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A reflection written by Gary Stevens, a participant on this year’s trip to Honduras.

“A diverse, eclectic group:  lawyers, real estate people, a C.I.O. of an aerospace company, marketers and, of course, medical and dental experts comprise our group.

Most are taking “vacation time” to be here.  We tend to use the word “vacation” as a noun, as in “I am taking a vacation to Paris” or “How was your vacation?”.  For MedWish, this trip…the word takes on a more literal and verbal meaning.  Here, you vacate the life you lead.  The needs that you must attend to are so all-consuming and so necessary and immediate that there is no room for the worries and stress left behind…
Our first mission is in Las Delicias, about 2 hours away.  The roads leading towards our destination quickly turn to dirt.  The dust kicked up by our trucks is choking and covers your windward side with caramel colored dirt.  We call it the “Honduran Facial”, but it’s not much fun in your eyes, nose or mouth.  The ride is bumpy, especially climbing the steep hills into Las Delicias, sometimes crossing rivers on the riverbed, no bridge necessary.  It is hard to figure out a reason why people once settled here; it’s very hilly, water is difficult to come by, and the terrain not suitable for farming.  The views are wonderful however.  Our site is comprised of a small church which will serve as doctors’ quarters and separated from the smaller buildings--dentistry and pharmacy about 30 years up a steep hill.  The founder of the church could have used a lesson in site selection.

People are poor here.  Some come bare foot, others manage to turn out in what would be their “Sunday Best”.  I will be assisting today, primarily by filling out forms and then directing the patient to anti-parasite, dentist, optician or the Rx.  Everyone gets vitamins and anti-parasite drugs, though I still fill out these requests on the in-take sheets.  Some of the kids are apprehensive. . . The men are quite stoic-it is considered unmanly to react to pain.  They tough it out…

There’s a long line of people, hundreds still waiting.  The lucky few come on horseback, though almost all walked here, and at great distance.  They are interviewed by an interpreter, and I get the impression by the symptoms that for some, it’s a matter of getting some free medication for a future use, which is fine.  But through they go, sometimes families of five or more.
We pack out a little late and by the time we are down from the mountain, it grows dark.  The dust is bad enough in day light, but is brutal at night.  The travel is treacherous.  You can barely see the road edge, not to mention the huge holes and ruts…
Miraculously, in direct contrast to the night before, the showers are warm and feel great.  I must have been eight years old when I was last that dirty.  The dust and sweat were overwhelming.  It felt so good to get clean.  We are all tired at dinner that night, but happy about the good work we accomplished that day…”

Excerpts from a reflection written by Gary Stevens, Honduras medical brigade participant 2007