A group of Mercer University physicians, medical students, and undergraduates spent two weeks this summer volunteering at Orphanage Emmanuel in Guaimaca, Honduras. The team set up an off-site clinic to provide medical care for approximately 400 patients.
The group was led by physicians Lance Slade, M.D., Jake Kirpatrick, M.D., Tony Farmer, M.D., and Hannah Batten, M.D., all with ties to Mercer University through their education or training. They were joined by 12 medical and premedical students from Mercer as well as Spanish-speaking undergraduate students.
“I see health care in a completely different light,” said Sasha Mainer, a fourth-year medical student in Columbus. “The things that I’ve learned will not just make me a better physician but a better person. Honduras will always have a piece of my heart.”
Rhett Parr, another fourth-year medical student based in Valdosta, reflected on the experience: “Seeing the impact a routine physical had on these kids — something we often take for granted in the U.S. — meant a lot to me. I will remember when I’m practicing medicine at home that all parts of medicine are valuable.”
During their stay, the team provided important updates and innovations for the orphanage’s clinic. Their assistance came at a critical time; both nurses who had been caring for the children left three months prior to their arrival.
“We used our resources to provide multiple computers for the clinic, as well as telemedicine tools like digital stethoscopes and otoscopes. These devices allow the clinic to send pictures and audio recordings of heart rhythms and lung sounds back to our clinic in Macon. This support helps reduce the impact of limited care options on-site at the orphanage,” said Dr. Slade, managing director of Primary Pediatrics in Macon.
Dr. Slade also shared how his own experiences with overseas mission work during his medical education shaped him: “I was forever changed by the opportunity to visit Peru and Venezuela the summers after my first and second years of med school,” he said. “It meant a lot to see physicians in action, get a glimpse of what medicine could be, and understand the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ we do.”
Students worked on digitizing records by developing digital templates for patient visits and organizing files for each child to coordinate with local children’s services. They also performed physicals along with hearing and vision checks on more than 200 children at Orphanage Emmanuel, created educational materials in Spanish, and led puberty classes for children aged 10-18.
Dr. Slade noted that he and his wife Toni own Woodland Roasters coffee shop in Warner Robins which supports Orphanage Emmanuel through job training programs and fundraising efforts. The couple adopted their son Henson from Orphanage Emmanuel in 2017.
“It was especially dear to our hearts watching these rising fourth-year med students take the pre-med students (including our other son, Spencer, and his soon-to-be fiancée, Presley) under their wings and teach them,” said Dr. Slade. “These med students don’t realize how larger than life they are to the pre-meds. Their mentorship has definitely deepened the assurance that medicine is the way to go for these college kids.”
This volunteer trip serves as a pilot program for an expanded Mercer On Mission project currently being developed.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to launch Mercer On Mission at Orphanage Emmanuel,” added Dr. Slade. “It’s providing lasting generational change, and it’s very personal for us. We are excited for the future.”
