Dear Friends,

We arrived in Bonito a little earlier than we expected to, so I can actually write to you again.

Next week is a huge immunization campaign. Each year the public health clinic is expected to do more and more with fewer and fewer people. This year, when the auxiliary nurse who is doing her required year of social service with the clinic finishes, she will not be replaced. A physician has been hired for the clinic, but I have yet to lay eyes on him. Prairie saw him once. Juana Nidia is optimistic about him.

Every spring there is the big immunization campaign. But once every four years, it is even bigger. Everyone between one and five years of age will get their mumps, measles and rubella booster and an oral polio booster. Of course, everyone between six months of age and five years will get a Vitamin A boost. Then, of course, there are the standard immunizations that must be included.

This county did not meet their immunization goals last year. Part of that was bad weather (hence bad roads) during both major immunization campaigns of the year. Another part was one very weak worker (in her social service year) in an underserved part of the county. So, the catch-up is important and personnel are few.

Prairie and I will move into town for next week. We'll stay at Juana Nidia's house. The week of April 21, we will focus on immunizing the town of Limon. The following week is outreach week. Juana Nidia will not be working with us; she will go to the underserved area to help that overworked nurse. Juana Nidia lives at the end of the street, past where the electrical service reaches. It won't be so much different from home, but she does have a gas stove!

We have tentatively planned to work most of the second week of the immunization campaign, too. But this is Honduras. Advance planning is not part of the deal.

As we were walking to the road this morning, we were noticing how the green is coming back already. And how pretty the leaves are that fell from the fire-damaged trees (fall colors, even!). And commented that now would be the time to work on our trails. We need more and better switchbacks, and now that the bushes are burned, we would actually be able to see to do that work. Well, it won't happen this month. Maybe next month.

If you have looked at the pictures that Prairie has posted, you may be curious about the picture of the dog. Well, we have been ready to accept a dog or dogs. One day we went over to visit our neighbors and they said, jokingly, "We have a dog for you if you want him." We said, "Yes, of course." Then we learned the details.

They had rescued this dog from starvation. He is only five months old and had been tied up, apparently to "guard" a cornfield--and not fed!! He was skin and bones and walked with his tail curled under his belly. Very sad little guy. And perfect for us, of course. The guys put together a leash for him. A tie about his neck, then a wooden stick and another tie at the other end. This way, he can't chew it off. We were told to keep him tied up for two weeks to be sure that he learns where home is.

Prairie has had some experience with dogs, which helped a lot. I had also picked up a dog training manual in Spanish when I was in the states. We fed him, but, at first, he ate very little. We got him on a Wednesday. By Sunday, he had doubled his intake and seemed eager to eat. We fed him tortillas for breakfast and lunch, then a "balanced" Honduran meal for dinner.

On Monday, we gave him a dried fish head after he had eaten his breakfast of two corn tortillas and left him tied up when we went off to Centro de Salud. When we arrived home, he was gone. The tie about his neck had come loose!

The next day we went to visit the neighbors, hoping that Juguete (means toy) had gone back to their place. They had cleared out!! Their more permanent place is in Lauda. So, we don't know whether they have the dog or not.

We were so happy to take in this little guy. He was perfect for us. But, now he is gone. And it would have been tough to manage him with the immunization campaign. We take what comes.

be well,

beth