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The 2011 Mission Season for the Alabama

 Honduras Medical Educational Network

It is late February and the 2011 AHMEN mission season is well underway. Mary and I have already gone with Gregg Rushton, Peggy and Russ Polhemus, Sharon Bentley, Ellen Storey and Carlos Mayfield to the little village of Belaire. Here we worked with our good friends, Jose and Evelyn Castellar, at the Clinica de Los Angeles. Our trip was very successful and is the topic of another posting on Papa Gordo’s Page.



Our very first Honduran mission trip

Mary and I have at least two more trips planned to go back to Honduras this year. Next we will do a “twofer” going first with the 316 Fellowship back to La Union.   The 316 Fellowship Team from Hoover (a part of greater Birmingham, AL) is led by Pat and Cindy Richards. The Richards are veterans of the original Discovery UMC teams that were led by Joe Jones and our son, Brad. Discovery was the first AHMEN team to go into Tocamacho back in 2006. The next year we went beyond Tocamacho and pushed all the way to the Pueblo Nuevo, at the very edge of the Moskitia. (This is when Mary and I began stacking teams together, spending longer time in the field and saving on airfares.)  

Pat and Cindy became team leaders in 2008 and in that year and again in 2009, took our first teams into La Union. La Union is a mountain village in the department of Olancho and is located within an area referred to by the locals as the “bad lands.” Upon our first trip there, Mauricio, the pastor of the local Cruzadas Church, met us by saying “welcome to the wild, wild west.” Actually it is very similar to Yorito in terms of infrastructure and basic human need. The last two trips we have been accompanied by Sister Eleanor Cooper, National Co-director of Cruzadas.

We will be again going to La Union with the 316 Team this season to conduct medical, eye-care and veterinary clinics. In addition we will hold one day of medical and eye-glass clinics at the new clinic at the Cruzadas compound in La Ceiba. When in La Ceiba we’ll probably stay at the La Quinta but during our time in La Union we’ll stay at a moderately comfortable (cold shower, no AC) hotel near the Cruzadas Pastor’s home where we take all of our meals.

The second leg of our “twofer” will be with the “It’s a God Thing” team from Livingston Chapel in Crane Hill. AL. This team will be going to Belaire where they will do medical, evangelism and eye-care clinics at the Clinica de Los Angeles and perform some limited house calls on the people of the Cloud Forest. The clinic sits on the farm property of Jose and Evelyn Castellar. They are wonderful hosts and would welcome teams that are traveling through to stop by and see what goes on at their clinic. The Castellars split their time fairly equally between Belaire and their home in Federal Way in Washington State but both the farm and the clinic are staffed during the periods of their absence.

“It’s a God Thing” team will also work one day at the dump in La Ceiba and will be interacting considerably with the girls at the Shalom dorm. Traditionally we have a hotdog/marshmallow roast with the girls, and this year we hope to have a couple of the girls join our field team. We will be staying on the beach near Sambo Creek at the Canadian Hotel.  After the mission some of the team will go to Utila for a few days of extra R&R. The team has for the past three years held clinics on the island and we have many good friends there.

The “It’s a God Thing” team is led by Larry “Bucket” Guthrie. He does not have email. To communicate with Bucket, send emails to Laura Faull. Laura will see to it that Bucket gets your message and will send you his response. 

The need for medical attention is probably equal in La Union and Belaire. Both of these teams are composed of strong Christians and are led by seasoned leaders. Approximately 60 – 70% of each of the teams is returning missioners and either team would welcome additional members. As a matter of fact, since these two teams run back-to-back, it is an excellent opportunity for both new and old AHMENers to double-dip (go with both teams).

Our last trip of this season will be to Pueblo Nuevo and Palacios. For each of the past three years, Dr. Tom Camp has led a multi-tasking team through Limon, to Cusuna, Ciriboya, Pueblo Nuevo, Palacios and into the Moskita. The project leaders for the nurture center, sewing school and libraries travel with Tom to conduct annual reviews, do training and plan for the upcoming year.

This team’s visit is coordinated as to coincide with the AHMEN/SIFAT leadership training seminar in Cusuna and the annual US/Cuban/Honduran medical seminar at the hospital in Ciriboya. Although much of the activity of this team involves administrative duties, there is a lot to be done in providing clinical aid. The medical component goes up river into areas of the Moskitia to provide clinics for the indigenous people living in the Rio Plátano Biosphere, the largest area of rain forest outside the Amazon.

The leadership training seminar is a unique initiative that was begun less than a year ago as a collaboration between AHMEN and Servants in Faith and Technology.

 SIFAT was established to equip believers to share God’s love through appropriate technologies. For many years SIFAT has brought potential community leaders from all over the third world to Lineville, Alabama for a training practicum in appropriate technologies and leadership. The AHMEN/SIFAT initiative reverses the manpower flow and takes the training to remote sites in the third world. Our first trial has been in the village of Cusuna. The goal of this effort is to help people become more self sufficient. Self sufficiency begins with empowering education in the basic “how tos” and “whys”. This training is a first step in that process.

