Tucked in the tropical mountains of Honduras sits a haven for hungry, sick and abandoned children — Pan American Health Services, Inc. (PAHS), an orphanage and nutritional rehabilitation hospital. Here, children play with each other on the green grass, climb the beautiful fruit trees, eat healthy food and attend an Adventist school.

During Loma Linda University's spring break, the children were still consuming healthy food and going to school, but they climbed into the laps of friendly LLU students and played all sorts of games with their new friends.

Students for International Mission Service (SIMS), an LLU mission program, embarked on an expedition to one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. The team provided dental, medical and public health care to the children at PAHS, Peña Blanca, Honduras, and to the surrounding community.

The SIMS team held three different clinics. A rusty old bus was transformed into a dental clinic where the team helped hundreds of patients.

“It was really cool,” says Heidi Apuy, third-year dental student. “We did a lot of extractions like normal trips, but we also did a lot of restorative and more complex operations because we had the equipment for it.”

“My most favorite thing about the week,” explains Blanca, 9, a child living at PAHS, “was that the dentists cleaned my teeth.” Held in a rundown building beside the bus, was the medical clinic.

Throughout the week, the team saw about 275 individuals who received medical care.

The public health team presented health seminars for the children and staff at PAHS in the church. They also passed out “hygiene bags” filled with toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap and other items. Thanks to donations, SIMS was able to provide about 50 of these bags at the meeting.

“I really appreciated the health lectures,” says Carolina, 10, a child living at PAHS. “Thank you for your care and love, and for the health talks we had in the church.”

For the past four years, SIMS has been providing something else in addition to health care. “I think the most important aspect about coming here is spending one-on-one time with the children,” states Martine Polycarpe, MPH, director of SIMS. “They’re kids, they want their moms, they want their dads, and they just want to be hugged, held and loved.”

When not in clinic, the SIMS team played with the kids from the moment they woke up to the moment it was bedtime. Soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, Frisbee, board games, coloring — whatever game it was, the lawn in front of the guest house where SIMS stayed was covered with smiling, laughing children and LLU students.

In addition to getting plenty to eat, the malnourished children in the clinic have a big playpen to hang out in. While SIMS was there, the kids hopped up with their arms raised, as if to say, “Pick me up and hold me!” You can bet that each one of them got a warm embrace.

“The kids here are so amazing,” says Holly Wallstrom, third-year dental student. “They have so much to give; so much love. But there's just not enough workers here for them to get the attention they need.” To learn more about helping the children with SIMS, visit www.llu.edu/llu/sims or call the office at 909-558-8089.