Return to Guatemala

I took advantage of Semana Santa and went to visit my parents for a couple of weeks.  It was a good visit and all is good in North Carolina.

When I returned to Hospital Ezell, things looked different.  When I left, this is what our new dormitory looked like.

 

 When I returned, we actually have walls!

 

We are making it!

 

Tomorrow, we will start a week of General and  GYN Surgeries.  There are a lot of new people on the team and I look forward to working with them. 

Week of Eye and Ortho Surgeries with Root Canals!

What a wide variety of services provided during this week-----eye and ortho surgeries and root canals!

With a team of about 45 volunteers, plus dental and the Guatemalan staff......we provided about 81 eye surgeries, 11 ortho surgeries and 40 root canals. It was a full week and we had many thankful patients.

Jay preached on Sunday at the Montellano Church of Christ, across the street from the hospital.

 

When we had the meeting with Dr. Walter, I asked Rich to translate for him.  These guys always do a great job and are so helpful.

 

 

With their translating skills and desire to talk and pray with patients, they were a perfect fit to spend time with patients before they went back to the operating room.

 

The ortho team got a quick photo with Sandra.  Sandra is an anesthesiologist that helps us from time-to-time. She is from Nicaragua and it was great to have her with us.

 

 

The University of Tennessee visits us one a year and helps with education and different landscaping and gardening projects.  This year, they worked with a school near Montellano to provide  a street clean up.  Obdulio and Oscar also helped plan the project.

 

The dental team always enjoys having Dr. Bob visit.  They saw about 40 extra patients and provided the service of several root canals.

 

 

The week went fast. There were some rough patches during the week but we survived and we never want to forget to give thanks for that. Each day is new.  Each day is filled with blessings and moments of encouragement.  We just have to remain positive and press on.

 

It seems as soon as we get a team cranked up and running at full-speed, it is time to close shop and go to Antigua. So on Friday morning, it was time to head to Antigua to enjoy one more day.

 

This is my favorite photo of the week.........to me is shows why we are where we are, and why we do what we do.

 

If you would like to join a team, please contact me................you can be a blessing to many.

 

Completion of the Jornada with Harding

The week of clinics with Harding went very quickly in Chichicastenango.  We had two days in Paxot III and two days in Chuchipaca.

After the second day in Paxot III, it was time to pack up, to load up, to unload and then eventually, pack up again. If this makes sense to you, then you have probably been down and worked in a clinic with us.

This is Karla and Vanessa packing up.

 

Evelyn from Rio Mactzul, helped us in Chuchipaca and wanted a phtoto to remember our two days together.

 

On Thursday afternoon, I had a great surprise and two welcomed visitors.  Victor from Xepol came to see us and to get some medicine. The history with Victor is what makes him such a special patient.  When he first started coming to clinics, he would have several seizures a day and would be in fights with the other boys at school.  Slowly, as his seizures decreased in numbers, he was in less fights.

I do not remember the exact story but eventually, I bought him an UNC ball cap when he went a specific number of weeks without a fight. This photo is of Victor in 2010 at 11 years old.

 

This is now Victor with his mom and he is now 27 years old.

 

His mom told me that once or twice a month, his hand may have a tremor and that they are so thankful for the medicine.

 

Soon we will be packing up the trucks to return to the coast.   The eye surgical team will arrived on the 9th with Lipscomb University. It was be a great week of eye and ortho surgeries!

Monday in Paxot III

Started the morning with breakfast at the hotel.  

The trucks were already packed and ready to roll.  We met in the parking lot to hear the plan for the day.  Lisa went to Caris to see patients there and the majority of us went to Paxot III.

 

We provided care for the ABC Students in that area. Some of the students came in the morning and we also had a few in the afternoon.

 

One of students returned with her sister and wanted us to take their photo. 

 

I quickly got a photo of the dental team from the coast.......Yoli, Karla, Vanessa and Naby.

 

One thing for sure, is that the physical exam is very important. Someone may say their feet hurt and you may just think to give them something for pain......but you never know what you will find.  This patient said that her feet have hurt for 15 years. When you see them, you will know why.

 

They have repeatedly cracked and bled.  I gave her some different creams and hygiene instructions.  I am hoping to get a followup photo in a few weeks to see if she has improved.......I sure hope so!

