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LITTLE FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL, INC. a 501 (c) (3) non-profit |
*Donations to support our work may be sent to:
Little Friends International
3 Southbridge
Cromwell, CT 06416
If you are considering going on next year's trip, the information below may help you think it through. Some details will change, but much will be similar. Watch this page for new photos from this year's trip!
After reading all the information, if you are very interested, then you will need to follow these four steps to go on the trip:
1.) Review the information on the CURE International web site, on http://www.curenetcomm.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=205&srcid=232. Then, if you are still interested in going, talk to Mary Pergiovanni: Evenings after 6 p.m.: (home) 860-632-0161. Days: (work) 860-721-9002.
Please Note: The following information about passports is from the U.S. State Department's site, http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html
NEW ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least SIX months from the date of entry is the best way to enter Honduras. So, your pass-port should be valid through April 2009. This is new!! Though not required by law, some travelers have reported difficulty departing Honduras using a passport with less than SIX months of validity from the date of departure. A visa is not required, but tourists must provide evidence of return or onward travel. Parents should not rely on birth certificates for their children’s travel; rather, prior to travel they should obtain U.S. passports for infants and minors born in the U.S. U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a photocopy of their U.S. passports with them at all times so that if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and U.S. citizenship are readily available.
2.) Obtain the “first time application” from CURE International. Go to: https://www.curenetcomm.org/NETCOMMUNITY/SSLPage.aspx?&pid=326&srcid=274, which is the CURE International's website under “short term trips.” Complete the application and send it to CURE with the deposit. You will pay CURE a total of approximately $675 for room and board in Honduras.
3.) Arrange for your plane ticket. 2008 may be a year to be extra-early in booking tickets. Please check the prices. They are higher than usual this year and are likely to climb even higher with the rising cost of fuel. The price of a Delta ticket on Expedia.com has been about $650. This is a very decent price if you can get it; however, the flights do fill up and you may not be able to get a seat on the exact flight you want. Make your arrangements as soon as you can, regardless of which area of the U.S. you are coming from. The sooner you can lock in a price, the cheaper it will be. Already, the group traveling from Indiana and meeting up with us in Honduras has had to change the dates of arrival and departure because of a sudden jump in Delta's price for the flights they originally wanted.
Also, if anyone is planning to bring any SUPPLIES, MEDS, or ITEMS to DONATE to Honduras, we will be sending a container during the first week of June. Please contact me if we can ship your items for you, to be held for your arrival in October. You do not have to pay to ship these items to Honduras. Remember, you are limited to one carry-on and two checked bags not weighing over 50 pounds.
HOWEVER, if you are traveling from Hartford to Honduras, we will be asking you to carry one of OUR bags of equipment/supplies/medicines that cannot go in the container. Therefore, these people will only be checking through ONE bag of their own. So please give some thought NOW to what you will be bringing and how you will be getting it down there.
Here in Connecticut we will travel Delta Airlines from Bradley to Atlanta, and then to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. If you want to leave from Bradley with the group, the flights are leaving on Saturday, October 18th and returning Saturday, October 25th:
Flying Out Saturday, October 18:
Delta 1025 leaving at 6 a.m. October 18 from Bradley/Hartford (BDL)
Arriving in Atlanta (ATL) 8.29 a.m.
Delta 263 leaving ATL 11:10 a.m.
Arriving in San Pedro Sula (SAP) in Honduras at 12:40 p.m.
Return Trip Saturday, October 25:
Delta 262 leaving SAP in Honduras at 1:23 p.m.
Arriving in ATL at 6:42 p.m.
Delta 1424 leaving ATL at 9:30 p.m.
Arriving at BDL at 11:53 p.m.
The time in Honduras is about two hours behind Eastern time.
You may make your own arrangements instead. American Airlines also travels to San Pedro Sula.
Plane ticket OPTIONS:
A. Each person should book his/her own ticket by contacting Marc Hostetler at MTS Travel, 1-800-418-2929 ext. 81386. Be sure to let him know that you are a CURE volunteer so he processes the ticket cost correctly to allow for you to have a tax deduction. Or you may contact the airline directly. The benefit to using MTS Travel is that CURE International will buy the ticket and you reimburse CURE, which means that the cost of the ticket is regarded as a tax-deductible charitable contribution to CURE.
