This was an exciting year with the return of brigades to Manos Amigas after 2-1/2 years of not being able to safely send volunteers. Our brigades work closely with the Manos Amigas staff, strengthening the partnership between Serving at the Crossroads and the Manos Amigas Clinic. We also significantly upgraded our blood analysis capability and hired a director for the lab.

The clinic dental staff and their computer technician worked virtually with Shick Serona Dentsply to program the new computers for the upgraded x-ray system.

For nine years, Jose suffered from an agonizing disease causing painful, oozing wounds on his leg. He suffered year...after year…after year…each year filled with agony as the mysterious disease progressed. With limited medical care available in Honduras, Jose’s disease went undiagnosed.

The team from West Chester hiked to the top of the mountain where they found numerous clusters of small, low-profile dwellings.

Cindy Knisely of Westminster Presbyterian Church hosted a creative table and work space where children could be segregated from parents, freeing up more space for patients inside the clinic, both at the Trinidad and La Entrada locations.

Although the clinic is only a few years old, there is always more than can be done to improve the facility and the operation.

The container is loaded and will be picked up. The process took 2 1/2 days involving transporting stored equipment and supplies from 4 different locations. The logistics were organizing and coordinating people and trucks.

The staff at the clinic work long hours. They start at 7:30 a.m. and work until almost sunset, six and a half days per week. By law, the physicians, however, work an abbreviated 6-hour day. This can be difficult at times because some of our patients start out from their homes at day break and walk for hours down mountain trails to come to the clinic.

The Manos Amigas clinic is located along Honduras’ International Highway approximately three miles outside of La Entrada on the way to San Pedro Sula. It is still a rural area and security is always a consideration. And so, over the past year, a modern house was built to provide a home for our security guard and his family.

If crowds are any indicator of something “afoot” in the area, then the clinic will have to be judged as a huge success.