Learning to Give and Receive~

My boys Cristian & Tato


One of the little girls from the orphanage!


My buddy Michael...I loved him!!!!!


How cute! Right before surgery- Jaxon


One of the Dona's!

Every week these days brings something different! A “normal” week is something of the past! This past week we had another surgical brigade with Light of the World Charities. I once again worked recovery, and had an amazing team of experienced ICU nurses to learn from! Tip #1: For a strong cough at night: Putting Vic’s Vapor Rub on your feet before bed will stop the cough! Just one of the many amazing tips of advice from these ladies! We had a whole array of patients this brigade, but for me it was a pleasure to take care of 6 of the boys and girls from the orphanage we work with every week. My kids! Out of the six kids, three of the boys have Down’s syndrome, and have such a special place in my heart! I saw them the day of surgery, and they came running down the hall up to me…there little backsides sticking out of their hospital gowns yelling Tia Tia! (Auntie Auntie!) fighting to get the first hug! They couldn’t wait to get in there! (Unfortunately, they didn’t feel the same when they woke up!)
Each child we operate on gets toys, stickers, tattoos, and fun socks etc. these kids thought they one the lottery! It was so fun to sit and play cars and stuffed animals with them before surgery, and then to be the first face they saw when they woke up! I was able to hold and care for the kids who didn’t have a Mom to come hold them when they woke up. The week went by beautifully, and Thursday night I went to bed ready for the final day of the brigade to come! Unfortunately I spent the night with incredible abdominal pain, that led to a whole bunch of blood tests etc… and I ended up being the patient in the hospital Friday at 6am!
I was sitting in the hall of the hospital waiting for the nurse to put in my I.V., and I may have had a tear or two running down my face! As I was sitting there, Rosie, one of the little girls from the orphanage who I had taken care of the day before came out of her room, and just climbed up into my lap. She started to rub my face, just smiling at me. I was so touched by this little girl! She is 5 years old, she saw a need, and responded in the way she knew how. I was thinking… it’s really that simple. We all know how to respond to suffering in different ways, we all have something different to bring to the table; it’s all about being in the moment we are called to be in…and living it!
I can only say I received the BEST care! The doctors and nurses who were in from the States were competing with the Honduran doctors to get me everything I needed. At one point I looked around the hospital room, I was in the bed and around me was Judy the team leader from Light of the World, Lydia and Dr. Eleana from San Benito, MJ one of the girls I live with, Br. Damiano (who got to return the IV favor I gave him a while ago!) and Fr. Juan Diego! Talk about being well cared for! So don’t worry Mom! Thank God after a few days of antibiotics my intestines are going back to normal! I can’t really have expected to be living in a foreign country for a year and not catch something! This is a mild price to pay! I am loving it here! The fear and apprehension I had starting out with, and making the decision to come here, were totally worth it for the peace I feel in being where I am supposed to be. God is so good! Sometimes I feel like my heart is gonna burst! I pray that in each decision I make in my life I find this same joy and confidence! I have one life…I might as well open up all the doors possible and trust that He will lead me! Please know you are in my prayers each and every day! Love~ Therese