MTS Travel is the new booking agent for CURE International. Because this is a mission trip, they will give us the lowest published fare, which is approximately $650 per ticket. However, the rising cost of fuel may change this price. A deposit is required. You also can reserve your ticket by having MTS actually buy the ticket, not just put a hold on it, as the price can climb on holds. Then you can pay CURE a bit later, by the middle of August. Payment in full is due by September.
B. You may also use airmiles, and make your OWN arrangement with the airline, letting CURE know your flight number and time.
C. You are free to handle travel arrangements yourself, letting CURE know your flight number and time.
PLEASE NOTE: The total cost is usually a bit over $1300. If you would really like to go, but finances are an obstacle, please give Mary Pergiovanni a call.
4.) Immunizations must be up-to-date. You will need to see your doctor or go to a travel clinic and carry proof of immunizations along on the trip.
PLEASE read the Trip Information below carefully.
TRIP INFORMATION
The Culture We are constantly aware that we represent our own country and Little Friends International when we visit Honduras. We invited to go and welcomed there because we have carefully built our credibility through many years of hard work. Therefore, we must require that no one with us consume any alcoholic beverage at any time during the trip, even at meals and even after the clinic hours have been accomplished. Think of it as a 100% alcohol-free week and make that a part of your evaluation as to whether you want to join us.
The other cultural aspect is the dynamics and support within our own group. We need to be kind and compassionate with one another and take care to communicate among ourselves gently. If you find a moment when your patience is low, just take a small break until you can be calm and cheerful again, both with the Hondurans who are entrusting their care to us and with co-workers who need your compassion and understanding just as much!
The Details The following is meant to be helpful, especially if you have never been to a third world country before, or have never been on a volunteer trip with an organization like CURE International. This may give you an idea of what to bring, some general suggestions, and an idea about what we will be doing and what you can expect.
CURE International will also send you their information packet as the date draws nearer, with lots of pertinent information about the country and the trip, some of which may be duplicated here, and important phone numbers should people try to get in touch with you. Also, you will get your name tag, which you will need to wear on the plane and throughout the week in the clinic.
Our Hosts While we are in Honduras, we will be under the care of Daniel and Ruth Castro and their excellent helpers, the representatives for CURE International in their country. Daniel prepares for each project many months in advance by going out to the proposed location, picking the area with the most need; Ruth handles the hundreds of technical details. Each "brigade" (what they call groups like ours) works because many people, seen and unseen, have worked to organize the effort.
We set up our clinic in a central location, and surrounding villages take their turns to send people in to see us, thanks to Daniel. Daniel and Ruth meet us at the airport and transport us everywhere. They bring their equipment from their warehouse to help us set up our clinic. Then they provide translators to help us and stay with us, right by our side, the whole time we are in the country. If people need follow-up care, either dental or medical, they will arrange for it. Our patients are not simply abandoned because our group leaves the country.
What’s It Like? Honduras is hot and usually humid, and can be about 88-100 degrees by mid-day. We will usually work in a temporary clinic that we have set up in a community building like a school or a church or even someone’s house, and big fans will be set up to keep us cool. We stay in that one location all week. Usually we are accompanied by extended families of chickens and occasional dogs who wander in and out.
At night we will sleep at a tourist class hotel in El Progreso, with air-conditioning, Spanish-language TV, and (probably) warm showers. Your hair dryer will work there. It’s the same electricity and sockets as here, you don’t need a converter. You will need to bring your shampoo, as it is not supplied. You MAY get just a teeny bar of soap, so you might want to bring better soap. Towels are supplied, one per person. The beds and pillows are very comfortable. You do not have to bring sheets.
Where will we BE in Honduras? We land at the airport in San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in Honduras. From there we usually go to our *hotel, which is 25 minutes away in El Progreso. El Progreso is a small city by Honduran standards. There are pharmacies, internet cafes, ice cream shops, and bakeries near the hotel. Also local stores there sell a variety of things, like light bulbs, generators, socks, hats, soccer balls, chickens, etc. You can email messages home for free at Hotel Casa Blanca. If we stay at the Hotel Plaza Victoria, there are internet cafes nearby and it costs about a dollar for a half-hour of computer time.
