Lauren and team sorting pills for mountain outreach

Lauren and team sorting pills for mountain outreach

Tent city in El Mosco. The big one with the red roof housed all six of the Honeoye Falls team.

Tent city in El Mosco. The big one with the red roof housed all six of the Honeoye Falls team.

On a chilly Valentine’s day, the team from Honeoye Falls Presbyterian Church, led by Bertha Guild, left Rochester, traveled all night, and arrived in sunny, warm Huatulco, Mexico the following morning. Because of a travel glitch, Bertha, who was traveling with her niece from Alabama, did not arrive until the following day. This team of young ladies, ages 14-18, along with the mother of one of the girls was eager, energetic, and enthusiastic. After a night’s rest, they began immediately to help prepare for the mountain outreach 2 days later. First, we taught them how to weigh patients, take temperatures, and take blood pressures. Then they helped assemble medications, counting pills and pouring them into bags that would hold a single treatment. They also enjoyed some time on the beach and walked around a nearby town.

On Wednesday, the team of 24 assembled and we packed the trucks and cars with food and water for the 5 days we would be gone, sleeping bags and tents, tables, and boxes of supplies for the mobile clinic, several drawers full of medication, and materials for the children’s ministry, brought by the Honeoye Falls team. We were favored with good weather, no vehicular problems, and no road construction delays as we traveled up to the mountains. We had plans to visit 3 different villages, but as often happens, local political considerations dictated some changes in plans.

Laura, with two of her Mixteco proteges helping in the pharmacy.

Laura, with two of her Mixteco proteges helping in the pharmacy. 

Honeoye Falls team ministering to the children.
Honeoye Falls team ministering to the children.

Our first clinic day we spent in El Mosco (rather than Llana Verde); we saw 66 patients, 12 of whom had a curiosity and hunger for knowing more about our Lord Jesus. Because of difficulty communicating with one of the pastors in the region, Laura drove over to that village and found out that we had been denied permission to go to La Cuchara, and would instead go to the larger village, Ixtayutla. However, we then found out from the pastor in El Mosco that there was going to be a large gathering in Ixtayutla the next day to mobilize opposition to building a hydroelectric dam in the region. The rumor was that the gringos and the Christians (that includes us) were instigators of the plan (not true). So the local pastor advised against our going there the following day. We did ultimately send a small, completely Mexican and Mixteco team to care for the 30 or so patients that had assembled there. That did not seem to draw any hostile attention, though we did see later that day a couple of truckloads of men with rifles slung over their shoulders. Those of us who remained in El Mosco saw a few patients, while the girls with us enjoyed having a full day to play with the children there. The children particularly enjoyed jumping rope, coloring and the felt board presentation. By the end of the day, the children were learning some English words (not quite sure how their parents feel about that) while the team was learning some Mixteco words.

Jumproping is a favorite activity of both girls and boys.

Jumproping was a favorite activity, enjoyed by girls and boys.

Children absorbed in art activities in the mountains.

Children absorbed in some art activities in El Mosco.

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