• It is estimated that 14% of the Honduran population has a disability.
• A disability is considered to be anything that is a deficiency that limits the ability to engage in activities and restricts participation in them. It is a complex thing that reflects and interaction between the characteristics of the human body and the characteristics of the community in which it lives.

Now imagine her delight at the sounds, smells and sights of Christmas!

Fresh-cut poinsettias, pine branches, candles and lights decorated the PAHS Chapel on Christmas Eve. The teens and staff of the PAHS Home had prepared an original Christmas program to tell the Story of Jesus’ birth. An angel choir sang, shepherds with live lambs appeared to see a real “Baby Jesus” played by Elizabeth, 16 months old, a patient from the Casita Feliz, who quietly peered first at “Mary” then at “Joseph” then at the angels, shepherds and wise men, peacefully taking in all the sights and sounds.

On Aileen’s lap sat Alicia who, not knowing any of the songs the choir was performing, joined in singing at the top of her lungs in sweet sounds only she understands. What a joyful sound it was! What a delight to see this precious child, who just nine weeks ago was suffering Third Degree Malnutrition, joining enthusiastically in the festivities and throughly enjoying herself.

“That is the most beautiful Christmas program I’ve ever seen. That was really special,” stated volunteer Rachel Pratt at the end of the Christmas program. How fitting that this is Alicia’s first Christmas celebration!

On Christmas Day, Alicia got to sit on Santa’s lap and with a beaming smile received her gift. The sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her face were priceless.

Alicia represents many children whose lives are touched by your generosity. Thank you for being part of the team that provided her with food, shelter, love, a Christmas sparkle in her eyes and the opportunity to keep on singing!

Perhaps next Christmas she will know the words to the songs and she too will be dressed in a white angel’s robe in the choir; perhaps she will even know the alphabet by then. Thanks to you the possibilities are endless.

She is the youngest of seven siblings who recently came to live in the PAHS Home. These children’s lives  recently were a nightmare. Four hours travel time away in the capital, Tegucigalpa, their mother is dying of a lung disease and only a miracle can save her.
Two months ago, as the children lay sleeping, their father disappeared during the night. “When we woke up in the morning he just wasn’t there anymore. He left without telling us good-bye”, Rosita remembers. At the age of six she already is feeling deeply the repercussions of abandonment.

“Before coming here we lived in the city with an aunt. She took us to live with her when our older sister went to be with our mother in the hospital. She locked us up and then brought us back to our house. We were alone and scared. There were many men close to our house and my siblings and I would hide. When someone would knock on our door we would be very still and quiet so that they would not know we were inside”, Mercy tells us.  At the age of fourteen she has become the primary caretaker to the younger siblings in the absence of their oldest sister, 17, who has gone to be at the bedside in the hospital to care for their dying mother.

Now the fear that these children lived in has been left to one side, and in its place they now get to enjoy the company of other youngsters who they can talk to and play with. And they get to eat three meals a day and to live in a room that was specially decorated just for them by Gary and Jennifer, a couple who God used to remove them from the nightmare they were living in.

Part of a visiting group who stayed on the PAHS campus while they worked construction in a nearby site, Gary y Jennifer came across the abandoned siblings when they were out distributing food baskets to the community. Observing the conditions that Mercy and her younger siblings lived in they decided to intervene and find a safer situation for the children.
Safety, now they have it. There is no more fear. And even though they are not fully aware of the seriousness of their mother’s struggle to live their little hearts are with her and their hope is placed in the Father– their Heavenly Father–  they have just come to know.

“I didn’t know any songs before, but we just learned ‘Let us give thanks to God’. We feel that there must be Somebody that loves us so much to provide us with all of this. And you say that Jesus loves us. Well I am thankful to know this Father that will not abandon us”, concludes Mercy.

Meanwhile, Rosita jumps off of the swing set, and runs to the arms of her older sister. The smile on her face is evidence that just like this sibling bond of love held them together in the dense darkness of the trial they have come through, now they have the security of that Heavenly Father, they are just getting to know, who will always be with them just like He always has been before they knew it.