*The actual location of the people we will serve this year will be determined by Daniel Castro. We will post an update as soon as we know. This year Daniel Castro is trying to arrange our return to Pajuiles, which is about 45 minutes by bus from our hotel.
Usually we land on Saturday and set up the clinic on Sunday. Mass is available, usually Sunday evening. Each day after devotions (more about them later) and breakfast, we will go to our clinic. We start around 6:30 a.m. Honduras time, but really it works out to 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, so it doesn’t seem too early. One year it was in Pajuiles, a small town about 45 minutes away from our hotel. These places are usually small, remote communities up in the mountains, with the poorest people.
On Friday we work about a half day, and then break down the clinic. There is time to go back to Progreso and go look for souvenirs at the “Mahogany Shop.” Friday night is a farewell dinner with all the Honduran helpers and Dan and Ruth. We leave Saturday morning for the airport. Usually we meet up with Sister Teresita, a Honduran social worker nun whom we know from past trips who runs orphanages for children.
Comfortable Clothes Bring the coolest, lightest clothes you have, made of cotton or natural fibers. Polyester and poly blends might be too sticky, so test them out before you go. Jeans can be hot, take forever to dry, and take up space in your luggage. Insects haven’t been a problem, but if you tend to draw mosquitoes, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of light slacks to wear in the early evening may help. Avoid scented soaps, cologne, or perfumed cosmetics.
Women don’t need dresses or skirts if they prefer slacks. Men don't need ties. Suggested shoes: supportive sneakers + socks for the clinic, open shoes or sandals for after clinic, flip flops for the shower. Usually after work in the clinic, people wear shorts, T-shirts, sandals to relax in the evening. You will need one presentable outfit (very casual but neat) for the good-bye dinner, which will be at a restaurant in town.
Scrubs are fine to work in at the clinic, or people can wear T-shirts and slacks if they prefer, as long as they are covered up for their own protection. Honduras has a rainy season in the fall but we never seem to be there for it. Overall, don’t bring a lot of clothes. If you want to err on the side of comfort, then plan on 2 underwear-and-T-shirt changes a day. Bring a minimum number of pants, like one pair slacks, one or two pairs of shorts, and two to four scrub sets. There will be ladies who will wash our clothes for about 25-50 cents per item, so you can get away with minimum clothes. You can also rinse items out in your hotel room if you prefer. Bring a hanger with clips to hang up stuff to dry.
PLEASE NOTE WELL: Put all or most of your personal items and clothing, and items that you MUST have, in your carry-on bag.
If you are bringing meds or medical/dental items for use in the Clinic You will need to list them on a sheet and be ready to fax that down to the Castros a few weeks before we go. This way, they can go to customs beforehand and make all the arrangements so that we are just waved through on arrival. We have the blank sheets, available on request. If you have supplies left over that you can’t get into your bag, let me know and we will find space for them in another bag. Please note: You do NOT need to list items/medications that are for your personal use.
How do we get all our supplies down there? We carry them.
Each person is allowed to bring a carry-on so pack your personal items in that. Each person can additionally pack two 50-pound bags or suitcases. They can’t be overweight, so please weigh them. You may get a gate agent who will make you repack them so they weigh the same. Usually they charge $100 U.S. for an extra bag, and they reserve the right to refuse it entirely.
We will be bringing a lot of dental and medical supplies, as well as eyeglasses, so team members will be asked to take some bags that aren’t your own to check through on the day we go down. We will all be at the airport very early, at 4:30 a.m. in the morning on the day of departure, because there will be crowds of people at the Delta terminal.
CURE International will send you sticky labels to put on your luggage: one color for personal and one color for clinic supplies. The personal bag will be the one you want with you in the hotel. The bags marked “personal” go to the hotel; the other bags go on the truck for the Clinic.
If you have something that is meant for the Clinic, but you have some personal items in the bag too, then tag it as “personal.” You can bring the items to the Clinic later on.
Keeping track of the bags When the luggage comes through on the carousel in Honduras, all of us will be whisking it off and taking it out to the trucks. This happens very fast. No one person will be able to keep track of everything. You can’t be wondering, “Did they get my suitcase or not?” You will not know, as we will all be pushing carts heaped with sixty or more bags.
