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McCauley joins dental mission group

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By Kathy Thomson

Local minister Sonny McCauley recently returned from a mission trip to Central America.

“On July 20-28, I had the opportunity to travel to Honduras with a dental mission trip,” McCauley said. “I want to thank the Albany Church of Christ for allowing me to go and help minister to the people of Honduras.”

McCauley worked as both a minister and as a dental assistant during his visit. 

“Jane Estes Weatherbee, our dentist in Abilene, has been traveling to Honduras for 28 years,” said McCauley. “She brings a team every year to work in the southern part of the country where she has built a cinderblock dental clinic in Choluteca, the fifth largest city in Honduras.”

According to Weatherbee, Central American countries have very few dental assistants or dental hygienists, and she felt led by God to help meet the need.

She put together a team, met with officials from the Honduran Dental Association, set up a dental clinic in Choluteca Honduras, and started Unidos Con el Mismo Amor, Inc. to provide dental care and help train dental assistants and dental hygienists during annual mission trips.

This summer was the first time McCauley joined the group.

“I was able to work as a dental assistant, providing suction, water, air, and control tongues as the real dentists worked on teeth,” he said. “We had two certified dentists, four University of Texas dental students, and eight support people working Monday through Friday in the dental clinic.”

McCauley also presented the Sunday evening talk to the church that worked with the clinic and joined the congregation for communion.

“On Tuesday, we enjoyed playing soccer with church kids while our ladies presented gifts to their ladies,” said McCauley. “Wednesday, we had a men’s class where we discussed N.T. Wright’s 15 Essential Texts.”

McCauley said that the group attended a wedding service and reception for the local minister’s brother on Thursday and enjoyed amazing food.

The dental team treated over one hundred different people during the five days.

“Students did root canals, extractions, and fillings during the week,” McCauley said. “Some of our team members were able to minister to people as they waited for treatment. We discussed the many promises of God to include the promise of peace in a chaotic world.”

McCauley said that he found Hondurans similar to other people he has met. 

“My biggest takeaway from the mission is the fact that people are people everywhere in the world,” he said. “Kids are wonderful, adults have needs and desires, and we all are in this together.”