Rested! It takes a few days to decompress, process, and rest up.. Now it is time to move on toward the next trip !!

We accomplished a tremendous amount of work during the time we were in La Palma. In addition to the 1208+ people seen in the scheduled clinics, several more were seen by Doc Harris and the nurses in other settings. Some were treated in Ocotepeque, some at the La Palma Christian School, some in the La Palma children's sponsor program, and some came to the hotel. Lots and lots of meds were dispensed to help people feel better and children to grow faster. The simple treatment of parasites with a small pill and and giving a 90 day supply of vitamins makes a big difference in the lives of those who do not get an adequate diet or have clean water to drink.

We did incur some unexpected expenses during the trip: we had to pay import taxes on the medicines we donated to the people, and we had to pay a van and a truck each day. If you or your friends or congregation can help with these expenses, we really would appreciate it. Although we had the cooperation of most of the government officials, some of them seemed to spend more effort making it difficult for us than they would have spent to help us get through easier. The new government is still learning how to do their jobs and are scared to take any chances at all. We are learning too, and will make adjustments for future trips.

Even more important than the physical health of the people, we had an opportunity to display love for the people by sharing with them--very much as Jesus would have done when he looked on the people and had compassion for them (Mt 14:14).

We still have some needs that you can help with: we send wheelchairs, walkers, good clothing and shoes, school supplies, and other items to La Palma for the good of the community. Please let us know of your willingness to help in this regard. We also will take Spanish Bibles and New Testaments to hand out.

I will begin posting photos of our trip soon. God bless you,
Ralph

Home!

We are at the XNA gate in Houston airport and waiting about an hour to leave here. It has been a good flight. We met Paul Newhouse from McKinney and Sixto from Dallas -- they were both on our flight from San Salvador after working in the eastern part of the country.

Monday morning...

Just got a call that Ralph and Carol are boarded in San Salvador. Will fly into Houston then on to Fayetteville, Arkansas this afternoon.

With almost everyone home except us, Carol and I relaxed a little bit this afternoon.

Well, getting home proved challenging for this team. The bus was to pick us up at the hotel yesterday morning at 7:30. It showed up about an hour late. The driver was not fast initially. Finally, he got the message that he needed to hurry. Made good time through San Salvador and got pulled over for speeding between San Sal and the airport. I had Lori calling Continental and Napo calling Continental asking them to hold the flight. While the police decided not to give the driver a speeding ticket, they did delay us a long time. The we hit another police checkpoint just outside the airport and had another delay. At the airport, I ran inside and it was packed; went to a ticket agent and explained that 13 people were to get on the flight that was in the process of boarding. They moved our people to the head of the line, gave them tickets and headed them upstairs. I assumed they made it, but only the first five did. The others were in security and almost to the gate when the plane pulled back (already late so why the hurry) and left them. By then the bus with the others of us on it had left. So, those who did not get on were rebooked for a flight an hour later, which actually left about 2 1/2 hours later.
The 4 team members from Shongaloo, LA got home OK. Everyone else stayed in Houston when they missed their connecting flights home. They got to go to Katy, Texas to church this morning and see many friends.
The folks who stayed near the airport overnight made it OK this morning. As far as I can tell, everyone but Carol and I are home. We spent the night in San Sal with Carmen Cruz, went to the beach today and relaxed, and are now at the airport hotel relaxing and will get home tomorrow.
It has been an awesome trip. We are blessed to be able to help others who are less fortunate.

Sunday...

We just got word that all of those flying from San Salvador to Houston today have arrived in Houston.

Saturday night...

The latest word is that the Louisana group and the KC group should catch their connecting flights and make it home tonight. The group headed to Tulsa will be spending the night in Houston. Jaime is finding places for them to stay.

-per Ralph

After a late start, a slow trip, and two police stops within 10 miles of the airport, the group arrived to the airport late but the agents worked them in through a packed airport. They were last seen headed to security. Heading to drop others off at Quality Inn where they will spend the night and fly out tomorrow morning. Carol and I are spending the night with Carmen in San Salvador and will fly home Monday.

