missing out of 132)- not bad considering the things that we need to fix are things like putting a light bulb in a lamp, move some reflex hammers and tape measures from downstairs to upstairs, and hang a blood pressure cuff on the wall. As of last I heard, grand opening is set for March 31st, but that will of course all depend on when we are licensed- could be sooner, could be later, no one really can tell. We all survived the busy month of February with 10-20 volunteers every week, so now we should all be pros for the roughly 30 people we have this week! Luckily, 13 of those are in one group and they are going to be doing outreach in the community so we won't have to juggle them through the clinic. Sometimes, I just have to keep reminding me that what doesn't kill me can only makes me stronger; not gonna lie, running a volunteer staffed clinic is A LOT of work, probably something I won't be doing again in the near future :p Regardless of how much work it has been, my time so far has been wonderful and I am continually learning something new every day.
Since I've been here 6 months, I figure I might as well share with you some of the things that I have found strange, peculiar, random, out of place, rare, funny, or just down right ridiculous.
Buenas Noches!
Laura
Time at the clinic is continually passing, yet one day seems to run into the next. We are now at the point of licensing for the upstairs, so that is exciting. Last week we had the pre-inspection and we got an 81% (or 25 things missing out of 132)- not bad considering the things that we need to fix are things like putting a light bulb in a lamp, move some reflex hammers and tape measures from downstairs to upstairs, and hang a blood pressure cuff on the wall. As of last I heard, grand opening is set for March 31st, but that will of course all depend on when we are licensed- could be sooner, could be later, no one really can tell. We all survived the busy month of February with 10-20 volunteers every week, so now we should all be pros for the roughly 30 people we have this week! Luckily, 13 of those are in one group and they are going to be doing outreach in the community so we won't have to juggle them through the clinic. Sometimes, I just have to keep reminding me that what doesn't kill me can only makes me stronger; not gonna lie, running a volunteer staffed clinic is A LOT of work, probably something I won't be doing again in the near future :p Regardless of how much work it has been, my time so far has been wonderful and I am continually learning something new every day.
Since I've been here 6 months, I figure I might as well share with you some of the things that I have found strange, peculiar, random, out of place, rare, funny, or just down right ridiculous.
- Only in Roatan, are you able to be driving down the road when the car in front of you completely loses the 2 front tires; and if they had continued further, probably would have lost the back two.
- Only in Roatan, would you find me in my pj's at 7:00 some nights and in bed by 9:30 other nights.
- Only in Roatan, does the hospital ER shut down for a few weeks.
- Only in Roatan, can you work with in a developing, 3rd world nation on the weekdays, yet spend your weekends in "paradise" on the white sandy beaches.
- Only in Roatan, do you have to wear bug spray in a screened in house to avoid getting bug bites.
- Only in Roatan, are scooters made for 4 people.
- Only in Roatan, is it normal to see someone walking around with a machete.
- Only in Roatan, do you have power outages weekly, just because.
- Only in Roatan, would you find the city filling potholes the day of a triathlon, which has a course using that road.
- Only in Roatan, is a blood sugar of 2 or 300 not alarming.
- Only in Roatan, does is cost 70 L ($3.50) to deliver a baby and 300 L ($15.00) for a hysterectomy.
- Only in Roatan, would a clinic focused on treating/managing diabetes and hypertension have someone selling chips, pop, fried pastelitas, and baleadas (flour tortillas with beans) out front on the porch.
- Only in Roatan, would I "train" for a triathlon the day before the race which happens to be an Olympic qualifying course, and one of the top 6 most difficult courses at that!
- Only in Roatan, an island only 30 miles long, would you find a Wendy's, ACE Hardware, and Applebee's.
Buenas Noches!
Laura
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