At last little BUNNIES for our Sustainable Agriculture Project for Malnourished Children and Infants!

Friends and Family,

I do like furry friends and I was getting a little frustrated waiting for more bunnies to join the family. Weeks ago I was told by my agriculture worker that the new bunnies were in the cave, which the other bunnies had dug for them; they assured me they would come out when they were a little bigger. OK. I waited. I had asked for some extra bunnies just in case it was not true and the female bunny did not like her mate. Well today three little bunnies ventured out into the pen; one pretty white one and two others so I am happy!

The bunnies are part of our sustainable agricultural project for our nutrition project for malnourished children. I will enjoy them for now and I am sure they will all have names.

Our organic chickens are doing well, laying eggs but no little chickens hatching; more promises. I am not a farm girl so I have to read up about these creatures habits. The demonstration garden is being weeded and ready to plant again.

Tomorrow is first Nutrition gathering of moms with malnourished children for 2012, to monitor their weights and recuperation. Also, we have on the agenda, to assign two plots in the demonstration garden, to the mothers. We are inviting also the dads to see their interest and possibility to have a small garden near their home. One of our workers brother is an agronomist and has volunteered assessment, advice and supervision of small gardens in communities to these families.

Tuesday; February 24, 2012

Today only ten moms and infants came to the class; This was expected since not all would have received the word of first meeting. Today, the infants under one year came to class and check up with Doctor Ever. Later in the month is scheduled class and weights for children, 1 year to 5 years.

Planting is contagious. I was happy that some of our workers, who we had to decrease to 50% for financial reasons, have formed a agricultural association, and are planting on their own. They are planting the herb BERRO, corn, and also talking of a forming a fish pond, near the river.

I attach a photo of twins that weighed less than four pounds at birth. The mother is severely handicapped with cerebral palsy. We were happy today to see their progress as they came for the nutrition class. The twins, Deisy and Alecio now weigh 9 and 9.5 pounds! The Clinica Maxeña's Nutrition Project has provided them with formula since birth.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. 2.5 pounds of baby formula cost $17.

You can donate on line at: http://catalog.diocesehelena.org/Guatemala-Mission-c10/

Note for the Clinica Maxeña

Sheila

A NEW PRESIDENT FOR GUATEMALA!

Friends and Family,

Yesterday Otto Perez, former Military, became President of Guatemala. There is great hope and prayer for PEACE and JUSTICE in Guatemala. The suffering of the poor is great; malnutrition with children is the highest in the hemisphere, minimal wage is less than 10 dollars a day and for 2012 the increase is announced for less tan fifty cents a day. People are hungry and unemployment is extensive. The Bishops of the Catholic Church are very vocal, according to the Social Teachings of our Church. Yesterday, there was a MASS, celebrated by the Archbishop, for and in attendance of the new President, Vice President and other officials of the new Government, in the Cathedral Metropolitan in Guatemala City. Their prayer, and of so many, "that the new President will honor his campaign promises and will bring reconciliation, peace, and cessation of violence" to families and to the country. Two priorities are Health and Education. Health has been declared in Emergency. The priorities for Health are better service for the sick and the Health employees and purchase of quality medicines for Government Hospitals and Centers for Health in the rural area. Education priorities are for nutritional supplements for students and repair of educational structures.

As the Bishop of Solola manifested in his column in the Press; "may the new government acknowledge the Lord and know how to live with honor and happiness the mission that the electors have confided in them"

Guatemala is listed as one of the five most violent countries in the World. Prayers are needed for this beautiful people and country. THANK YOU.

A NEW YEAR! 2012

Friends and Family,

It does seem like end of year was more stressing than I anticipated. Our financial crisis was not imagined or foreseen. It seems like emergencies and care for the sick daily took priority and I neglected to acknowledge the serious situation we were in. I thank all our friends and my family, who so generously shared at christmas time, to lift us up. I did have to lay off several good workers in order to survive. Our mission clinic is 46 years in existence. There was no way we could close our doors abruptly. We are a very busy and an important participant of health care in the mountainous region of Guatemala, for the POOR. Health Care should be a HUMAN RIGHT but that is not reality. All over the world, Health Care has become BIG BUSINESS. It is the poor who suffer the most and often die prematurely. We are twelve fewer workers and another six are 50 per cent in the Clinica Maxeña for 2012; we are positive and working together so to improve our status and continue to offer curative and preventive medicine to these beautiful Mayan people who we, as Diocese of Helena Montana, have share our lives with for so many years, as a Mission Parish Clinic. Please continue to share your wealth and love with our Mission Clinic; the Clinica Maxeña, in Guatemala, Central America. THANK YOU. Sheila McShane, RN

You can donate on line at: http://catalog.diocesehelena.org/Guatemala-Mission-c10/ or

you can send a donation to :

Diocese of Helena

Guatemala Mission

Mark Frei

PO BOX 1729

Helena, MT

59624

NOTE FOR THE CLINICA MAXEÑA

Thank You .....New Year Blessings.

Photo of our New Year Baby, 9 pounds, baby boy, born in our Emergency Room of the Clinic on January 3rd. We were very happy to share in the JOY of the proud parents of their first born son, Blanca and Ricardo.

The Midwife was 70 years old and sought support from our Medical Doctor EVER.