Above: Nursing students pose in their scrubs. Photo courtesy of Tammy Norcross-Reitzler.

Most families plan to head south to relax on the beaches over spring break, but not for seven St. Ambrose students and two faculty members. SAU joined together with schools from Vermont and New York, with a team of 23 interprofessionals and students, who brought medical clinics and sanitation sites to two villages in Honduras. 

SAU nursing student Autumn Wagner says, “Before going on this trip, I had no idea the amount of privileges I take for granted every single day… It truly is an eye-opening and perspective changing experience… A smile or a simple gesture, such as a sticker can make a big difference in spreading happiness and kindness.” 

SAU nursing student Nicole Kleronomos added, “When we built a sanitation station in one of the family homes, there was a little boy who hung around us and helped us out. On the last day he asked when we would be back since he didn’t want us to leave.”

The Global Brigade organization is a non-profit that was started 20 years ago by Marquette University. They work to empower communities through sustainable healthcare, water, and sanitation projects. They service communities in Honduras, Ghana, Greece, Panama, and Belize. 

SAU Campus Ministry director Tammy Norcross-Reitzler says, “Being in Honduras… made us realize how privileged we really are. To see first hand people living in homes made from sticks, concrete blocks and tin roofs without running water or plumbing was very eye opening.”

Nursing student Isabel Morrison says, “I initially went on this trip to get the ‘study abroad experience’…this would be a great opportunity to utilize my Spanish…after traveling with Global Brigades, I can say that I am in love with this organization and have a passion for public health.”

SAU’s Campus Ministry and Institute for Person-Centered Care partnered to support students across majors. This year, there were six nursing students and one social work/spanish student. Two students also have completed the medical Spanish certificate program. 

They served two villages. In the first village, 3 de Febrero, Marcovia, Choluteca, they provided a medical clinic for three days, where they triaged 267 people, provided dental care to 244 people, and completed 150 optometry assessments. They also provided prescription glasses and educational sessions about dental hygiene. 

In the second village El Naranjal, Francisco Morazan, they spent three days building four sanitation sites.

Reitzler explains that the purpose of this project was to empower and collaborate with the communities so the efforts would continue long after the group left. The communities they served were grateful for the efforts. The neighborhood school presented a program and sang our national anthem in order to welcome and express gratitude to the volunteers. 

Photo courtesy of Tammy Norcross-Reitzler.

“The students and I were impacted greatly by the beauty of the country and its people. The poverty is extreme and yet the people were joyful, generous, and gracious… the five year old, Heydhan, sawed a rose off the rose bush and proudly gave it to me.”

The faculty was not the only ones affected. 

Social work and Spanish major Julia Beltz says, “The best thing that happened to me was all the love I received. These Hondurians that I had the pleasure of meeting, working with, and teaching, had next to nothing, but the love they showed me is something I will never forget.” 

Nursing student Victoria DeClercq says “It’s incredibly hard for me to pick just one moment that felt impactful… despite many of them having very little, they were some of the happiest people I’ve ever met… it made me realize that we made them feel safe, before we had even helped them, they knew that’s what we were there to do.” 

This is the first year that St. Ambrose has participated in an international service trip with the Global Brigades. Currently, SAU does not have a chapter in the Global Brigades, but there are plans in the making to create one. This would support students, faculty and staff, alumni, and professionals in our community, allowing them to experience this program. 

Cora Schultz is a staff writer for The Buzz.