Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

2 U. Texas-Arlington students have a week left to
raise money for a medical volunteer trip
By Samantha Nhema
The Shorthorn (U. Texas-Arlington)
12/15/2006

(U-WIRE) ARLINGTON, Texas — Roughly one week remains for University of Texas-Arlington biology junior Caleb Janosz and chemistry senior Sterling Overstreet to raise the last of the money they need for their mission trip to a medical clinic in Honduras.

Overstreet and Janosz will be leaving Dec. 16 with two other students from the university for Roatan, a small island near Honduras, to work alongside American doctors at La Clinica Esperanza, or "The Clinic of Hope." The students are going as part of the Roaton Health Assistance Project.

The students will be in Roatan until Jan. 13 and will do everything from clerical work to checking patients in and out and assisting on medical procedures.

The two Sigma Chi Fraternity members raised approximately $700 during a Nov. 6 benefit dinner hosted by the fraternity. Janosz said their target was to raise $2,000 toward food and housing each, and that he is still short about $800.

"I bought my ticket and paid for vaccines and insurance," he said. "We're still taking donations up until the day we leave."

Janosz said he has tried everything he can to raise money.

"I've talked to the school and went door to door to different doctors' offices," he said.

Janosz raised $580 this way.

Project founder Theresa Tran said the trip is the first to Honduras and will give students a firsthand opportunity to see the reality of working in the medical profession in Third World countries.

"Going into the medical profession takes a great deal of passion," Tran said. "This is a good way to gauge if you really want to do this, because you really see medicine practiced in its rawest form."

The island's full-time medical staff consists of two doctors and one nurse to service an island of 60,000 natives. The average annual income for the island's native inhabitants is $900.

The organization has raised $5000 since August, and a large amount will go toward paying for members' room and board and the general upkeep of the clinic. Tran said the remainder will go toward the clinic itself.

Other students have managed to raise the needed money for the trip, but Janosz said he is still raising money — even amid the stress and studying for finals.

He has faith that he would be able to raise the needed money before the group leaves next week.

"God gave me this opportunity, and I'm putting 100 percent effort into it. If you put 100 percent effort on something that's God's will, he won't let you fail," Janosz said. "I'll raise it. I won't fail."

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