Just a few days after Bairon’s vacation, it was off to San Pedro Sula to pick up my sister, Kathy, at the airport. We spent Friday night with our friends the Hoffs in San Pedro before picking Kathy up at the airport on Saturday. Kathy arrived more or less on time to one of the busiest days that we’ve seen at the SPS airport in a long time. She came out of the immigration area just long enough to tell us that she was missing a suitcase and that she would be back once she was done filling out the paperwork related to the missing suitcase. Oh boy. Can you believe it, the suitcase came in later than night and the airlines (Continental) delivered it all the way out to the hospital the next day?? That is about four hours away! I was just amazed (and thankful) that we didn’t have to spend an extra night in SPS to wait for the lost suitcase. If there are any “old-timers” from Loma de Luz reading this, they must be shaking their heads at how easy we have it these days – having lost bags delivered to the hospital. Wow.
Our drive back with Kathy was a great time to get caught up. It was also neat to see her get re-acquainted with Honduras. You see, she had been here four times previously for medical missions trips (she is an RN) to the southern part of the country prior to our ever thinking about coming to Honduras. She loved the country and the people before God put a call in our hearts to be here. Isn’t that neat? I need to mention again how fortunate we are to have so much support from our family as we serve here at Loma de Luz. In less than two years, we’ve already been visited by Marinajo’s mom, Mary, and my Dad and Stepmom, Dennis and Julie, and now my sister, Kathy, was here with us for a visit. Understand that we serve alongside people who may have never had that much family visit them. We are just so fortunate and blessed for this and we thank our family for all of their support.
The week with Kathy went by quickly. Here are a few highlights:
Kathy was able to spend some time with John Alden at a remote health clinic and with Penny Alden doing some home visit / dressing changes on a patient who had recently had surgery.
Kathy was able to meet many of the folks that we serve with here at Loma de Luz. It was kind of like introducing family to family.
Kathy’s daughter and son-in law called while she was here to tell us that he had passed his FBI interview and would most likely be heading to Quantico for FBI academy. That was some big news!
An important businesswoman was kidnapped in La Ceiba (about an hour away) and then brought to a town very close to here (3-4 miles away) and held hostage for five days. Read more about this here.
Thursday afternoon a two-year old boy came into the hospital –in very grave condition – with and accidental iron overdose/poisoning. Read more about this here.
Friday went to a hotel about 45 minutes away and swam and had a wonderful lunch together. It was such a relaxing way to end her time with us.
Instead of driving all the way back to San Pedro – we put her on a plane in La Ceiba early Saturday morning and after a long day of travel, she arrived home safely late Saturday.
As I reflect on Kathy’s visit – I’m struck by how much like our mom she is. Mom died back in 1995 and as hard as it is for me to admit it, I really don’t think of her that often. I tend to forget Mom’s mannerisms and way of speaking for example. Kathy is so much like Mom in those little mannerisms that it brought all of those memories of Mom flooding back in. It made me miss Mom and also made me thankful she lives on, in some sense, through my sister. Kathy has such a soft and giving heart. She brought all kinds of things down for us in her suitcase that we had asked her for and then wouldn’t let us pay for any of it. Her visit and her love are such a comfort to us here. It was a wonderful time to renew our love for one another and to renew our friendship. Lastly, I’m so thankful to the time that the kids were able to spend with her. One of the biggest regrets that we have in living down here out of the country is missed time with family. Thank you Lord for this time well spent with my sister!