Shock – honestly, $30 for a 6 mile cab ride?
Shock - cannot flag down a cab in a flash
Awe – the cab driver has change!
Shock – how hot water can be really truly too hot
Awe – soft, soft, soft towels
Shock – the large cars with only one person in each
Awe – how polite drivers are
Shock – the plethora of choices, how do I make a choice
Awe – even in a regular Target, the plethora of food options
Shock – bullet proof vests guarding the hospital entrance
Awe – modern, western medicine
Shock – cold weather
Awe - cool room to sleep in
Shock – the bareness of nature
Awe – the tiny whispers of green on each and every tree branch
Shock – understand everything that everyone says
Awe – Spanish praise music on the radio and it making me joyful
It truly has been a reverse culture shock to come back to the US. We have been back a week now and I am still amazed, shocked, awed, daily as I go about our life here in Minneapolis. I am amazed by how easy it is to get things done, yet, I miss the warmth of the people in La Ceiba, the smiles, the small talks, and the slower pace. Like in so many other areas of my life, I am living in tension: Honduras versus the US. God is working on me, showing me the gray areas of life, that tension is good, it is molding me; I am learning to enjoy the journey.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Taking back my mind
I have a critical spirit, one of the things that God laid on my heart to work on this year. It is so easy for me to see what is wrong, what needs to be fixed, how to solve a situation, or come up with a way out of a jam.... yet in the process I forget to enjoy all that is right. The beauty, the care, the passion, the compassion, the love and consideration that is behind most acts, thoughts, words and deeds.
I have been especially convicted about my critical spirit as it comes to fellow Christians. "I cannot believe they let their kids do....., " "I cannot believe they do not let their kids ........," "How can she call herself a Christian and do....." "Why would someone who is a Christian not do...." The thoughts and criticism can run like an endless tape in my head, a veritable proving ground for discontent, dissension and distraction. Christians are known for criticizing our fellow believers, dividing rather than unifying - and I am sure I have done my fair share to contribute to this stereo type. Please note, I am not talking about blatant errors or sin, the Bible is pretty clear on how these situations are to be handled.
Beth Moore, wrote so wisely in Praying God's Word Day by Day about and it hit home:
"Concentrating on the shortcomings of other Christians can cheat a Christian of truly enjoying the presence of God." p 44.
My mind can only handle one thing at the time, and why should I give up time and presence with God for the worries about someone else? For a situation that I have no say in, no impact on, no stake in? Rather, I ought to keep my focus on God, praying for my fellow believers.
When I focus on others, I have to take the focus of God and that is EXACTLY where the enemy would like me, my focus can be any other place. So when I criticize, analyze, judge another Christian - the enemy calls it a victory, MISSION COMPLETE! He knows the incredible power that comes with a focus on God - with God nothing is impossible.
This has been ruminating in my mind for a while. The power that my thoughts have, and how much control I have over these random, and at times dangerous thoughts. I have renewed resolve to keep my focus on God. Spending my time with God rather than on my critical thoughts, has been so sweet, so enjoyable. I am seeing a difference. No, I am still able to quickly judge, criticize or seize up a situation, but I am now aware of the danger, and try to bring my focus back on God. I do not need to be assisting the enemy in his attack, my mind is no longer in his army.
I have been especially convicted about my critical spirit as it comes to fellow Christians. "I cannot believe they let their kids do....., " "I cannot believe they do not let their kids ........," "How can she call herself a Christian and do....." "Why would someone who is a Christian not do...." The thoughts and criticism can run like an endless tape in my head, a veritable proving ground for discontent, dissension and distraction. Christians are known for criticizing our fellow believers, dividing rather than unifying - and I am sure I have done my fair share to contribute to this stereo type. Please note, I am not talking about blatant errors or sin, the Bible is pretty clear on how these situations are to be handled.
Beth Moore, wrote so wisely in Praying God's Word Day by Day about and it hit home:
"Concentrating on the shortcomings of other Christians can cheat a Christian of truly enjoying the presence of God." p 44.
My mind can only handle one thing at the time, and why should I give up time and presence with God for the worries about someone else? For a situation that I have no say in, no impact on, no stake in? Rather, I ought to keep my focus on God, praying for my fellow believers.
When I focus on others, I have to take the focus of God and that is EXACTLY where the enemy would like me, my focus can be any other place. So when I criticize, analyze, judge another Christian - the enemy calls it a victory, MISSION COMPLETE! He knows the incredible power that comes with a focus on God - with God nothing is impossible.
This has been ruminating in my mind for a while. The power that my thoughts have, and how much control I have over these random, and at times dangerous thoughts. I have renewed resolve to keep my focus on God. Spending my time with God rather than on my critical thoughts, has been so sweet, so enjoyable. I am seeing a difference. No, I am still able to quickly judge, criticize or seize up a situation, but I am now aware of the danger, and try to bring my focus back on God. I do not need to be assisting the enemy in his attack, my mind is no longer in his army.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Moms just like me
As I spend time with the women here in Honduras it is becoming so clear to me how little really truly differentiates us. Moms are Moms no matter where we live. My concerns for Lukas and Noah about their lives, their education, their health and their future is so similar to the ones of any Mom I meet here. Moms wants what is best for her children, and is willing to endure a lot to provide that, even if it means learning to read as an adult. Moms worry about how to feed their children. Mom spends time hugging and holding children.
I think about our living conditions, what we eat, and how to clothes the boys. I am constantly ruminating about their education, their future and how to prepare them for life. When they are sick, I want to give my left arm to heal them RIGHT NOW!
These Moms have the exact same thoughts. The only difference is:
When I think of where we live - I worry about our house, I am thinking of how clean it is, the amount of work it takes to keep it nice, how to make it feel like home for the boys and ways to ensure they have space to do 'their things.' I do not worry about keeping a roof over our heads,
the bugs are not flying straight through openings and we have locked gates to keep friends in and foes out.I think about what food we are eating, is is nutritious, is it varied, is it tasty? How can I come up with new ways to cook, new meals, exciting combinations to spice up our meals? My fellow Moms here are worried about getting food for their family.
I wash, sort and fold the clothes, making sure there are nice, clean and comfortable clothes to wear every day. If I do not wash today, we still have plenty of option for things to wear tomorrow, and our main problem is often: which shirt to wear. I concern myself with if the shirt match the pants, and if the shoes are appropriate for the outfit. My fellow Moms worry about having an outfit to put on their children - and shoes are often not even in the equation.
Bob and I are jointly schooling, providing a great support for me, and a fun shake up in the routine for the boys. We carefully packed educational materials for our time here in Honduras and when we are running short, the care package is only a few scant days away with more good books and learning tools. And, we have continual Internet access, so there is never a shortage of ways to educate. Yet, their education is often at the forefront of my mind, are we covering the 'right' things, are they learning 'what they need,' what are they missing, are they keeping pace with others their age. My fellow Moms worry about school period. Can they somehow find the money to buy school supplies, and uniforms. Can they afford not having the child helping out at home, or even worse helping to beg on the street in order to feed the family today?
I think about their future, what will the world look like when they grow up, how can I best prepare them for life in the world, what do they need to be ready? My fellow Moms are also thinking and worrying about the future, their horizon is simply a bit shorter - what will happen this week, this month. Can I provide for my child today.
When Lukas or Noah is sick, I bend down under the sink in our bathroom and pull out appropriate medicine to cure most of what ails them. If I do not have the right medicine, I can walk a few blocks to a local pharmacy and get it, and our personal health advisor Erin is only a phone call away. We even have Medi-evac insurance if something goes really wrong. My fellow Moms are just as worried about their little ones, they suffer through the fevers, the coughs, the wheezing lungs, the infected bites, the parasites. Despite limited education and information, Moms just know what is wrong with their babies, and these Moms are no exception. But, they most certainly do not have medicine under the bathroom sink - many do not even have a bathroom sink, the toilet is an outhouse and the washing takes place in the laundry, washing dishes, cleaning sink located outside. They may not be able to access medical care and pharmacies are bus rides away. Any Mom who has held a sick child waiting for the doctor's office to open, or for the medicine to arrive knows the horrid feeling in the gut...
There is so little differentiating me from these Moms, only God's amazing grace placed me where I am, in the family I grew up in, with the husband He prepared for me, and with the lovely family I have been blessed to care for.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Only in Honduras
Only here have I
be woken up by a man selling screens and glass to fix your windows, door-to-door, at 7 am on a Sunday morning
walked by a window display that has a boy mannequin dressed in cuffed shorts, polo shirt tucked in, and swim wings; or a store window selling bikinis and wedding gowns - and it was not a second hand store!
seen a armed man riding on top of filled propane tanks
been able to buy chairs, baskets, hammocks, ice cream, sweet rollls, and cotton candy at my gate all before 11 am - just who has a craving for cotton candy at 9:30 am... bring me coffee and let's talk!
ordered kebabs featured on the menu and being told it will take so long to make, choose something else,
asked for a Pina Colada and having the waitress come back 15 minutes later apologising that Pina Coladas are too difficult to make - albeit listed on the drink menu
waited two weeks for the land lord to even think about fixing the windows so that we can secure the house when we leave during the day
accepted that the stove probably will not be work properly before we head back to the US
carried home a back pack full of delicious food from the fruit stand and still have money left from my equivalent of ten dollar bill
stopped on the corner to chat with the street sweeper and kissing and hugging before I continued my walk
cheek kissed virtual strangers whom I just met.
bought delicious honey from the house across the street
Life in Honduras is full of surprises, juxtapositions, and unusual encounters - never a dull moment!
be woken up by a man selling screens and glass to fix your windows, door-to-door, at 7 am on a Sunday morning
walked by a window display that has a boy mannequin dressed in cuffed shorts, polo shirt tucked in, and swim wings; or a store window selling bikinis and wedding gowns - and it was not a second hand store!
seen a armed man riding on top of filled propane tanks
been able to buy chairs, baskets, hammocks, ice cream, sweet rollls, and cotton candy at my gate all before 11 am - just who has a craving for cotton candy at 9:30 am... bring me coffee and let's talk!
ordered kebabs featured on the menu and being told it will take so long to make, choose something else,
asked for a Pina Colada and having the waitress come back 15 minutes later apologising that Pina Coladas are too difficult to make - albeit listed on the drink menu
waited two weeks for the land lord to even think about fixing the windows so that we can secure the house when we leave during the day
accepted that the stove probably will not be work properly before we head back to the US
carried home a back pack full of delicious food from the fruit stand and still have money left from my equivalent of ten dollar bill
stopped on the corner to chat with the street sweeper and kissing and hugging before I continued my walk
cheek kissed virtual strangers whom I just met.
bought delicious honey from the house across the street
Life in Honduras is full of surprises, juxtapositions, and unusual encounters - never a dull moment!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Temporary housing
As a military wife, I have had my fair share of temporary housing - and never thought much of it, apart from mumbled complaints about the things I did not have. Living in Honduras has given me a much more challenging perspective of temporary living.
We were fortunate enough that Mike was able to find us a place to rent short term. There are houses here to rent, and there are furnished places to rent, but a furnished house, in a safe community, for rent short term is not easy to come by, so we are truly blessed.
The house is furnished with the basics we need to live - beds, table, chairs, stove, fridge and it even have some great extras: sofa, sofa table, water cooler, desk for our computer, and some lamps to light up the place at night. The kitchen had minimal but almost sufficient equipment. The question for us became: "Is this good enough for our time here or do we need to purchase x?" Since we are on a limited budget, each purchase required a 'no, we really need this' in order to be made. So we now have enough plates, cups and utensils to hosts friends for dinner, one pretty good knife, a working can opener, and a few assorted other items. It took a little getting used to, having to juggle meal preparations not only based on what was in the store that day, but the size and types of pans we had. Bob has been known to heat his tea water in our 'lobster pot size' pot a few times, and our newly purchased non stick frying pan does double duty as quick micro wave to reheat left overs. The longer we are here, the more we get use to the limitations and, strangely enough, they no longer seem so restrictive. In a sense it is pretty freeing to have these limits imposed on how we live, what we cook, and the cleanliness of the place.
One day talking with a dear friend, she mentioned the concept of our temporary residency here on earth, and how our permanent home is not here, but in Heaven. It really made me think about how I live life here on earth, not just in Honduras.
How differently I live here in our temporary home than I did in our 'permanent' house in Ridgecrest. How would it look like if I lived a little more like my home is a temporary place rather than permanent, something ephemeral rather than something of such great importance. I have come to appreciate the temporary status of our home here, and the freedom is affords me, and I pray that I will carry some of that with me back to the US. We have so much less stuff here, yet we are not really missing much. The boys are doing a fine job finding things to entertain themselves with, even though we brought hardly any toys. We eat a decent meal each night. Our friends seem not bothered by the fact that nothing match, the food is served in pots, and we have to wash the forks before dessert, and we have fun fellowship playing games, getting to know each other and solving "the world's problems."
As we begin to unpack all our many boxes this summer, I pray I will remember where my true home is; that the things we have need to be taken care of, yet held lightly in my hand, that what we have is good enough more often than not, and that what truly matters is family and friends.
Asking the question "do I really need this, or can I make do?" will do wonders for not only our budget but for our lives. Less things to take care of, more time for friends, family and relationships. Honduras is teaching me so much!
We were fortunate enough that Mike was able to find us a place to rent short term. There are houses here to rent, and there are furnished places to rent, but a furnished house, in a safe community, for rent short term is not easy to come by, so we are truly blessed.
The house is furnished with the basics we need to live - beds, table, chairs, stove, fridge and it even have some great extras: sofa, sofa table, water cooler, desk for our computer, and some lamps to light up the place at night. The kitchen had minimal but almost sufficient equipment. The question for us became: "Is this good enough for our time here or do we need to purchase x?" Since we are on a limited budget, each purchase required a 'no, we really need this' in order to be made. So we now have enough plates, cups and utensils to hosts friends for dinner, one pretty good knife, a working can opener, and a few assorted other items. It took a little getting used to, having to juggle meal preparations not only based on what was in the store that day, but the size and types of pans we had. Bob has been known to heat his tea water in our 'lobster pot size' pot a few times, and our newly purchased non stick frying pan does double duty as quick micro wave to reheat left overs. The longer we are here, the more we get use to the limitations and, strangely enough, they no longer seem so restrictive. In a sense it is pretty freeing to have these limits imposed on how we live, what we cook, and the cleanliness of the place.
One day talking with a dear friend, she mentioned the concept of our temporary residency here on earth, and how our permanent home is not here, but in Heaven. It really made me think about how I live life here on earth, not just in Honduras.
How differently I live here in our temporary home than I did in our 'permanent' house in Ridgecrest. How would it look like if I lived a little more like my home is a temporary place rather than permanent, something ephemeral rather than something of such great importance. I have come to appreciate the temporary status of our home here, and the freedom is affords me, and I pray that I will carry some of that with me back to the US. We have so much less stuff here, yet we are not really missing much. The boys are doing a fine job finding things to entertain themselves with, even though we brought hardly any toys. We eat a decent meal each night. Our friends seem not bothered by the fact that nothing match, the food is served in pots, and we have to wash the forks before dessert, and we have fun fellowship playing games, getting to know each other and solving "the world's problems."
As we begin to unpack all our many boxes this summer, I pray I will remember where my true home is; that the things we have need to be taken care of, yet held lightly in my hand, that what we have is good enough more often than not, and that what truly matters is family and friends.
Asking the question "do I really need this, or can I make do?" will do wonders for not only our budget but for our lives. Less things to take care of, more time for friends, family and relationships. Honduras is teaching me so much!
Take the No for the Yes
Two years ago, yesterday, God rocked our world by clearly saying "No" to our great plans for this time period between retiring and going back to school. There were a lot of emotions processing the end of our dream, what we had planned for, prepared for, desired, wished for and talked about for the last 8 years.
Two weeks later, we went away for a weekend get away. Both Lukas and Noah love to swim and although it was already hot in our desert town, there were no outdoor pools open. When we checked in to the hotel, the boys quickly spotted the little hotel pool. They were so excited and we were in that pool in record time - from car unloading to swimming: a blink or two! The boys happily played around in the pool, swimming, diving, jumping, splashing, and riding of Daddy's back. It did not matter to them that the pool was small, in their eyes it was perfect. Only the sun setting - making the desert cool again - and very hungry bellies could even begin to persuade them to get out and dry off. "This was the life" as Lukas says.
The next morning, we planned to spend the day at a local water park. The boys woke up, and had their swim shorts on before their sleepy parents had even opened their eyes. 'C'mon Mamma, C'mon Daddy, let's go to the pool....' When we told them we had other plans for the day, the reaction had the resemblances of a nuclear reactor melt down - how could we even think of going some place else, having to get in to the car, when there was a great and fabulous pool right here outside our door. Two very sad, although obedient, children, joined us for breakfast and then got in to the car. The mood certainly was somber. On my inside I was seething, how could they be so ungrateful, so unappreciative, we had these great plans for them, and all they did was whine and complain about not being able to play in the 8x10 pool. Their grumbles turned into singing when they realized where we were going, and what we had planned for them - a full day at a fabulous water park: lots of pools, slides, wave pool, lazy river, more slides, and water play. They squealed with delight and we had a phenomenal day.
The irony of this was not lost on me - the grumbling, whining and complaining that I was doing about our "No" was no better than that of Lukas and Noah. I saw a glimpse of what our Loving Heavenly Father must feel when I kick and scream, protest and argue. I often think about the 'water parks' that God has in store for me if only I am willing to listen and obey. How often have I spent my time in the little pool, when the water park was right there, because I wanted to lead and direct my life?
God's "No" two years ago, lead us to His "Yes" which we are living out right now. Spending four months in Honduras, working with missionaries, learning the language, experiencing the culture, and getting to know some amazing people - that was God's water park for us. I would have gladly given up a much bigger pool for this water park, and I only wish I had done it more graciously, without temper tantrums, whining, complaining, arguing, fretting about and stomping my feet. If I had had it my way, we would have missed this incredible, amazing, wonderful and all around invaluable experience - and all for splashing around in the puny hotel pool.
Beth Moore wrote:
Any "No" an earnestly seeking child of God
receives from the throne is for the sake
of a greater "Yes."
I pray that I will remember this next time God says "No."
Two weeks later, we went away for a weekend get away. Both Lukas and Noah love to swim and although it was already hot in our desert town, there were no outdoor pools open. When we checked in to the hotel, the boys quickly spotted the little hotel pool. They were so excited and we were in that pool in record time - from car unloading to swimming: a blink or two! The boys happily played around in the pool, swimming, diving, jumping, splashing, and riding of Daddy's back. It did not matter to them that the pool was small, in their eyes it was perfect. Only the sun setting - making the desert cool again - and very hungry bellies could even begin to persuade them to get out and dry off. "This was the life" as Lukas says.
The next morning, we planned to spend the day at a local water park. The boys woke up, and had their swim shorts on before their sleepy parents had even opened their eyes. 'C'mon Mamma, C'mon Daddy, let's go to the pool....' When we told them we had other plans for the day, the reaction had the resemblances of a nuclear reactor melt down - how could we even think of going some place else, having to get in to the car, when there was a great and fabulous pool right here outside our door. Two very sad, although obedient, children, joined us for breakfast and then got in to the car. The mood certainly was somber. On my inside I was seething, how could they be so ungrateful, so unappreciative, we had these great plans for them, and all they did was whine and complain about not being able to play in the 8x10 pool. Their grumbles turned into singing when they realized where we were going, and what we had planned for them - a full day at a fabulous water park: lots of pools, slides, wave pool, lazy river, more slides, and water play. They squealed with delight and we had a phenomenal day.
The irony of this was not lost on me - the grumbling, whining and complaining that I was doing about our "No" was no better than that of Lukas and Noah. I saw a glimpse of what our Loving Heavenly Father must feel when I kick and scream, protest and argue. I often think about the 'water parks' that God has in store for me if only I am willing to listen and obey. How often have I spent my time in the little pool, when the water park was right there, because I wanted to lead and direct my life?
God's "No" two years ago, lead us to His "Yes" which we are living out right now. Spending four months in Honduras, working with missionaries, learning the language, experiencing the culture, and getting to know some amazing people - that was God's water park for us. I would have gladly given up a much bigger pool for this water park, and I only wish I had done it more graciously, without temper tantrums, whining, complaining, arguing, fretting about and stomping my feet. If I had had it my way, we would have missed this incredible, amazing, wonderful and all around invaluable experience - and all for splashing around in the puny hotel pool.
Beth Moore wrote:
Any "No" an earnestly seeking child of God
receives from the throne is for the sake
of a greater "Yes."
I pray that I will remember this next time God says "No."
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Just Do It!
Living in Honduras continues to teach me so many life lessons. What seems to logical, practical and easy from my perspective may just not be so - when viewing life from another point of view. Just last week, I had a great experiential lesson on this subject.
I had been suffering from a severe itch, hives, rash skin condition for over a week, when Bob said: "Enough is enough, you need to see a doctor." Since there is no Yellow Pages to find a doctor in, one either asks for referrals from friends or pound the pavements looking for doctor signs. We had spotted two dermatologists offices on our walks around town, and Erin suggested a third, so armed with directions I head in to town on Friday. The first office apologetically told me the doctor was at a convention and would be back in 10 days, but try this one... Well, that doctor also was at the convention, and so was the third doctor I tried and the fourth. As a last ditch effort before abandoning the quest, I headed to the private hospital. Yes, they did have a dermatologist on staff, no she was not at the convention, and yes I could come back that afternoon for an appointment, as long as I brought cash.
I returned cash in hand at the appointed time. The office secretary asked for my name and birth date. When I told her my name, she looked quizzically at me, so I handed her my ID card. Who can blame her, Severinghaus is not easy to spell. Once she typed in my name, she looked up, and asked, what about your second last name? Most Hondurans have two last names - one from the mother and one from the father. Well, I only have one - it is long enough that hyphenating was out of the question when we got married. She repeated her question, probably thinking this Gringa just does not understand. She finally gave up, and I silently wondered if she wrote 'Gringa' as my other name to make it proper.... As I reflected on the interaction, I realized that something as basic as a last name is so differently interpreted and used depending on culture, country and family.
The doctor was very congenial and relatively rapidly diagnosed me with escobiosis. My Spanish English dictionary did not have this word, but fortunately she was prepared with a Spanish English medical dictionary - my condition: scabies. It is very simple she told me; "just wash all of your clothes, every piece of it, in hot water and dry it in the dryer on the hot setting. Tonight, put this cream all over your body, go to bed, and in the morning take a shower. You then need to wash the sheets, and towels that you use every day for the next week in hot water, and dry them in a hot dryer. Since you live with three other people, I strongly suggest you take the precaution by treating them as well, i.e. washing all their clothes, cream, sleep, shower, and change sheets and towels daily. In a short 7 days you will feel so much better. " Well, it does sound simple... but it is not. I wanted to tell her how impractical her suggestion was considering my current living conditions, but on second thought realized that she would not understand, and probably not care. If I wanted to get rid of the itch, this is what I had to do.
My little pila in the backyard can only handle a few pieces of clothing, and there is no hot water in the house apart from through the widow maker in the shower..... We only have one set of sheets for our bed, and not that many towels. So far, we have had rain almost every day, so it takes a few days to get the heavier things dry. Fortunately our sheets are thin, thin, so they do usually dry pretty quickly, but what do I do if it pours?
I am fortunate enough that I have enough resources to make this happen. We took all my clothes to the laundromat, and paid extra for hot water wash. Four hours later, I had completely step one. We have not seen rain for the past few days, and the sun and the light breeze has made washing the sheets every morning possible, some days they are dry before lunch! But it is taking extra ordinary time, energy and resources to make this happen - much more complicated than it sounded.
It has been a very humbling experience as it taught me that so many of my western ideas, suggestions, and resolution to problems and situation I see here in Honduras are just not practical for them to implement. Many minor ailments such as lice, bed bugs etc cannot be properly eradicated unless one follows a rigours routine of sanitizing and cleaning - yet when the laundry is done in the river, the water is hardly considered hot. When several family members share one bed, and not everyone is treated, how can you stop the infestation? When we suggest the addition of fruit and vegetables to the diet, but there is none to buy nearby, and the closest fruit stand is 45 minutes away with a bus, is that truly practical? Possible? Feasible?
Just Do It! sounds easy and quick, but behind the words hide reality with all its limitations and challenges.
I had been suffering from a severe itch, hives, rash skin condition for over a week, when Bob said: "Enough is enough, you need to see a doctor." Since there is no Yellow Pages to find a doctor in, one either asks for referrals from friends or pound the pavements looking for doctor signs. We had spotted two dermatologists offices on our walks around town, and Erin suggested a third, so armed with directions I head in to town on Friday. The first office apologetically told me the doctor was at a convention and would be back in 10 days, but try this one... Well, that doctor also was at the convention, and so was the third doctor I tried and the fourth. As a last ditch effort before abandoning the quest, I headed to the private hospital. Yes, they did have a dermatologist on staff, no she was not at the convention, and yes I could come back that afternoon for an appointment, as long as I brought cash.
I returned cash in hand at the appointed time. The office secretary asked for my name and birth date. When I told her my name, she looked quizzically at me, so I handed her my ID card. Who can blame her, Severinghaus is not easy to spell. Once she typed in my name, she looked up, and asked, what about your second last name? Most Hondurans have two last names - one from the mother and one from the father. Well, I only have one - it is long enough that hyphenating was out of the question when we got married. She repeated her question, probably thinking this Gringa just does not understand. She finally gave up, and I silently wondered if she wrote 'Gringa' as my other name to make it proper.... As I reflected on the interaction, I realized that something as basic as a last name is so differently interpreted and used depending on culture, country and family.
The doctor was very congenial and relatively rapidly diagnosed me with escobiosis. My Spanish English dictionary did not have this word, but fortunately she was prepared with a Spanish English medical dictionary - my condition: scabies. It is very simple she told me; "just wash all of your clothes, every piece of it, in hot water and dry it in the dryer on the hot setting. Tonight, put this cream all over your body, go to bed, and in the morning take a shower. You then need to wash the sheets, and towels that you use every day for the next week in hot water, and dry them in a hot dryer. Since you live with three other people, I strongly suggest you take the precaution by treating them as well, i.e. washing all their clothes, cream, sleep, shower, and change sheets and towels daily. In a short 7 days you will feel so much better. " Well, it does sound simple... but it is not. I wanted to tell her how impractical her suggestion was considering my current living conditions, but on second thought realized that she would not understand, and probably not care. If I wanted to get rid of the itch, this is what I had to do.
My little pila in the backyard can only handle a few pieces of clothing, and there is no hot water in the house apart from through the widow maker in the shower..... We only have one set of sheets for our bed, and not that many towels. So far, we have had rain almost every day, so it takes a few days to get the heavier things dry. Fortunately our sheets are thin, thin, so they do usually dry pretty quickly, but what do I do if it pours?
I am fortunate enough that I have enough resources to make this happen. We took all my clothes to the laundromat, and paid extra for hot water wash. Four hours later, I had completely step one. We have not seen rain for the past few days, and the sun and the light breeze has made washing the sheets every morning possible, some days they are dry before lunch! But it is taking extra ordinary time, energy and resources to make this happen - much more complicated than it sounded.
It has been a very humbling experience as it taught me that so many of my western ideas, suggestions, and resolution to problems and situation I see here in Honduras are just not practical for them to implement. Many minor ailments such as lice, bed bugs etc cannot be properly eradicated unless one follows a rigours routine of sanitizing and cleaning - yet when the laundry is done in the river, the water is hardly considered hot. When several family members share one bed, and not everyone is treated, how can you stop the infestation? When we suggest the addition of fruit and vegetables to the diet, but there is none to buy nearby, and the closest fruit stand is 45 minutes away with a bus, is that truly practical? Possible? Feasible?
Just Do It! sounds easy and quick, but behind the words hide reality with all its limitations and challenges.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)