September 2008 Humanitarian Aid Trip - "Child Rescue Mission" to Roatan...island off Honduras

Trivani Child Guardians who generated the greatest amount of new, first-level volume earned a spot on the Rescue Mission to Roatan. The sponsor of the Be With Dee Group, Kelsey Thompson, was one of the winners. He and other winning distributors had a life-changing experience as they personally enhanced the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people on the island.

• Honduras is one of the 10 poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with GDP per capita at $3,300 per year.
  
• Economy relies on narrow list of exports; namely, bananas and coffee.
  
• 50% of population remains below poverty level. Population is 7.5M
  
• Unemployment is at 28% -- 1.2 million people
  
• Honduras was declared one of the heavily indebted poor countries by the World Bank.
  
• This country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.
  

Just wrapping up painting the second story of a medical clinic, "Clinica Esperanza" Peggy, a retired Registered Nurse from the US, saw a great need for basic medical services. She started a clinic out of her home (she is on the front row, wearing glasses, in blue scrubs). Doctors are now on staff at the clinic. One doctor lives and practices medicine in the United States for 6 months. The other 6 months of the year he comes here to volunteer in the clinic. The clinic outgrew it's humble beginnings and thanks to donations, they now has new facility. $2.50 per visit, (or about 30 of their cents) but doesn't turn away anybody. Free medication thanks to donations. To compare, the local hospital has 250 beds and no running water.


Children at an orphanage

• Many children have been orphaned because of the excess mortality due to AIDS. Yearly deaths: 4,100
• Hondurans living with HIV / AIDS: 63,000

Same orphanage
Trivani full-time Humanitarians provided pre-packaged gift bags with a variety of items.



Grinaldi and Kelsey Thompson at the orphanage
After spending some time with each of the children, the children began to open up. Grinaldi also gradually began warming up to the visitors. Eventually he began smiling and asking for piggy back rides.




Picture of the school - "Centro de Educacion Basica jose Santos Guardiola"
Look straight ahead down the dirt street. The school is the green building. This is an impoverished area, no running water in village, though some electricity. The children were given an assortment of items such as clothes, school supplies, games, and toys, as Trivani members quickly tried to determine the best fit per child.

• Students: 519
• Teachers: 25 (includes 2 volunteers)

Girl at the school playing with some balloons. This little girl was a ham for the camera. All the kids loved seeing their own pictures on the digital camera.



Lizbeth Corina Cooper Martinez (age 7) hugging her new doll given to her by a Trivani "Humanitarian Army" member.
Lizbeth has no father. Lizbeth has an older brother, 9, Juan Andres Martinez Keyes. Her mother has now left Lizbeth and Juan with their grandmother, Rosario Martinez, to raise. Rosario is "landsitting", or land-squatting. She and the children live in a hut with no running water. They do have one line of electricity for one light bulb. To sustain themselves Rosario built a mud oven in which she bakes bread every day. To help with the food, Lizbeth and Juan fish everyday after school. This little family lives on under 1,800 Limperas a month, which is under $3 a day.