To avoid confusion, each person will be given large tags with numbers on them. You put one on each of your suitcases, even the carry-ons. We will simply check off the numbers as the bags come off the carousel. Your help in this will be appreciated! There will be a description of the bag next to the number. If a bag goes missing we’ll know whose it is and what it looks like, and also what is in it.
The Sanitary Facilities, and other things In Honduras, you don’t flush toilet paper. Instead, you put it in the bucket next to the toilet. If you drop something in by mistake, you don’t go fishing for it. The water pressure is not great and even a small amount of paper might clog the pipes. The bucket will be emptied every day by the housekeeper. Make sure you turn in your key to your room at the desk every day so the housekeeper can get in.
You need to bring all your own personal items, or hope that someone has some they can lend or give you if you get stuck. You don’t want to bring too many things, but you want to anticipate what could happen and be prepared. Sometimes the pace of these trips is fast and there’s no time to shop for something you left behind, so do the best you can to remember your essentials.
Water Water should not be drunk unless it is bottled. A water bottle is provided for you (or you can bring your own) and you fill it up daily in the corridor outside your room where you will see large containers of bottled water for the hotel guests. Use this water when brushing your teeth, and rinse your brush in it, not under the faucet. Bring an extra brush or two so you can discard the old one if you make a mistake. This happens to everyone. The water is ok to bathe in but do not get any in your mouth while showering.
Make sure you drink enough during the day so that you need to void every few hours or so. If you don’t you could get dehydrated in only a few hours. Usually in the afternoon the CURE International staff will come around with cold sodas. Take advantage of them and also drink a couple of cups of bottled water every few hours. Bring your filled water bottle with you when we go to the Clinic.
Anything else you can think of to make life easier is also smart. Even if it has never been a problem before, any time you travel it can throw your system off so don’t forget to consider things such as Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, Tums, etc. Please don’t forget your: daily medications, bandaids, anti-bacterial ointments, bug-bite soothants, sun block, contact lens care items, glasses, sunglasses, and an insect spray that works for you. Also bring a small flashlight and batteries, plus earplugs in case you room with someone who snores. Shampoo which can double as shower soap is best, and then you can also use it to wash your clothing.
Creepy-crawlies You may meet a few bugs here and there, usually not at the hotel but out in the countryside where we will be working. Check out the sinks and bathrooms before using them. The insects may be larger than they are here and make great pictures for the folks back home. They are like what you might find in Florida, such as those little lizards that walk on the walls, and larger beetles.
Valuables You can get local currency at the airport when we land. Alternatively, you can use the Exchange at the airport, but the better deal is to use the local people who change the money. You will see them outside the terminal with wads of bills. The Castros will speak to one of them and arrange for this. If you get the money in the U.S. you will pay more for it, as the rate is not as good. The unit of currency is the lempira, named after the native chief, Lempira. $1.00 = 15 lempiras, approximately. It is a lot easier to wait 'til we are in Honduras to change money.
Your passport can be left at the hotel. You don’t have to take it with you when you go to the clinic every day, so you can leave it in your suitcase. This is what we’ve done on past trips. However, do what feels comfortable to you. You don’t need a lot of money in Honduras, just what you will spend on souvenirs and other incidentals. You might buy a bottle of water at the hotel, or an ice cream, or use the internet cafe. You’d be hard-pressed to spend $100.00 U.S. while we are there.
There is a collection at the end of our stay and we chip in $10-$15 U.S. from each volunteer for our Honduran helpers. Also, if you want to donate money to either Sister Teresita or Daniel or Ruth Castro for them to use to help the poor, you can give them a personal check.
You will need the equivalent of about $30 U.S. to get out of the country. This is an exit tax. You can also use whatever lempiras you have left. The Mahogany Shop, which sells souvenirs, takes credit cards.
I’m new to this, and I will be a "general helper.” What will I be doing? We will talk about the particulars of the Clinic and what each person will be doing when we are actually in Honduras. Some things will be easier to address when we see them and we will have an orientation on the Saturday we arrive. If you are a general helper and are wondering what you will be doing, don’t worry. Please know, if you didn’t come along, we’d ALL be sunk! We set up the clinic together, and we will get a feel for where helpers will work best. You will soon find your niche and be very comfortable.
