A Girl On a Mission

This past April I had the opportunity to go on a medical mission trip to Honduras. As scary as that sounds, it was absolutely amazing.  While we were there, we helped hundreds of people, families who had nothing, that were sick and couldn’t afford to simply buy Tylenol. On our team was 6 nurses, a paramedic, and myself, an accountant. The organization we were working with also brought in a doctor. This experience was eye opening to say the least.

Our duties while we were there were to perform the routine checkups similar to here in the US. Taking height, weight, and temperature, consulting with the nurses about any problems they are having whether it be a sore throat, allergies, high blood sugar, etc. and then consulting with the doctor to get a prescription. These prescriptions included simple, over the counter medication that we have 24/7 access to here in the States. The biggest need was Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and allergy medication.

In addition to doing checkups, we also were able to teach a group of women how to properly perform CPR. One shocking thing was that not a single person in that room, besides those who were educated in the US, knew how to do CPR. This is something kids learn in school, in the States, and something we think is second nature to all. But in reality, we are lucky to be able to know such practices for an emergency situation.

I had a great experience while I was in Honduras, I learned many things, and I brought home a few souvenirs but most importantly I brought home a new outlook on life. You’re not always guaranteed water to drink, food to eat, or a bed to sleep on. We are fortunate to live in areas where resources are readily available.

If I were given the opportunity again, I would love to go back to help again.