Clinic in Honduras gives medical care and words of hope

Blogging live from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
I was able to slip away from the seminar at the Baxter Institute for a few minutes to take a brief tour of the James Moody Adams clinic, located here on Baxter’s campus.

Xiomara Erazo outside the James Moody Adams clinic (Photo by Erik Tryggestad)

The clinic recently launched a nutrition program for impoverished families. When Honduran social services identifies mothers and children in need, the clinic provides food for the families. The recipients also are required to attend classes here and learn a skill — hairdressing and sewing are among their choices. The idea is to give the mothers a skill they can use to earn money and escape the cycle of poverty.
Xiomara Erazo is the head physician here. She said that the clinic sees about 25 patients per day for medical needs. There’s also a dental clinic here that’s in need of volunteer dentists and hygienists, Erazo said.

Thrid-year students from the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) do a four-week rotation at the James Moody Adams clinic. (Photo by Erik Tryggestad)

Students in medical school spend time here learning about medicine in developing countries. The JMA Clinic works in partnership with the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, or VCOM, in Blacksburg, Va. (See our 2006 story about the beginning of that partnership.) I met three third-year med students who are spending a month at the clinic.
The students stay busy. Patients line up here before 6 a.m. to receive treatment, Erazo said. Every morning, the patients and medical staff participate in a devotional and hear a message from the Bible.
“I think it’s important,” Erazo said of the clinic’s emphasis on faith. “A big part of the patients’ health problems have to do with spiritual needs. … Being able to receive a word of hope helps them a lot.”

• Feedback
  My assitant and I traveled to Honduras and helped at a clinic in Macuelisa in Jan. this year. Please tell me what your schedule is for Dentistry and perhaps we can combine this with the other clinic next Jan.

  Wayne Lopez DDS

  May, 14 2011

  The best first step, Wayne, is probably to follow the contact information on the website (www.baxterinstitute.edu) in order to start the communication process.
  (I am currently at Baxter for seminario. I serve as chairman of the board of directors.)

  Bob Young

  May, 15 2011