Camalotales is a rural community situated in the central mountains of Honduras, about 40 minutes by car from the Society’s base of operations in Siguatepeque. To find this community, a person has to turn off the main highway at the small town of Taulebe and then drive about 20 minutes down bumpy, unpaved roads. But the typical family in Camalotales has no vehicle. So what happens when they have a medical emergency? Perhaps their baby is due or they have a sick child. For most people, this has always meant at least an hour’s walk to the nearest health clinic, which is at Taulebe.
Yet, even when people finally reach the clinic, they are in for a long wait. The population served by the clinic in Taulabe has been rapidly growing, and so the clinic there is overcrowded. Legally, a doctor in Honduras is supposed to see a maximum of 24 to 28 patients a day. Yet, the doctors at the Taulabe clinic typically see about 80 patients a day!
Because of this untenable situation, Dago Cortes, one of the community leaders, kept persevering to try to get a health clinic built in Camalotales. He asked the Honduran government for assistance, but they were unable to help. So, on its own initiative, the community created a small clinic in an extra kindergarten classroom at the local school. A nurse came regularly to service the clinic.
However, before long, the school had too many children enrolled in its kindergarten, and so the school could no longer let this classroom be used as a clinic. At that point, Dago Cortes and the regional health director, Dr. Violeta Casteñeda, reached out to the Society of the Good Shepherd for help. They asked us if we would be willing to build a health center for the Camalotales community.
In response, last year we sent down a team of volunteers who began work on a new health clinic. While there, the team was able to lay all the concrete blocks for the first floor of the clinic. The Society then hired local Honduran workers to continue work on the building. They completed the rough work for the first story, and they poured the slab for the second story of the clinic.
In February of 2020, the Society sent down another group of volunteers—17 men and 4 women—to continue work on the clinic. Although they were there for only a week, this dedicated group (many of whom were part of the original crew) were able to accomplish an amazing amount of work. The brothers laid more than 2000 cement blocks, which completed the walls for the second story of the clinic. The women helped carry blocks to be laid, and they were also able to do some painting as well.
The people of Camalotales continue to speak of the example this team set for the community because of their humble attitudes, their hard work, and the love they shared throughout their visit. Their example of working for the Lord and for the love of their fellow man will continue to bear fruit long after the construction work has been finished.
The timing of the work crew could not have been better, as only a few weeks after they left, the government closed the country to visitors because of COVID-19. Before leaving, the crew was able to re-assemble a local crew of paid workers to complete the project. Because the government closed down most of the country for several months, this Honduran crew was not able to do any work on the project until June. Once the country
re-opened, they were able to begin work on the building once again. With so many people out of work, having this work project proved to be a huge blessing to these workers and their families.
The clinic is now nearly finished. The first story of the building is about 95% complete. The windows with protective bars are now in place, and tile has been laid on the floor as well as on the walls (per local health stipulations). Work on the interior of the second story is in progress, and the upper windows are being installed as I write. The main things remaining are installing the septic system and doing the electrical wiring for the second story.
This new clinic in Camalotales will serve 12 to14 surrounding rural communities. The clinic will particularly focus on the health of children and pregnant women. One of the first goals for the clinic is to provide free monthly checkups for pregnant women and to make sure they are getting necessary nutrition. Next, the clinic plans to provide vaccines for children and to give healthcare to senior citizens. Many of the older ones in the community need care for diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis.
Before long, the clinic will be treating the general population for fevers, colds, infections, and minor surgeries. Once the doors open, the clinic will begin with a full-time nurse, and hopefully we will have a second full-time nurse before long. Initially, a doctor will visit the clinic 2 to 3 times a week. The regional health director plans to eventually assign a full-time doctor to the Camalotales clinic.
All of this has been made possible by the contributions of our readers. The people of Camalotales want to thank you for your love and generosity.
Julie Nyhoff de Valladares
The Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210 • (717) 349-7033
Click on the following link if you would care to make a donation to the work in Honduras: Honduras Donations