Over spring break, 31 Des Moines University students embarked on a weeklong journey to provide health care, education and supplies to hundreds of underserved individuals in Honduras. Over the coming week, Dose of DMU will feature Kelsey’s daily accounts and photos of the group’s experiences.
Sunday, March 16, 2014: MED-PACKING AND FLOR AZUL
We started the day off with a delicious Honduran breakfast to prepare us for a long day of medicine packing. It took us about six hours to separate all of our supplies, package each drug into individual prescriptions and create hygiene packs. Every patient we see in the community will receive their very own hygiene pack, which includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, condoms and a comb.
After a successful morning working as a team, we went to a nearby orphanage, Flor Azul. We delivered lots of toys on behalf of the third grade class at Northeast Elementary School in Ankeny, IA, who held a fundraiser specifically designated for Flor Azul. The 31 students and nine health care providers spent the evening playing with the children of Flor Azul. There was lots of laughter, jumping rope, swinging, playing chase on the jungle gym and soccer!
Upon our return to the compound, we ate a hearty dinner followed by a training in data entry. All of the patient information we will collect in the next five days must be documented online so Global Brigades can provide continuing health care for these individuals. After our training, we held a brief meeting to discuss the plan for the clinic tomorrow. We also discussed what the students’ expectations were and what the health care providers expected. We ended the night in agreement – we all desire to learn from each other, and we are appreciative to have the opportunity to serve a community in need.
