John Wesley famously said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can.” The Society of the Good Shepherd endeavors to follow this motto. And one of the best ways ‘to do all the good we can’ in Honduras with the donations entrusted to us is to build rural health clinics. This ministry is in addition to the microloan ministry we carry on in Honduras.
One reason that building rural health clinics is so cost effective is that the Honduran government furnishes these clinics with government-paid doctors, nurses, and dentists once we build them. The government also stocks them with medicines. The people pay only nominal amounts for these medicines and services. The government does not have the funds to build these health clinics, but it provides all these services once we build the clinics.
This past week, a team of 13 Christian brothers and 7 sisters—including four married couples—came from the U.S. to the village of San Jose to work on a new medical clinic there. The town of San Jose consists of about 5000 people, but the medical clinic will serve eleven surrounding villages, plus the entire rural area between these villages. Actually, there is already a small health clinic in San Jose that was built many years ago. However, the population of the area has grown dramatically since then. So the present clinic is now grossly inadequate.
When we were in Honduras last year, we met with the mayor of San Jose. The town had hired a construction engineer and architect to draw up plans for this new clinic. The mayor showed us the plans and asked if the Society would be willing to build the new clinic for the people. We agreed to do so. The new clinic is being built on the same property as the old clinic, and it will incorporate the old clinic within its walls. However, it will be able to service a vastly larger group of people.
The new clinic will feature a pair of two-story buildings. Before our work crew arrived from the States, we had already hired the Honduran engineer to begin work on the two buildings with Honduran work crews paid by us. So when the U.S. crew arrived, the bottom stories of both buildings had already been constructed. During the week they were there, the U.S. group worked tirelessly to lay blocks for the second stories of the buildings. Through some pretty amazing scaffolding, teamwork, and sweat, 2200 blocks were laid in a very short time. Although most of the team had experience in laying blocks before, this was still a huge feat!
The women worked alongside the men who were laying the blocks, helping them in various capacities. Several of the sisters were also able to bless the local school by repainting a mural on the side of the school building.
A courtyard lies between the two buildings of the new clinic, and it will be used as an outdoor waiting room and meeting area. During the rainy season, it has been very difficult for people to come for shots, medical procedures, and check-ups, because the waiting area did not provide sufficient shelter from the rain. The local community is going to pave this courtyard area, and the Society will construct a roof over it, to shelter it from rain. The engineer and Honduran crew hired by the Society will complete the clinic, now that the U.S. group has returned home.
As of now, there are 2 doctors and 4 nurses working at the clinic, providing basic medical services for the people in and around San Jose. Dr. Lansa is in charge of the clinic, and he is very excited to see the expansion happen so quickly. Among other things, there will now be enough room for a larger dental clinic, a pharmacy, and a place for treating and dressing wounds. In the past, all these things were done on a makeshift basis. Many lives will undoubtedly be saved over the years as a result of having this expanded clinic. Dr. Lansa and the people of San Jose thank all the Christian donors and workers who have made this possible.
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