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Jeremiah 29:11 Armor of Hope Ministries Inc.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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El Sauce Clinic
The Clinic in El Sauce is up and running Monday through Friday. This is the first time in the history of El Sauce and the surrounding villages that there has been primary care readily available to villagers. We are still in the beginning stages of the clinic so there are many kinks to work out, but the villagers, health department and AHM are working together to have a sustainable and beneficial program.
Presently the clinic offers basic family health care, vaccinations for children and a flu shot for adults. This February we will add programs for testing, monitoring and treating hypertension and diabetes. We also have a small in-house pharmacy with basic antibiotics and medications for common health problems in the village.
The village has established a health committee and training has begun to help this committee learn to identify health problems and educate villagers on how to avoid preventable diseases. Armor of Hope and the Department of Health will be working together to help the health committee in its duties to promote better health in the villages.
Armor of Hope Ministries Inc. 837 Chestnut Blvd.,Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 330-929-4717 ext.104 Armorofhope@gmail.com
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To view dates that Laura and/or Steve Ross or groups will be in Honduras visit our "Contact Us" page.
Preaching From a Suitcase--Team Training
In February the Armor of Hope team rented an extended stay room in San Pedro Sula for one week. We used this uninterrupted time to build closer relationships within the team, focused Bible study and teacher training. The focus of our teaching and training the first half of this year was centered around bringing excellence in our worship, teaching, and presentation of lessons. The later part of this year will focus extensively on evangelism and relationship building in the village of El Sauce. We will also continue to mature our team for this work.
Javier's Story continued from Home Page
Because Javier was dealing with more than nutritional problems we, took him to see a doctor in Villanueva. The doctor treated him for the allergy reaction, but denied there was a problem with his lungs and ignored his nutritional status. One week later we returned to the doctor due to Javier’s respiratory infection worsening. He had pneumonia and this time the doctor gave him antibiotics, but made no attempt to deal with Javier’s nutritional problem and seemed uninterested. Malnutrition is a common problem here, doctors often ignore it knowing the poor can neither pay for treatment nor purchase healthy foods that will rectify the situation.
Our team decided to address Javier’s nutritional care. Javier’s mother was breast feeding, but seemed uninterested and inconvenienced in letting him nurse more than just a few times a day and for only short periods. She seemed uninterested in anything we tried to teach her concerning Javier’s nutritional needs . This was distressing for us. Javier had little chance of survival if his mother was not willing to give it her all.
After two weeks of doctor’s visits, antibiotics, feedings and nutritional counseling with Javier’s mother, Javier was finally over his pneumonia and allergy symptoms and was eating normal food. He had regained enough strength to sit up for about 15 minutes at a time and was responding to us with big smiles and playfulness. However our biggest obstacle remained to be Javier’s mother’s lack of interest.
After one week of Javier returning home fully in his mothers care, Victor, Yul Brinner and I drove up to the village of La Libertad to check on them. Unfortunately what we found was what we were afraid of. We found Javier’s little body once again too weak to lift his head. He was wearing only a diaper and his body was cold. When I took his body temperature, it was only 95.0. His lungs were rattling again. When I spoke with his mother I learned she was only feeding him tortillas and was allowing him to nurse about six times a day for only 5 minutes or so each time. We couldn’t understand her lack of interest. She has five other children who are all healthy and well fed.
We realized our ability to help Javier was very limited and even silently resisted by his mother. We had no other option than to give her instructions on warming him up and once again go over feeding instructions. She says she understands and we believe she does by the look of her other children. I left not knowing if I would ever see Javier again. He was weak and sick and his mother showed little concern. I had done all I knew to do.
This is when ministry is tough. You can’t force people to accept your help whether it is physical or spiritual. This was one of those times our team felt helpless. We prayed for Javier as a group. I continue to pray for Javier and am confident all our team members continue to pray. I had to leave to return to the USA a few days after our last home visit. No one has seen or heard from Javier’s mother on his condition since I left in mid July. Pray for little Javier and for his mother.
Javier's first visit to the clinic.
Javier after two weeks is smiling and playful.
