What a beautiful country! I had a fabulous time in Honduras with a great group of people that I would certainly want with me if I were ever trapped on a deserted Spanish-speaking island! This majestic palm tree silhouetted by the mountainous backdrop greeted us at the "refreshment station" on our journey in to the city of Siguatepeque.
A rickety old bridge presented us with our first little adventure in preparation for the much greater adventure that awaited us in the mountains. We arrived safely in Siguatepeque on a lazy Saturday afternoon, but quickly set to work. We settled into our lovely little hotel downtown (they even came in and cleaned everyday . . . not bad for about eight dollars/night!) and set off to the storage facility where we met up with the supplies and medication and prepared our toolboxes for the busy week!
We had four veterinary teams and three public health teams that embarked upward into the mountain villages each morning. Each team loaded a pick-up truck with the day's supplies and then we all piled in on top of the boxes and got "comfortable". The ride up the side of the mountain was absolutely exhilarating. When we arrived at our destination, the Honduran people and their many animals were already waiting for us with much anticipation.
The children were absolutely precious and patiently, longingly awaited the end of each day and the distribution of sweets and lollipops for all! The children could easily have been mistaken for young men and women, working through the heat of the day without a hint of complaint (not that I would have known if it were in Spanish). Their tiny little legs supported them across the mountainside, with one small arm carrying the weight of a rambunctious basketful of chickens and the other steadily pulling to counteract the combined strength of a family of goats.At one point I had to stop, take a step back, and realize how beautiful the scene really was. When I was in the thick of it, the situation felt like a chaotic debacle. It was like working at McDonald's during the turnover from breakfast to lunch (you know what I mean if you've worked at McDonald's). Then suddenly everything was silent. The animals were calm, the people relaxed, and the ambiance serene. I was surrounded by an aura of tremendous compassion and dedication; it was spilling out of my teammates, the animals, and the Honduran people.
In the end we treated a grand total of 6,594 animals and touched the lives of countless children. At the same time, I opened up and awoke a part of me that I'd lost somewhere in the rush-rush mindset of the American lifestyle. I was reacquainted with the curious child-like spirit within myself and the love of life that has always driven my enthusiasm and desire for departure on the next great adventure.