Some areas for helpers are: assisting the doctors in the clinic; moving people in and out; setting them up in their chairs; holding babies/young children or playing with them, perhaps while the parents are seen; helping with the eye-testing; crowd control; instrument sterilization; pharmacy and dispensing; and fluoride treatments. Obviously you will be very important in moving the large number of people we will see through the clinic setting, and we wouldn’t be able to see the numbers we do without you! You will see many beautiful faces, so bring your camera.
We see as many as we can, but try to greet each person and not make them feel like they are on some kind of assembly line. If you don’t speak the language but can learn a few words of Spanish to greet them and wish them well, that is a kindness that the patients really appreciate.
Patients are given slips of paper with their names on them at registration, and these are numbered in order of arrival. This is how we know who is “next,” although the people are quite orderly and helpful with this. After someone registers, s/he is given a tortilla and something to drink, or a snack like crackers or cookies, because they may wait a long time to be seen. They also receive health lectures and are taught everything from toothbrushing, to breast exams, to nutrition for children. These groups are accommodated and move in an orderly fashion, with the help of local people who act as marshals.
Patients will then sit either in a medical or dental waiting area, according to their wishes. Every effort is given to see those who have come from the longest distance in a timely manner so that they can start the long trek back. They will be allowed to jump the queue. We are blessed to have lots of translators, and also local people who will register and manage the patients. Their guidance and help is priceless.
Medical patients will be triaged by the nurses. Dental patients are triaged by dentists and hygienists and have their choice of extractions, fillings, or cleanings. We try to pick out what they need the most and sometimes they get more than one thing. Our goal is to accommodate them as much as possible. Sometimes people will be asked to return another day to continue their work, if they need a lot of work, so that we can get to see everyone who came that particular day. We try to be flexible. Not everyone who wants to be seen will have serious dental or medical problems. Some may just want a checkup and the reassurance of having someone examine them.
Devotions Devotions are usually held before breakfast. Sometimes people read an inspirational passage from a book, or there may be a hymn or a prayer. Daniel Castro accompanies us on his guitar. It takes about 15-20 minutes. Not everyone is of the same faith background. The style of prayer may be new to you, but it is important to show respect by being on time for this part of our day. Some people join in by singing or praying, or some may prefer to sit quietly. Either is fine. CURE International is a faith-based organization and people of all religious backgrounds are welcome.
Backpack or big fanny pack You need to bring one to put your water bottle, camera, tissues, handiwipes or Purell, pens, and any other items you need throughout the day at the Clinic.
Miscellaneous and helpful hints PLEASE NOTE: Always, always, always, wash your hands before you eat anything! Use soap and water and scrub well, or use Handiwipes or a Purell-type cleaner. This really protects you from getting sick.
The food is great in Honduras. It will be prepared JUST for us each day in a safe manner so that we do not have to worry about illness. It is homemade and basic, like chicken and rice, or fried chicken, or rice and beans, with assorted local vegetables and fruits.
When filling out the card that they give you on the plane, put down that your reason for coming to the country is for tourism. You don’t have to put anything down about it being a mission project. When we land, we simply go through customs and then proceed to the luggage area, where we will pick up our bags and be met right outside by the CURE International team.
Always, bring a small flashlight when you go out after dark. Keep it in your pocket. There aren’t always streetlights, and there can be potholes or cracks in the sidewalk and road. Keep an eye out for uneven surfaces. Also, always let someone know where you are going, and go with others after dark.
Reactions-- you may be surprised at your own reactions to what you see. There can be some ups and downs that you cannot prepare for. This may surprise you and may even happen long after you return home. You may be astonished at the pace that takes over after the first day in the Clinic, when people get into a real rhythm. The week can really fly by! If you can, when you get back home, leave yourself a little time in your schedule to decompress before going back to work. You may be tired for a few days when you get back, and that is normal.
It takes all kinds of people to make a world and to make a CURE International group successful. Every person is an important member of the group and we need each other! It is amazing how quickly we settle into being a family for that week. That is only one of the great things about these trips. We work very hard but we do have a lot of fun.
We welcome your comments and questions, so please email me at: efpergiovanni@pol.net. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us about any questions you have.
Thank you so much for your interest!
Sincerely,
Mary Pergiovanni
Thanks to all of you for your support!!