Monday: Playitas

Monday's clinic was scheduled for Playitas, not far from Comayagua.  We were working with another missionary couple in the area and using their beautiful facility.  They're in the midst of building an actual health clinic, but we used the mission house on their property and it was our most spacious (and clean) facility all week long.

But first we had to get there.  Our bus was still in Taulabe, so Sandi contracted a local man, Zair, and his bus to get us there.  We were waiting for the bus to arrive, then once it did, we had to wait to pull out since the school kids were arriving.

Zair followed Sandi and her pickup truck and Beth (one of the missionaries) and her vehicle.  After a few minutes, though, Beth made a turn and Sandi followed.  Zair didn't.  I wasn't worried since I ride my bike and motorcycle out that way and know that the sign for Playitas is a bit further up the road.  That's the way Zair went.  A few minutes later, we were all on the same road again.  We thought that Sandi and Beth were both probably quite a bit in front of us, but that wasn't the case.

As we drove on, we were suddenly met by a pickup truck on its side, blocking the road.  Upon closer inspection, we saw that there were people strewn about on both sides of the road.

The doctors quickly started triaging the wounded.

The pickup truck had been loaded with coffee and people, driving too fast.  There may have been a motorcycle involved, too, but I never got that straight.  We arrived at the scene within 2 or 3 minutes of the accident.  And, Sandi and Beth, whose vehicles had all the gear ended up being BEHIND us since they had stopped to wait for us when they saw we didn't make the same turn as them.

Sandi immediately called Comayagua for an ambulance.  Here, an ambulance merely transports people; they are not trained for anything else.  The doctors and nurses sprang into action.  One young girl had a compound fracture in her leg.  A man had a severe laceration to the bone, and other injuries.  There were a few other broken bones and more probable broken bones.  Lots and lots of cuts, abrasions and bumps, and concussions.  In all, 9 people were injured to the point of needing  treatment.

I got out my camera to take some pics.  I got this picture taken and Dr. Josh asked me to put on gloves and hold the man's arm, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

Dr. Josh had me put on gloves and take over applying pressure so that he could help the others.

My picture taking was over.  I spent the next 30 minutes hold this man's arm until the doctors came back over to work on him some more.  I did ask one of the students to take my camera out of my pocket and snap some photos.

Splinting the girl with a compound fracture.  Her left foot was also injured.

Loading her into the ambulance ~ once it arrived.

Another broken bone

And another for the ambulance

The doctors were very concerned about the girl with the compound fracture, wondering if she will be able to receive sufficient care to save the leg.  They also said that the man whose arm I was holding probably would have bled out before receiving help if we had not arrived when we did.

I mean, these kinds of accidents happen here all the time.  All. The. Time.  But there's not usually a busload of doctors and nurses pulling up right behind.  It was truly a miracle.  God's hand was upon those people and upon our team as they gave aid.

A bunch of the Hondurans got the truck righted and Charly and Zair were able to help the owner get it running again.  The people loaded it back up and some of the people climbed right back on.  They know nothing else.  Sometimes, there is nothing else.

I wondered what would have happened to those people if our bus was not broken and we had left at our "scheduled" time.  I wondered what would have happened to those people if Zair had made the same turn as Beth and Sandi and we would have all been in front of the accident. It was no coincidence we left when we did or that we turned where we did.  God's hand was upon those people!

After about 45 minutes, we were back on the bus and off for the final mile or two to where we were hold that day's clinic.  I spent the day in awe at God's goodness to those people in the truck.  I spent the day in awe at the skills of the doctors and nurses.  I also spent the day in awe of the beautiful facility we had for clinic that day.

Triage on a shaded porch

Melanie translates for Anthony in the optical clinic.  See what I mean about lots of room?

Here's Dr. Belen with a mom and her 6 children.

It was a long day, but by the end, the doctors had seen over 250 people and there were 19 salvations, including several people who rededicated their lives to the Lord.