Sharon and the Jungle Hospital

October 15, 2021

Life is full. Though Chris usually writes the updates, we decided that because most of this update is about what I have been doing since my arrival in Honduras, I (Sharon) would do this one! So, to pick up where Chris left off, being together again has been truly wonderful! It was most certainly the grace of God that allowed us to be apart so long. We are very thankful to be together again!

I spent my first five weeks in Honduras doing my best to turn our apartment into a home. I went through all our boxes and totes, sent down in 2015, organizing what we could use now and repacking everything we weren’t going to use right away (like our Christmas decorations and all my craft projects). I made a serious effort to get rid of all the cardboard boxes, as roaches and rats love them, and we do NOT want them as our first houseguests! For over a month we had a huge pile of “we need it, but don’t know where to put it” stuff, in the middle of our kitchen. Eventually, we were able to find homes for everything and the giant pile disappeared, and I no longer felt stressed out every time I walked into the main room of our home! We were generously gifted furniture from Dr. Martin and his wife Wendy, which really helped with the organization and made our living arrangement more comfortable! Though “moving-in” continues to be a work in progress, we feel fairly settled.

Speaking of the house, many of you know that our water situation has been tough, especially for Chris before I arrived. For every stride to make an improvement, something has gone wrong. This, complicated by the fact that we live so far away from the city where we can get supplies, has been frustrating at times. The big news is that the ministry (thanks to many hard workers and a generous donation) built a new water system for the property! This new system means that at least 90% of the time we have running water. We are so grateful!

In August, after years of anticipating my return to the Jungle Hospital, it finally became a reality! I work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 7am to about 4pm and commute using our new motorcycle. I usually arrive at the hospital dripping sweat primarily due to the full protective gear I wear (hot no matter what you do), but also because I stand up most of the time. The first few rides my quadriceps were shaking, but I have gotten pretty used to it now. I do this to minimize the jarring bumps to my head while riding on our very poorly maintained dirt road. This has worked incredibly well and most days I make it down to work and back home with minimal headache irritation from the road. I am so thankful for this! (And just because everyone asks me this…commuting in a 4-wheeled vehicle would not solve the problem because you bounce around worse in a car.)

I have spent my time at the Jungle Hospital learning the ropes from Tabby, the hospital’s only full-time nurse for the last nine years. She is wonderful and oh so patient! There is a lot to learn, and I am giving it my all despite the challenges. It has been such a wonderful thing for me to be witness the incredible ministry that the Jungle Hospital has grown into since first opening its doors in 2007. It has been a privilege to see it in operation from the inside. I want to give you just a few examples. We started seeing a woman who had three very deep and seriously infected pressure ulcers, more commonly known as ‘bed sores’, she developed them while in the public hospital down in the city and they continued to worsen even after her family took her home. To complicate matters, she was an out-of-control diabetic. On her 2^nd visit to the hospital, I remember thinking that this could very easily kill her, the infection was that bad. She usually spends at least 2 hours, 2-3 times per week getting treatment at the Jungle Hospital. It has been truly incredible to see her long and arduous recovery. I am certain, that without the quality and quantity of care she has received, she would have died. It is truly miraculous.

Our little hospital has developed a great reputation for care of expecting mothers. All three of us, Tabby, Dr. Martin, and myself, love providing prenatal care. Sometimes as much as 25% of the patients we see in a day are pregnant women. It is such a privilege to get to be a part of this amazing process and build a relationship with these mothers! Since my arrival, five babies have been born at the hospital, bringing the total count to 31! Unfortunately, I miss most births because they take place in the middle of the night and I cannot travel to and from the hospital after dark. But I am ready to spend the night any afternoon that a woman comes to us in labor!

In my spare time I started an herb garden. Our friends Larry and Allison who live down the road are helping me to expand my garden to include several kinds of spinach, Katuk and Moringa (small trees with nutritious and edible leaves), cranberry hibiscus and lemongrass. It brings me such joy!

Please pray for: