During the past year Mission Honduras LeMars has been involved in numerous projects for the betterment of the poor of Honduras. From water projects to food programs we have attempted to make this year the best to date – please refer to other pages of this web site. Our feature story this year involves our association with ‘five’ very special Honduran children. Three of them were discovered by doctors during the 2009 Gehlen Catholic Medical team mission, one during the Sisters of St. Francis water project in November 2008, and one during the medical brigade from 2008. Since identifying these children, Mission Honduras LeMars has taken the lead on getting each one of them the proper help they need.

Jarmi Mizael lives just outside the village of Las Guamas with his mother, father, and family in very poor conditions. He was discovered by Francis Seivert, team leader for the Sisters of St. Francis group that was working on the water project in Las Guamas. Seivert also leads the medical brigades of Gehlen Catholic Mission Honduras and thus was able to refer this young man to the Gehlen team in January. Jarmi is five years old and has a very severe club foot, some problems with the other foot as well, and even issues with the fingers on both hands. He had been seen by an American medical brigade when he was four years old, but they were not able to assist. MHL discovered a new state of the art orthopedic hospital opening in San Pedro Sula, sponsored by Cure International. We arranged for a consult for Jarmi at the hospital. They were very good with the boy and arranged for surgery. Jarmi had surgery in late October 2009. MHL had arranged for all his transportation and costs and will continue to monitor all developments with this boy.

Representatives of Mission Honduras LeMars visited Jarmi at his home in June 2009 and continued to make arrangements for him and his family.

Francisca Montes lives on the outskirts of Lavanderos. During the Gehlen medical brigade mission she came to clinic in the afternoon of the first day. Her mother had died earlier that morning from malnutrition. Francisca is eleven years old and presented to clinic with protein malnutrition and alopecia (loss of hair). The medical brigade treated her for general health problems surrounding the malnutrition. She was given 3 weeks' worth of ‘Plumpy Nut’ food and months' worth of Kids Against Hunger food. The doctors treated her with mebendazole and piperazine and sent her home with 3 months' worth of vitamins. In June 2009 Francisca was living with relatives in very poor conditions but was much improved from her malnourished state. MHL officials carried more Kids Against Hunger food to her in June and will continue to make contact with her in the months ahead.

Santos Alejo Martinez lives in Piedra Blanca, very near San Juan. Santos is 14 years old. He came to the Gehlen clinic with his right leg very hot and swollen. His fever was 102.9. The doctors suspected acute osteomyelitis. He was immediately referred to Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa. Before going on this long trip to the hospital he was treated with motrin and antibiotics. Santos was hospitalized for approximately 3 months. He had a metal rod placed in his right lower leg between the knee and ankle. In June 2009 Santos was visited by members from Mission Honduras LeMars at his home. He was in a full leg cast and supported by crutches. He was smiling and looked very healthy. He has had no fevers since. MHL continues to watch the improvement in this little boy and monitor his progress. MHL will continue to assist this young boy and his family with all expenses.

Nellie Urbina Reyes is an 8-year-old from the village of Guauma, high in the Montana de la Flor. Nellie was first seen by our medical brigade from January 2008. She had come to clinic with recurrent fevers, pain, and swelling in both her feet. She was treated with medicines for her fever, given an antibiotic, treated for parasites and given months' worth of vitamins. She was then referred to the clinic in San Juan for more continual care. MHL arranged for her to be seen at Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa. After numerous visits and medical tests in different clinics she was diagnosed with Charcot foot, a degenerative disease and softening of the bones. MHL is currently in the process of getting this little girl a new doctor and more testing. It is possible that in the end she might have to live the remainder of her life with nothing more than special shoes that will help her walk and not cause further damage. When MHL officials saw Nellie in June of 2009, she was happy and hungry. We arranged for more Kids Against Hunger food for her and her family and will continue to monitor the developments concerning her medical treatments.

Above: Nellie's feet are examined by a Honduran doctor.   Right: Richard Seivert and Nellie pose in June, 2009.
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Rina Yesenia Martinez is a 6-year-old girl from San Juan. She was seen by the January 2009 Gehlen medical team. She came to clinic with an open colon. Our doctors diagnosed Hirschsprungs disease, a disease that affects the large intestine (colon). She apparently had surgery at 6 months of age and again at 2 years of age. At our clinic she was treated for infection and a fever, given vitamins and parasite medicine, and referred to Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa. MHL had been instrumental in obtaining numerous medical appointments for this little girl. Yesenia saw a specialist and had many tests. They agreed to do the necessary surgery for her in late 2009. In June 2009 MHL officials saw the little girl at her home. She seemed okay, somewhat happy and better nourished in spite of the open colon. In early October 2009 Yesenia came to Tegucigalpa along with her family members for a very successful surgery. She was released from the hospital on October 7, 2009, and moved to Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity orphanage for a 30-day period of recuperation. A little life fixed.