Details For Travelers to Honduras

Malaria prophylaxis: Malaria is common in the areas surrounding Balfate, especially during the rainy season (Nov - Feb). In more than 10 years of experience with thousands of short-term volunteers, we are aware of less than 10 resultant cases of malaria. You should at least consider malaria prophylaxis if you plan to visit during this time frame, and possibly any time of the year. The malaria in our area is sensitive to chloroquine/primaquine and would be easily treated if diagnosed. The usual dosage for prophylactics is Chloroquine 500 mg. weekly beginning 1 week before arriving, weekly while in Honduras, and continuing 4 weeks after returning to the US. Please discuss this with your family doctor if you have concerns. For up to one month after your return to The States, if you develop flu like symptoms, think malaria, and encourage your doctor to consider this.

Traveler's Diarrhea: If anyone has problems with their stomach or takes medicine so that their acid secretion is decreased, then we would recommend taking Cipro 500 mg, one Peptobismal tablet, or one Bactrim DS a day, beginning the day prior to leaving for Honduras, and continuing two days after you return. It may be a good idea generally to take something prophylactically. If you develop diarrhea that lasts for more than a day or two, especially if you have fever, or blood in the stool, inform your group leader and missionary sponsor right away.

Tetanus: Everyone should have a tetanus immunization at least within 10 years, and even better within 5 years for those doing construction work where cuts and puncture wounds are more likely.

Hepatitis A and B: Required for health care workers, and not a bad idea for everyone in general.

Bring Insect Repellent, preferably with DEET!

Waterless hand cleaner and some toilet paper may be useful in your carry-on, and around Honduras.

Contact Lenses: Use them sparingly or leave them at home. The environment is often very dusty.

Sunscreen: Use the highest number that you can find. It should also be waterproof. Also bring a light, wide brimmed hat, especially if you are fair skinned.

Bandanas: Useful for any number of things…e.g. wiping sweat, head cover, temporary bandage, etc. Hats are also useful.

Flashlight: Bring a personal flashlight. The power is unreliable.

Water: Bring a full water bottle with you to use in the airport, airplane, etc. The water at the hospital and at staff housing is potable. At other locations you should ask prior to drinking. Do not brush your teeth with water that is not clean. (You may want to put a tag on your toothbrush to remind you! Habits are hard to break.) Don't drink water in restaurants unless you know for sure it is safe (bottled or purified; agua botella o purificada). Do not eat the ice from restaurants. Iced carbonated beverages are usually OK, if you don't drink the last sips that contain mostly melted ice. It is safest to avoid ice altogether, unless you know it is made from purified water.

Usually group members will not be in a situation in which they have to purify their own water, but in case you are, it's a good idea for at least one or two members to bring a bottle of iodine for any such exigencies. If you should find yourself in such a situation, here are the water specifications: for drinking or washing dishes, if the water is clear, without sediment or cloudiness, add 5 drops (1/4 ml or cc) of 2% tincture of iodine to each liter / quart of water, stir and let sit for at least 30 minutes. For cloudy water, or to soak vegetables prior to eating, double the amount of iodine. We recommend that you soak any fruits or vegetables before eating raw, unless you can peel them without the knife coming into contact with the potentially contaminated portion (e.g. bananas). If you don't have iodine, you can use chlorine bleach (Clorox) instead--2 drops for clear water per liter and 4 drops for cloudy water per liter.

It often takes about three days to acclimate. During that time, drink plenty of water. A good judge for the proper amount is enough to make your urine clear and colorless (unless you are taking medicine like vitamins that discolors your urine). You may need to run to the restroom frequently, but that is better than dehydration. Caffeine and diuretic medicines will tend to dehydrate you as well, and be misleading, for they falsely dilute the urine. So if you are drinking Coke or coffee, be sure to also drink plenty of extra water. If you are weak, lightheaded, or have a headache, take a break, drink more water, and get into a cooler place.

Important papers: You will need a valid US passport. You can get an application at the post office, County Clerk’s offices or AAA. Apply early. The process takes some time.

Bring extra copies of your important documents; e.g. passport, flight itinerary, professional licensure etc, and keep them separate from your other documents, in case you lose the original. If you plan to be here a long time, you may want to make a reduced size, laminated copy of your passport to use as an ID. You may also want to have phone numbers to call for emergencies, e.g. lost credit cards, health insurance, etc. You may want to check with your health insurance carrier concerning their overseas coverage before you visit.