 

In the afternoon, we returned to the hotel.  The flowers are always so pretty here.

 

 

 

After everyone regrouped, we hit the streets again..........going out for mango! Karla enjoying hers!

 

 

Everyone wanted their mango served in a different manner. They were in different combinations with honey, chili, pepita, lime or salt.  I like mine plain.....sometimes with pepita or lime but usually plain.

As everywhere, prices have increased and things are just more expensive but that is life.  Things have doubled or tripled in price.

But some things are worth it..........my fire in the evening!

 

Tomorrow, we will return to Paxot III, for Day 2.

Running to Chichicastenango

Yesterday, we made out way to Chichicastenango to participate in a week of medical/ mobile clinics.  So the plan was for Naby and Karla, two of our dentists to travel apart from us, and I would bring Vanessa dn Yoli with me from Ezell.

Vanessa and Yoli arrived and we packed the truck up.  Before we were out the gate, Vanessa asked if we could pray.  I said, "Sure!"  I had already prayed for our safe travels but a few more prayers never hurt! So we prayed for our safety and for all others traveling.

We arrived in time for lunch at the Santo Tomas Hotel and then, we hit the streets!!  Naby had been through Chichi a few times but it had been several years.  For the others, it is their first time......so I am excited.

We first went through the streets and we visited the market.  They loved the color!

 

We then progressed to the Catholic Church. The streets were full with a lot of different activities and it was good to see the tourism some better than last time I was here.

 

 

I had wanted to visit my friend to buy some mango but after lunch at Santo Tomas, I decided to wait until tomorrow.

 

Vanessa saw a lady making some ice cream and curling it up in rolls......she was so excited since she had never seen this before. Vanessa is in the red and she is a dental assistant.  Yoli is behind her and  works as a dental hygienist.

 

Yoli went to make a purchase for her mom and we clicked a quick photo.  Karla, Vanessa, myself and Naby..........messing around in the streets.
 

We met to discuss how we would work through the week.  We have a group of students from Harding University with us and we will be in two communities for two day. Monday and Tuesday, we will be in Paxot III and on Wednesday and Thursday, we will be in Chuchipaca.

 

We met with the Church of Christ for their evening worship and then dinner at Santo Tomas.

 

What a week we have ahead of us!  As Kemmel and Lisa said, "It is just like old times!" I am thrrilled at the opportunity!

Happy March 1st, 2024

The year is marching right along......and so quickly it passes.  We have lots of projects going on and I have shared some of those photos with you.

The pray/ meditation bamboo areas are coming along nicely. 

 The foundations have been completed.

 

Another huge project is the new dorm area. First the windows had to be removed and it was not an easy process. 

 

 

Once the windows were taken out, they were sealed with concrete.

 

We are also doing work on the water system and improving that.

 

On Sunday, I will head to Chichicastenango to work in a medical mobile and dental clinic.  I will be taking two dental assistants with me.  Also coming from the capital, will be Naby and Karla, two dentists from Ezell. I really look forward to the week and hopefully, will have some photos to share.
 

 

Staff Appreciation and Thanksgiving

Today, we had a special day just to be thankful and to let everyone know how valuable they are.  

We have been raising tilapia here on the hospital grounds.  Obdulio and Oscar have been working on this and it was time to enjoy them. They were all half a pound to one pound in weight. We invited all of the Chichicastenango staff to enjoy the day with us and Violeta also was with us from The Capital.

So with about 90 people, we had a full day. We enjoyed tilapia, shrimp, salad and tortillas.

 

We  discussed leadership because.......we are all called to be leaders.

 

Some volunteered to a team activity and it involved passing a piece of candy from one person to another, using only spoons. It was very entertaining.

 

Otto and Rosalia were successful.

 

Byron and Obdulio also very very good.
 

 

While this was a day to enjoy time together, here is still a lot of work going on and projects on each side of the grounds.

 

The rain gutters or cannels are being replaced in different areas. It is hot work, which needs to be finished before the rainy season begins.....which makes it even hotter.

 

The two prayer/ meditation bamboo structures are going well. You can see in the background more of the cannal being replaced.

I will be sharing more photos of our progress