Thanks to a visiting volunteer group and the watchfulness and concern of one special couple, the siblings are now adapting to their new home at PAHS.

This is the only hope that the little Muñoz siblings have as the conditions in which they have been living are far from what would be considered appropriate. Six of the seven children in this family were admitted to the Nutritional Rehabilitation Hospital. Maryuri and Xiomara, the two youngest ones were admitted on Friday with a diagnosis of Third Degree Malnutrition. Doctor Maldonado had to count their teeth in order to determine which one was the oldest sister.

Later the family returned to the Nutrition Hospital with the four older children who were also admitted fro treatment of their malnutrition. Their parents were accompanied by the pastor from their community church in Yojoa, 50 kilometers from Peña Blanca. This good man had provided the desperately poor family with a humble amount of food and a place to stay, and in spite of the charity of the pastor the situation for the family remained disheartening: an unemployed father, a mother caring for a newborn, without food or a roof of their own. All these circumstances have reduced these parents to a painful existence of watching powerlessly as their children grow more weak and ill as a result of the scarcity.

Mahatma Gandhi once said: “There are people in this world who are so hungry that God can only appear to them as a loaf of bread”.  Indeed this seems to be the situation for this particular family.

Inspite of the extreme poverty from where these siblings have come it is admirable to witness the protective instinct these little ones have for each other. In their short stay we have noted that Maria, 9, the oldest sister, automatically takes charge of the two youngest ones. It is evident that she has been the right hand helper of her mother, and one can imagine what she has endured in her short life.

Shortly after her arrival Maria picked up both little sisters, one in each arm and did not want to put them down. One of our Staff Nannies came close and said to her: “We will take care of them now. You can go play”.

PLAY? That was not a word in Maria’s vocabulary… but now it is. There are so many new things to be experienced! Like the flavor of a warm bite of food, eating three meals a day, the feel of a new pencil between her fingers and the ability to doodle on a piece of paper — up until now she has never been to school — the feel of a warm blanket on her skin on these cold and rainy nights.

We are conscious to the fact that for these parents it has not been easy to leave their six small children with us. They have done so with a new faith in the God they are just getting  acquainted with; a God who has now provided them with a new home, health care and adequate living facilities for their children.

Having been a photographer for the Team the last day of Field Clinic, I had developed a special bond with Alicia which started when I was asking her to stand closer to her mother for a picture while they waited to be seen by the doctor. My hand brushed her very taut belly and my eyes immediately fell to her feet to confirm what I suspected – Alicia was in a state of severe malnutrition – her feet barely visible because of her long dress were swollen, peeling and raw, the secondary effects of not having enough protein and vitamins in her food. My heart ached as I looked through the camera at her sad brown eyes. Her demeanor spoke of a life of pain, indeed the struggle to survive.

My gut instincts told me this was the child we had come to the mountain village of Santa Rosa de Bacadilla to retrieve. She was the reason we were right here, right now. Reflexively I felt a deep gratitude and sent up a prayer to God for having sent us, for the privilege of being part of this Medical Team … today.

My heart quickened as I saw the family enter the humble little structure that usually serves as a one-room school but today was a one-room Clinic filled with Doctors, Nurses, Support staff and Patients. I quickly followed knowing I would have an important role to play in the treatment of this particular family. My fluency with the language, my profession as a Registered Nurse and a life-time living in these mountains and watching malnourished children recover give me a unique perspective and skill set that would come in handy.