Bryon Morales of SIFAT conducts training in Cusuna

Both AHMEN and SIFAT are committed to two distinct humanitarian efforts, while demonstrating Christ’s love. The first of these is simple relief aid. We must first attend to the health and nutritional needs of those who cannot afford it. This is what our medical brigades and our recent Stop Hunger Now collaboration attempt to achieve. But we realize that long-term, perpetual welfare is counterproductive. So we are beginning to invest in development strategies that grow leaders from within the community to help them break the cycle of dependency. AHMEN has a substantial history in efforts to empower the people of Honduras through vocational training in our woodworking, sewing and computer schools. The AHMEN leadership is very excited in this new added direction to further empower the people of Honduras through leadership training. It is hoped that the Cusuna experiment will be successful and that additional training sites might be established in Yorito, Belaire and La Esperanza.     

The teams that we will go with are not the only AHMEN teams that are available for those who want to participate. There are several other teams that are forming now for this 2011 season.

April 25 – May 7, 2011:   The “La Moskitia AHMEN/CHIMES Medical Mission” Team is co-led by AHMEN’s Bruce McFadden and CHIME’s Bud McKinney. CHIMES (California Honduras Institute for Medical and Educational Support - http://www.projectchimes.org/) is a sister NGO that was founded by Tom Camp’s brother Bill. The objectives for this team are solely medical. Visit Bruce’s Blog (http://ahmen-honduras.blogspot.com/) for more up-to-date information or contact Bruce at N5594J@gmail.com or Bud at bud137@SBCGlobal.net.

May 27 – June 5, 2011:    The “316 Fellowship” Team from Hoover, Alabama will go to La Union. The team has medical, veterinary and eye-care components. Will also do a Bible Story ministry for children. For additional information contact Pat at noneckquas1@bellsouth.net or Cindy at cmckr35244@gmail.com.

The 316 Vet team learns a rough and tumble version of veterinary care

June 4 – 12, 2011:   The “It’s a God Thing” Team from Livingston Chapel in Crane Hill, Alabama will hold medical and eye-care clinics in La Ceiba and Belaire. The team will also be involved in substantial evangelism. The team leader is Bucket Guthrie. He can be contacted via Laura Faull at twfaull@bellsouth.net. 

June 8 – 15, 2011:   Tom Camp will lead a medical team to La Esperanza . This will be the first time AHMEN has actually held clinics in El Esperanza. Tom led an exploratory team there in 2010 and it was determined that the need was sufficiently great to warrant returning with a full medical complement. For further details contact Tom Camp at llamacamp@gmail.com.

June 10 – 18, 2011: Debra Rodgers will lead a construction team from Discovery United Methodist in Hoover to either La Union to do work on the Cruzadas parsonage or to La Ceiba to work on the new clinic there. In addition, the team will be engaged in Bible training for the youth of the church. For information, contact Debra at debracrna@aol.com

The “BioSand” Team from Discovery and Helena UM Churches will be working in numerous villages along the northern coast and in the central highlands for an extended period of up to four weeks. This team will be involved primarily with education and demonstration as they install and teach locals how to operate simple BioSand filters. These are extremely efficient filtration systems that are easy to build and simple to maintain. For exact dates and any other additional information contact the team leaders, Joe Jones at Joejones141@bellsouth.net or Cliff Hardy at hardyc@bellsouth.net.

Simple Bio-Sand Filters provide clean drinking water

June 21 - July 1, 2011:    The “Jane Cox” Team from Columbiana-United Methodist Church will go to the CHHF clinic in Limon. This is named in honor of one of AHMEN’s most involved members, the late Jane Cox. It will be co-led by Peggy Polhemus and Sharon Bentley. In addition to conducting medical clinics and children’s ministries in and around Limon, the team will also provide a clinic at the Cruzadas compound and/or the La Ceiba dump. Contact either Peggy at mspeggysue@netzero.com or Sharon at sharonbentley@bellsouth.net. 

June 23 – July 3, 2011:  The “Feed My Sheep” Team from Decatur, Alabama is venturing into new territory for an AHMEN team. Led by CD and Linda Tripp, the team will go to La Ermita. The Tripps are veteran team leaders. For details contact either CD at ctripp@bellsouth.net or Linda at LMMT4@yahoo.com.

July 6 – 16, 2011:    The “Baptist Connection” Team from Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Curry, Alabama will hold medical clinics  at the CHHF Clinics in Limon and in Icoteas. The team leader is Richard Bowie. You can contact Richard for further information at pharmknife@aol.com.  

August 6 – 14, 2011:   The annual International Medical Seminar Team will go to Ciriboya. Elements of this team will hold a seminar for librarians in Cusuna, assist the SIFAT leadership conference in Cusuna and conduct both medical and eye-care clinics in Cusuna and Pueblo Nuevo. A portion of the medical team will also hold clinics in the villages along the river in the Moskita.

The AHMEN/SIFAT & Library Seminar Team leaders are Tom Camp and Lou Altman. Tom can be contacted at llamacamp@gmail.com. The 5th Annual International Medical Seminar Team leaders are Tom Camp and Tom Arnold. Tom Arnold can be contacted at taspok@mindspring.com. The Moskitia Team is led by Bruce McFadden and Bud McKinney. Bruce can be contacted at BCMCF@BHAM.RR.COM and Bud can be contacted at bud137@sbcglobal.net . Mary and guf Guffey will lead the eye-care component. They can be contacted at hjguffey@earthlink.net.

Tom “poles his boat ashore” in the shallows of the river