On to Puerto Barrio for the opening ceremony of the USNS Comfort for the 10 stay for humanitarian aid and tour of the USNS Comfort

Karin Crawford with Elder Burningham.  Sister Crawford is the LDS volunteer dental hygienist on board the Comfort

From Belize we along with Elder and Sister Done traveled to Puerto Barrio for the opening ceremony for the Guatemala stay of the USNS Comfort.  We were able to also deliver a printer to a volunteer dental hygienist aboard the ship for their needs.  Then the next day we were invited to a tour of the USNS Comfort.  It was a pleasure to be there.

It is so heartwarming to see our US men and the men of Guatemala in uniform together.

 Loved traveling to the ship by way of a skiff.

On board the skiff to the ship

There are many surgical beds, recovery beds, an ICU, blood bank, cat scan, x-rays and yes even a morgue on board the ship. We toured the ship extensively but we were not allowed to go where there were surgeries or where patients were being treated.  It is an amazing ship.  Been in operation since 1988,



The table is set for the soldier who gave his or her life.  The inscription above tells of a very moving remembrance

 Three LDS volunteers aboard the ship. Dentist and two nurses.

 Al and I with Hospital Ship Commander Christine Sears at lunch.  Such a privilege.

Two Latter Day Saints serving as nurses aboard the Comfort Ship. Laura McRor and Jacque Weech

Getting off the skiff was interesting.  The skiff was hoisted by pulleys on each end to the platform of the ship.  Quite an adventure in itself.  We were not tosseled or swayed.  Gentle ride up.

April 18th, Closing ceremony for the USNS Comfort in Belize

We were invited to come to the closing ceremony of the USNS Comfort in Belize. The Comfort is a hospital ship that has been used for many many instances of need.  For example; the earthquake in Haiti, injuries from wars and for humanitarian needs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was one of the non government organizations that contributed medical supplies towards the "Comfort Ship" mission.

The Comfort Ship has a mission at this time called "Continuing Promise". The ship has doctors, nurses, dentists and yes even veterinarians, all volunteers from the United States and from the countries it visits.  People in Belize who need surgery or other medical needs are screened first to see if the Comfort can assist their needs.  Surgery has to be a once time only as it is only in port for 10 days.  All other needs can be seen if it fits into the 10 day window at the country's port. 

At the closing ceremonies it was told that 6,000 people were seen and 100 surgeries were performed.  This was a most helpful contribution to humanitarian needs for Belize.  The ship comes about every two years.
 
Ambassador Moreno speaking to the men and women of the Comfort ship and to guests that had been recipients of medical help or otherwise connected to the Continuing Promise of the Comfort Ship.

A plague given to the Comfort Ship's Hospital Commander Sears (a woman officer from the US Navy) from the Country of Belize for the donated medical attention given to people of Belize.  The LDS Church donated 3 pallets of medical supplies and 70 LDS Translators.  The translators are those who speak the language of the country which has Spanish spoken as well as English.

 

 



A Weeks full of work and play, Drove to Belize and then airplane ride to San Pedro island April 16th 2015

On April 16th we drove to Belize with one stop in Flores for an overnight.  Belize City is a 10 to 12 hour drive so we felt we needed one night stop.  Our purpose was to attend the closing ceremony of the USNS Comfort in Belize.  There the Elder and Sister Done Technology specialist met us as they flew there.

Getting across the border of Belize is quite interesting...more like a pain in the neck really.  First you have to have those passports ready and show at the border then go to another building to show them again and all the documentation on our car that allows to take our Church rented car across the border.  Once that was done we had to get clearance to take some School Kits to Belize to Elder Tague who wanted to give them out to a needy school.  They were to have a signed paper from the government saying so but that didn't happen so the Tax on the items that were to be given away to needy school children was paid by Elder Tague and his counselors.....I mean really.  Its to help their country and their kids and it was not to be sold.  Get a clue.  THEN after that we had to purchase car insurance for our car to be in Belize.  Yeah, well they may speak English and have some of the most beautiful places to see but it's a difficult place to drive to.

Once across the border we handed off 500 school kits to Elder Tague and off to our hotel which was absolutely beautiful even if there were mosquitos (which feasted on me).

Next day we took a small plane ride over to the island of San Pedro for one night stay and snorkeling trip.  See following pictures and videos.

 

 

Looking out of plane before takeoff

 

View from the plane after takeoff

Over the blue shallow ocean

 

 On the ground safe and sound.

 

The following pictures are from our hotel. We took a boat out with another Senior Missionary and family to snorkel. Wish I could take some pictures from there because a huge sea turtle came up from the floor of the ocean and swam right next to me. Startled me.  Cool though as I could pet it's shell.