As they sat before Dr. Ivery – a pediatrician – and her translator, Paul, I hunched down next to the mother. Then, for what seemed like an eternity but was probably a little less than an hour, we coxed and cajoled the mother to allow hermalnourished seven-year old daughter and three-year old son to be admitted to the Nutrition Program at Pan American Health Service in Peña Blanca.  The father – who it turned out is Alicia’s step-father – was convinced much sooner than her mother that this was a good idea. Her mother kept repeating, “I don’t want her to be brought back to me dead” and “I don’t want a dead child”, while all the time resisting her consent for her children to be treated and restored back to health. At some point I glanced over at Dr. Ivery, a mother herself, who had tears streaming down her cheeks. With a lump in my throat I said to the mother, “See, the doctor knows how seriously sick you little girl is and it makes her sad.  And she is a mother too and knows how hard it is to think of being apart from your children”. At this I saw a ceding in the mother’s manner. Tears started to well in her eyes as she said: “Ok, but tell the doctor to stop crying”.  I breathed a sigh of relief as I knew Alicia was on her road to recovery.

Having the consent of Alicia’s mother for her and her little brother to be admitted to the Nutrition Rehab I stepped out of my role as translator/nurse and resumed my photography job.   The next time I looked back at Dr. Ivery and Paul’s medical station my heart was warmed to see Nellie, a nurse and Karen, a respiratory therapist and the leader of this Medical Team gently washing Alicia’s swollen and peeling feet. After softly bandaging her feet up with Karen, Nellie scooped Alicia into her arms and tenderly carried her out of the one-room, make-shift Clinic, up the trail to the vehicle that would transport her to a new life.  I was transfixed as I snapped photo after photo, my mind reeling at the miracle I was witnessing, my heart full of a knowing that Alicia’s life will never be the same again.  I was struck by the symbolism as Nellie carried Alicia up the path … up and out of her life of pain.

Four days later, I am in the Casita Feliz on a mission. I am here to see how Alicia is feeling today. My heart leaps as she responds in a one syllable chirp that sounds like a little bird: “Bien” (Good) to my question of “Como te sentis hoy?” (How do you feel today?).  I feel deep gratitude and great love for this child bubbling up in my chest and impulsively, without thought, I blurt out, “You know, God sent us to get you. Did you know that?” Instantly her face lit up, her eyes sparkled and joy radiated from one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. That moment was clear confirmation for what I knew in my gut when I first took her picture: God sent us to Santa Rosa de Bacadilla to get Alicia.

He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, Restoring dignity and respect to their lives – a place in the sun! ~ 1 Samuel 2:8

As I walked the aisles of the Exhibit Hall, I found myself standing in front of and photographing the booth of Gospel Ministries International directed by David Gates. Previously I had had the privilege of meeting him when he visited Honduras a few years ago, where I had also heard him talk about his ministry.  I later learned more about his missionary work through his two books which narrates some incredible miracles which God has manifested in the life of this man.

I was in awe of the simple and extensive faith that connects Mr. Gates and his family to God as they have witnessed miracle after miracle expanding their ministry, and similarly all those missionaries who with the help of Our Lord leaving behind the comforts of “The Land of Opportunities”, strike out on the adventure of cultivating souls for Christ.

Reflecting on this I thought of two couples whose presence and testimonies have blessed me.

During ASI, we had the opportunity to meet up once again with John and Cathy Sage Linares, who we had the pleasure of meeting in February when they came to the Pan American Health Service Campus as part of the Oakhurst Seventh-Day Adventist Church Mission Team from California.  John and Cathy felt moved to sponsor two of our students to give them the opportunity to receive and education according to the Biblical Principles.

Both, John and Cathy, were impressed by our mission in Honduras and they have expressed their intention to visit once again next year to carry out a special project. Cathy – a Speech Therapist by profession – plans to have special sessions with the children of the Casita Feliz to give extra support to those who are a little behind developmentally because of their malnutrition.

Another faithful couple, Paul and Kay Newby, participated as part of the Mission in Motion medical team of Central Texas Medical Center in May. They also brought us good news and reminded us of God’s promises for these difficult times. Paul, a pastor and paramedic, felt the call of God to give of his time for missionary service on our campus and in the mountains surrounding our Peña Blanca Community. He and his wife, Kay, have witnessed God’s providence as others in the Dallas area have been raised up who wish to support the construction of a Fire Station and  Emergency Medical Service in our community. They also wish to support the training of young people who would staff such a facility.

