BACK IN THE STATES (July 14-August 5)

For quite some time while at Emmanuel I had been struggling with sickness. Things were gradually getting worse so I decided that it was best if I went back to the States to see what was wrong. The timing worked out really well. A good friend of mine that was a volunteer here was leaving on the same day and my Pop's surgery was the day after my return so I was able to be there for that as well. After a week in the States I found out that I had dengue fever and salmonella. Dengue fever is a mosquito spread disease that is common here in Central America. In fact, the day that I returned to the States I received an email from the U.S. Embassy declaring a dengue epidemic in Honduras. There is no cure or prevention for the disease, other than just precautions taken to avoid mosquitoes. It took a couple of weeks for me to regain my strength and completely recover but I was ready to head back to my kids as soon as I could. It was good to be able to see a few friends and family, but I really missed not being at Emmanuel. It was during my time in the States that I realized how much I truly feel at home at the orphanage. I missed them dearly. However my time in the States did allow me the opportunity to get well, see family, and better prepare for my return - with lots of bug spray, better clothing, and a mosquito net.