If I had to pick one...

Hello Everyone,

Again, long time no talk, but but better something than nothing, right? So a lot has happened but I am not going to try and recount all of it due to time and the importance of sleep. However, I thought I would pick the number one thing that has happened since the last blog and give it five minutes.

That best thing, I am happy to say, was an experience with our students.

Recently a group of doctors and nurses came down from the States to do medical clinics to little villages that don't have money or access to the health care they need. They have been doing this for years now with the Olancho Aid Foundation, this particular group 15 years I believe. However, one problem they have always struggled with is the language barrier. It is difficult to diagnose someone if you don't know what the problem is.

Sometimes they have had a few on their staff that can speak Spanish or they are accompanied by some Hondurans, but translators are in high demand during these health clinics and can't be with everyone at once. This year someone realized "Hey, OAF has a bilingual school doesn't it? Why don't we get the students to translate?" This might seem like a "why didn't we think of this before" type of thing because Santa Clara has been teaching students to be bilingual for 9 or so years now, however, the timing actually was most appropriate because now the students are getting to the age when they are mature enough to ask the uncomfortable, personal questions the doctors need anwered and they can realize the importance of the service they are providing by being translators.

So that's what happened. Three different days the medical brigade took a handful of our students and a teacher to go along with them. These pictures were from my day.

the people of the village gathering outside the school house where the clinic was set up

Paola taking information at the clinic's entry

Nasry translating with a doctor

Carlos translating how to take a prescription


It was the best experience, possibly, I have had with my students. They got to see how valuable their bilingual education is and they got to play an important role in worthwhile cause.

That's all for now. Life is good and I am thinking about you all.

Love,

Dan