Through these two couples with missionary hearts we have been able to confirm that God still works miracles for us as well, and in the same way that he has manifested amazing miracles in the life and ministry of David Gates, providing millions of dollars as well as security, He is also doing great things for us. We depend on You Heavenly Father!

Suyapa take a look at Ingrid’s delicate condition

As we move farther into the beautiful mountains of Santa Barbara, (located in Northwestern Honduras) I can’t help but admire the natural beauty of this place;

beautiful pine forests, refreshing streams, the impetuous Ulua River and extensive hilltops that merge to form a magnificent landscape.
Without a doubt this is one of the most pleasant journeys I have taken, excluding the atrocious state of the “road” we are traveling on which has been washed out by the rain in which diches and uneven surfaces are the predominant, a fact that has our driver making a thousand maneuvers just to stay on course.

Any lover of nature and photography would be ecstatic to have this experience, however my thoughts go beyond the natural composition, since our mission is to locate Ingrid, a girl who is suffering one of the worst cases of malnutrition I have ever seen in my life, Grade III Marasmus. At nine years of age, this deplorable illness has had it’s way with her, and as if this was not enough she also suffers from a mental health problem which limits her ability to live a normal childhood. Her twin brother did not have the same fate, and here in front of us can been seen the contrast between a child who is well and the ravages that malnutrition can make in a young life. This is the reason we are here… if they cannot come to us, we will go to them. The famous saying with my own modification goes: “If the mountain cannot come to PAHS, then we will go to the mountains”.

The extreme poverty that asails the most remote communities of Honduras does not permit its poorest inhabitants to seek the help they need; to go

Shane and Rosita

Hi In December 2009, I was blessed with a chance to go to Honduras on a SIMS (Student for International Mission Service) mission trip. I established many meaningful relationships with the babies, children, parents and other volunteers. A fellow classmate, Emily Pinkerton, and I were able to develop and implement a play art therapy program for the children at the orphanage. It was a great experience especially when I was able to use my professional skills that I learned from school as an occupational therapy student. After experiencing the orphanage for the first time, I knew I had to go back again.

A year later in 2010, I was given an opportunity to go back to Honduras to help implement the play art therapy program with Emily and another classmate, Yvette Paquin. I immediately took it and I was eagerly counting the days until I was back to Pena Blanca, Honduras to help out again. The moment I got back to the orphanage, I ran to my designated room and hurried into the nursery where the babies were. It was amazing to see that the children and babies still recognized me even though a year had past. During my first visit to the orphanage, I was given a nickname by the children “Chino Pepino”. At first, I thought the children thought I was Chinese and when I told them I was Filipino they thought I said “Pepino”. Hence, my nickname: Chino Pepino. When the children saw me, they immediately called out my nickname. To be honest, my nickname was a little annoying during the first time lol. But over year, I really missed the kids calling me that. During one conversation with a frequent orphanage volunteer, he made me realize that it was very meaningful for visiting individuals to return to the orphanage because it showed the children that they cared. Honestly, it’s not hard but very automatic to care and love the babies, children and individuals at the orphanage.

The highlight of the trip for me was re-connecting and establishing a greater bond with the children, especially the babies. During the mission trip, morning and evening childcare duties were assigned to everyone. I took the initiative to visit the nursery every chance I could even when it wasn’t my time for childcare because I enjoyed playing and giving them my attention.

All the children wanted attention and I was willing to spend most of my time giving my attention and care to them. Through prayer, I followed up on a conviction I had to sponsor a child. I was able to sponsor a child that I had established a strong bond with. She was said to be starting school this year and I wanted to support her. I feel that this sponsorship is meaningful to me because I actually know the child that I am sponsoring. It also makes me want to come back a third time to see the children again. I deeply miss everyone at the orphanage in Pena Blanca, Honduras. I also can’t wait to come back again.

-Shane Jorwin Gemoto a.k.a. Chino Pepino