-Ralph

We have had our closing discussion and prayers. Good night. We leave tomorrow by bus and then plane.

We are finished here- almost. The leftover meds are stored and marked. Other stuff has been put away, and we have the check bags ready to go home. This is our last night here, and we will get on the bus at 7:30 in the morning. We are all well and healthy.

We will put away unused meds and start packing today. There is a program for the sponsored children this morning also. We are well.

Lillian and Victor announce May 1 as their planned wedding date! Lillian is the Directora of the La Palma Christian School, and Victor is a preacher near San Salvador.

The team is finished and putting stuff away. One van load is already back. The patient total is 1208+ !
We are well - but tired.

Back from Nueva Concepcion with little Ulysses. He is really tough guy--showed no pain but went to sleep almost immediately when he got in the car.

The team got away almost on time again. We will go get Ulysses at the hospital about noon and bring him home. His mother says he is doing OK.

We have always relied on US Peace Corp workers to help us translate at our medical clinics. This year we are happy to have these two helping us. Blair works in Honduras and is from Charlotte, NC. Tim works in southern ES and is from Iola, KS. They know the language and the people - a great benefit to us.

Ulysses had surgery to repair his broken bones today. He was held overnight and will come home tomorrow. Doc Harris will look at it to see how well it was done. His sister says he is OK.

Our team treated 275 patients today in less-than-ideal conditions. The area was too small and crowded, but the mission went on.
One young lady had to be evacuated to Nuevo Concepcion by ambulance.
We had a singing convention tonight for those who wanted to participate. It was a great time under the stars and bright moon.
We are well and healthy.

This is the triage tent in San Ignacio. Imagine the professional talent here being donated to help the poor.

The medical team got away early today! They were only 20 minutes late leaving the hotel--a big improvement.

Our team is gathering for breakfast. I am always impressed by the diversity and professionalism of the people who come here--giving up their own lives to help others, and paying their own way to do it.

A photo of the medical workers today. Nurses love to help people, and the others love to help the nurses. Katrina checks some patient records. There were 334 patients seen today. We are all well and healthy and busy. Tomorrow the clinic will be in San Ignacio.

David on the left and brother, Fernando, on the right were badly burned in December in a fireworks accident. The doctors say it is a miracle that David lived at all. They were taken to Boston Shriner's Hospital and cared for very well - now back at home and recovering.

Our medical team is very busy today--over 300 at 11:00 am. Already needing more supplies.

I got to hug David and Fernando, the two boys who were badly burned back in December. I did not even think to take a photo of them, so will have to go back to Ocotepeque to get that. They are doing well. Fernando is back in school and David is almost ready to. David had a lot more serious burns and several grafts which he has to recover from.

Looking forward to a great day in El Salvador. Bringing medical help to those who need it and preaching to them the Gospel! Pray for our continued safety and success.

The team treated 214 patients today in spite of a late start. They all came back pepped up and ready for another round. We are well and healthy.
The temperature is unusually cool tonight---58 degrees with a wind of 12-15 mph! People are shivering.

This is the arm of the little boy with a double fracture last Friday. The local clinic could not xray it-sent him by truck an hour to another hospital. The doctor who could set it was not in. Sent him home to go back Monday! Socialized medicine.

The clinic is up and operating with a little more than a hundred patients this morning after a late start. All is well after a truck knocked one of the tents down and a herd of cattle ran through the registration tent. No Problem!

For Betty in Southaven: Thank you so much for helping Colton do the signing. It means a tremendous amount to him so he can still participate in LTC. Thank you and God bless you. Ralph

The first load of people and med supplies left the hotel at 8 am. It was scheduled for 7 am. Things just don't happen on time here.
We are all well and healthy.

