Headed to Honduras...like right now!

I am sitting on the floor of the Salt Lake City airport waiting for my 1:07 am departure (yes that is not a typo) to Atlanta on a full flight (really!) that will then connect to my flight to Tegucigalpa Honduras. I am so excited & feel so blessed to be going. My new responsibilities at CHOC have made my schedule & life quite a bit busier the past 3 months. I was so busy that I forgot to even "sign up" or give availability for any fall missions. Typically mission teams are configured and organized 2-3 months in advance and for every mission there are MANY volunteers for each nursing position. I finally signed up on line but alot of the teams were already finalized. I reached out to some of the Program Coordinators & they said they would circulate my name. Miraculously I was offered the opportunity to return to Guatemala in Nov. & was so excited as the Op Smile Guatemalan foundation have alot if input on the team selection & they remembered me from when I was there & offered a spot to me. I tentatively said yes but when I asked my boss - she reminded me that we had our HUGE Unannounced Joint Commission visit sometime in Nov. I was devastated...these missions are what connect me to "WHY" I became a nurse...a pediatric nurse...to have a positive impact in childrens lives. I know I make a difference at CHOC but as an executive it isnt the same as giving direct care. Having to turn down that mission was really hard for me - I understood I was needed at CHOC but my heart was broken. SO I asked again if there were any needs & I was invited to go on "rotation" to Rwanda where they dont do alot of surgeries but they do alot of teaching - which is right up my alley. That was in Oct so I was hopeful BUT...it was 2 weeks & it finished just as I needed to go to Dallas to speak at a conference & I knew I couldnt be gone for 3 weeks. I asked that my name be put as available for "last minute needs" & a few days later got an email for this mission to Honduras. I called 2 hours later & in the 1st come 1st served approach - the position was already filled. Just about the time I was ready to give up on being able to go on a fall mission I got an email the next day that they needed one more Recovery Room nurse in Honduras & was I still interested...YES, YES a 1000 times YES. I already had most of this time off to be with my sweet friends on their sons "Angelversary" and move my girsl to BYU so I called all of them & independently but unanimously they all said GO!!! So I called my boss & asked her for a few more days off & she said ABSOLUTELY. That was all on Aug 13th. So here I am 12 days later packed & ready to go. When we are ready & willing God finds a way to use us to bless others - for me right now I get to bless others in Honduras.
This was supposed to be a "local mission" with all the volunteers coming from Central & South America. The unrest there has causes some of the volunteers to not be able to go there so now they have about 20 volunteers from the US & other countries coming in to complete the mission. It will be a smaller mission than I am used to. Only 3 surgical tables (instead of 5) and only 3 days of surgery. But for me it is PERFECT. One of the OR nurse & I were together in Kenya on my 1st misison and the OSI photographer was with me on a few missions & one of the plastic surgeons from South America is familiar too...so I will have a few old friends & make some new ones.
I didnt read the fine print in the information they sent us that mentions Honduras isnt really a very safe place & that we should "not leave the hotel premises without the Op Smile Program Coordinator". Guatemala was dangerous & I didnt fully realize it. I guess Honduras may be a little more dangerous? But OSI is always ver cautious & I have never felt unsafe..so I am not worried & I know I will be watched over & protected.

They are calling us to board right now...next post will come from Honduras!