Personal medications: Bring any medicine you need with you, and keep in your carry-on. Bring enough extra in your main baggage to take care of your need if the carryon is lost, plus some extra. It is possible to get stranded due to weather. We have to drive over or through several rivers from Balfate to the airport. If it rains, we may have to wait. (Hurricane season is June 1-Nov 30; our rainy season is Nov to Feb).

In your carry-on luggage, besides medicine, bring a change of clothes, and anything else essential for a couple of days, if your luggage should be lost. Your carry-on bag should not push the limits in size, or you may be forced to check it in before getting on a TACA plane. You may want to include a washcloth and zip lock bag, since the hotels in Honduras do not have washcloths.

Medical: Check Cornerstone’s Medical for the Medications needed for Hospital Loma de Luz list if you are able to bring medicine / medical supplies for the clinic. It is always greatly appreciated, but keep in mind that medications must not be outdated. We can always use Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and antibiotics. However, please check with us first before you bring medicines for chronic diseases (diabetes, high blood pressure). If we can't inexpensively get them here, they will not be useful because the follow-up will be almost impossible.

If you plan to work at the hospital in a health care capacity, please send us copies of your picture page of the passport, your current license, professional diploma, and any specialty certificates. We need these three months in advance, if possible. You may want to check out the web page put together by Brent Hambrick, one of the missionary doctors here in La Ceiba: www.medmissions.org.

Currently Needed Items: For a list of general medically related items contact the Cornerstone office at katcornerstone@hotmail.com.

Gifts: If anyone desires to bring gift items for the Honduran kids, pencils, colored and black, crayons, notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, pens, erasers, etc would all be helpful. We also could use crayons, soccer balls, frisbees etc for our Bible clubs. Please don't bring excessive candy or "junk" toys, and please don't give things out without a specific purpose. We constantly are struggling with the "rich American" image and a "welfare mentality.” We are attempting to reinforce the Biblical concept of work and responsibility. If you would like to bring gifts for some of the missionaries, contact Jerry and Linda Kuykendall at LindaKuy@msn.com. The Kuykendalls can provide you with a list of items which are favorite items or needed items for the various career missionaries.

Adapting: It gets dark around 5:30-6:30 PM in Honduras. If your flight arrives very late, or the weather is bad, we may have you stay in a hotel in La Ceiba for the first night. In daylight and under good conditions, it usually takes about 1 hour to drive to Balfate. After dark, and in poor weather, things can change drastically. The same applies for the return flight. If your plane leaves before 9 AM, or the weather is adverse, we may need to come to town a day early, and stay the night in a hotel. The hotels will provide you with pitchers of purified water. Use same precautions with the tap water as noted above.

Therefore you will need to have enough money to cover the expenses in town. A night at the hotel may be $35-50. Meals in decent restaurants (there are Burger King, 2 Pizza Huts, and a new Wendy's) cost similar to those in The States. We will help you change American Dollars into Honduran Lempiras as needed. Most places accept Master Card and Visa. DO NOT bring Traveler's checks. There are also souvenir stores in town. The nicer (and more expensive) ones accept credit cards. Many places accept American dollars.

Other expenses: In Honduras there will be a customs/immigration fee of $2-5 dollars per person, and an exit tax of $25 per person. Bring several US $1 and $5 bills to cover these, as well as several $1 bills for tips, etc.

Just a few more thoughts on travel, and we will be done. There is only one airline company that flies into La Ceiba, Grupo TACA, which owns LACSA, TACA, NICA, Islena, etc. They have a monopoly, and their service reflects it. They are not customer friendly. Be prepared for delayed and canceled flights. Be flexible. Be prepared.

To the local Hondurans, all foreigners are considered part of the ministry of The Cornerstone Foundation. Even though you may be visiting, and not part of the ministry effort, we ask that you abide by the Standard of Conduct of The Cornerstone Foundation to avoid any situation that may hinder that ministry.

For those who were wondering, Balfate, Honduras is 15 degrees, 45 minutes N. latitude, 86 degrees, 22 minutes W. longitude. This translates into Central Standard Time in the US. However, Honduras does not observe Daylight Savings Time. So, in the summer, during Daylight Saving Time in the USA, when it is 12:00 in Honduras, it is 1:00 in Chicago. Sunrise in January is ~6:15, with sunset at ~5:30. In June, sunrise is ~5:15, sunset ~6:15. Both domestic and jungle animals make lots of noise in the early morning, so there is no sleeping in (and work teams don't sleep in anyway; they get to work early).