122 at church in La Palma this morning, countin us. About 18 from La Palma were in San Ignacio for church there at the same time.

The med team had a good time and is ready to leave at 7 am for a long day at San Jose Sacare tomorrow!

Part of our team is going to a little settlement right outside of La Palma to give medical treatment to the children there. They plan to be back well before dark. A bus was not available so a truck took them.

We are well and have had breakfast --- ready for a big day. With the local church in the morning, and then some of the medical people will take meds to a very remote and poor area with about 200 children.

God is good.

We are all here and well! The new group arrived, had dinner, received their briefing and work plans, and are getting ready to get some needed sleep.

Melissa holding a baby that had trouble breathing and had just received a breathing treatment.

Lori and Monte are at the hotel near the San Salvador airport for an early flight to Houston tomorrow---and on to Northwest Arkansas if the weather allows.

The new group coming to La Palma cleared customs and was waiting on the bus at 12:15--no problem with the meds they were carrying. They are now coming up the hill and should be here in an hour.

A group of us went to Ocotepeque and worked with the program children there this morning. They are very lovable and really appreciative of the medical attention they were given. The two boys who were burned badly back in December are now home with their parents and doing OK. David received some skin grafts and still has a long recovery. Fernando is back in school and doing well.

The medical folks are very busy today organizing for the coming clinics. We are well and healthy.

This is our first group at dinner. The group becomes larger today. Some of us are going to Ocotepeque to work with the children there. Tonight there will be about 23 of us.

It has been a very long and stressful day. We finally paid a 13% Duty tax on the wholesale value and took possesson of them a little after 8 pm. Tomorrow is a new day. Lori and Monte start their journey home with decisions to make. Eleven more join us tomorrow afternoon.

We learned a lot about the import process. The new government is trying to follow the book and we did not follow it very well. It is a new book! There is hope for the future. We must not quit.

The meds are in one of the hotel rooms here.

Ralph just called - the group that went to San Salvador to get the meds ate lunch on the grounds of the white house. Didn't meet the president but have been working with one of their representatives. They have been told to go to the customs office now and pick up a letter that will allow them to pick up the medications at the airport and will work for the medications coming in on Saturday. God is good!

Lana

Departing La Palma for San Salvador and the airport.

The meds have NOT been released yet by customs. We are going to San Salvador tomorrow to the Minister of Health and the House of the President. We PLAN TO BRING THE MEDS BACK TO LA PALMA TOMORROW NIGHT! PERIOD!

We had a productive morning. The new team members got to see the new facility and visit the school. We marked keys for all the doors and diagramed the facility for ease of use. Morris is making key boxes and a spreadsheet of doors and keys.

A mission group from Arkansas donated two large boxes of tools and a portable generator for our use. We are thankful for that and want to use them with stewardship.

Jose is in San Salvador trying to get the meds released.

Those of you coming Saturday--please see the Continental rules on carry-on luggage. They appear to be changing. We almost were not allowed to get on with backpacks. I have not checked it, but am asking you to please do so. Apparently they are wanting to reduced the amount of carry-ons and are in the process of changing.

The weather here is great!

We had good travel today and are now finished with dinner and preparing to start making up for the sleep we lost last night.

At customs we were frustrated for about 4 hours because they would not allow the medicines through. We finally left them and came on up to La Palma, and will start again tomorrow. Another group had the same problem. This was their 7th trip and the first time they had any trouble.

We are all well and healthy, but very tired. We had just moved our clocks up Sunday for DST, and now have to move them back. Some of our team did not get any sleep at all last night.

It was 93 degrees at the airport, but here in La Palma it is cool and comfortable.

Medicines not released at customs. We are headed up the hill.

The team is headed to gather their bags and get through customs.

All 11 are boarded on the flight from Houston to San Salvador. They are to arrive around noon.

Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow, beginning very early, 11 of us will travel to La Palma and join Lori and Monte. We meet in Houston from 4 airports, and arrive in San Salvador about noon. If Continental does it's job right, we will have about 17 suitcases of meds with us. Our daughter, Lana, will be posting our travel progress.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be preparation days for the medical clinic. Saturday 10 more travel to La Palma, and Lori and Monte leave for home.

Pray for us to have safe travel and a successful mission.

Lori and Monte delivered this stroller yesterday. Karin, Alessandra, and proud big brother Eduardo. This stroller was donated by one family and shipp...ed costs covered by another family. Alessandra was born with hydrocephalia and had a lot of seizures as a baby. She is blind and cannot sit up or stand. She loved her new stroller when we presented it last night to her and was very happy to lay in it. She is looking healthier than in January when we saw her. I talked to her and sang to her and when I sang her name, she turned to listen to me and cooed back. Such a sweet baby and now her Mama's life will be a bit easier since before yesterday she had to carry her everywhere they went. Eduardo helped Mama push the stroller as they left. He was so excited to help.

Jose reports that he has seen the approvals for everything- clinic, medical people, and the medicines. The mission status is GO!

A young man pauses for a photo while carrying a big load.

It will be good to see nurse Iliana again. She is an important part of each medical campaign, and she is a wonderful caring nurse to the region.

Lori and Monte are in La Palma. This afternoon they are preparing for him to teach the Bible class in the morning as well as assembling the stroller they took. They will help with a class tomorrow afternon on worship participation, they go to Ocotepeque in the evening.

Lori and Monte have arrived in La Palma safely.

They were headed to Immigration at 12:45, then on to Customs and to meet Ruth for the ride to La Palma.

Lori and Monte have arrived in San Salvador. She said, "It is really hot here".

They have landed at Houston and are headed for the departure gate.

They left Houston late. Estimated arrival in San Salvador is 12:45.

Lori and Monte are boarded in XNA at 6:05 am. for the flight to Houston and on to San Sal.

Lori is shown with a young mother in Ocotepeque who has a big load to bear. The baby she is holding is blind and incapable of doing anything. In addition to taking care of the boy, the mother has to hold this baby all of the time. Lori is taking her a jogging stroller to help relieve the constant carrying.

Of course Ken would never patronize a Playboy club, but it makes an interesting picture as he stood in front of the building in Ocotepeque.

Stephen and Carolina are a step closer to becoming husband and wife. Stephen is from West Palm Beach and met Carolina a couple years ago when she worked with our medical team as a dentist. They fell in love with each other and have dated (mostly long distance) since then. It has been a long struggle, but Carolina and her daughter now have received visas and passports to the US. The travel plans are incomplete, but we wish them God's blessings as they attempt to beat the September deadline to marry.

Lori and Monte travel to La Palma Friday, ahead of the rest of our team. They will spend a week working with the church and school and determining if they can/should/will move to La Palma for a year.

We request that you pray for both of these situations.

God bless you, Ralph

Dea hugs Jose, a boy in the Ocotepeque sponsor program. Check out the eyelashes on Jose!

Tony and Steve were both in pain most of the time during our December trip, but they both kept going in spite of the pain. Both are prone to have a good time at what they do, and when comparing their pains with each other, they began laughing so hard that they both doubled over in pain and laughter. Not seen are their tears, which resulted from a combination of laughter and pain.
Tony is having surgery for ACL in a few days to enable him to go on the June trip.

In December, we had 2 members of our team with back trouble when they arrived in La Palma. During the week they both struggled with pain, but they both kept on going and doing their jobs. Don't miss tomorrow's blog as you see Tony and Steve commiserating with each other about their aches and pains.

There are 23 going to La Palma for the March trip. Although it is primarily a medical mission trip, we will be doing lots of other stuff. We ask you to pray for the entire mission work, and especially this trip.

The new congragation in San Ignacio had 31 in attendance including 20 adults on February 21. There were 4 adults baptized during the week. Man's job is to plant and water. God gives the increase.