The GIFT OF WATER from ROTARIANS

Friends and Family,

A very busy week. Rotarians from Montana here for inaugurations of the GIFT OF WATER, to two communities and near 500 families!  THANK YOU LIBBY, MONTANA ROTARIANS!

Can you imagine being thirsty and no clean water to drink; to want to bathe but no shower; dirty clothes to wash and not even a river near by!  No, as Americans, we do not even think of that possibility.  But Water is not accessible to more than a billion people in the world.  Our Mission area has many communities that are facing major water scarcity, contaminated water, or NO WATER!

Catholic Relief Services and Rotary International are the greatest contributors to the Vital Liquid to poor countries!  Water availability is affected by agriculture needs, energy production, human consumption and Climate Change, to mention a few!  The United Nations has many great resources on internet,  to become more educated in the need, and the crisis, as PEOPLE of GOD we are facing and responsible for!

Contaminated water causes disease and death to hundreds of children daily in the WORLD.  A single pipe can transform the health of hundreds of families by bringing water access to a village.  The Clinica Maxeña  diagnoses and treats intestinal infection and parasites daily through our Laboratory and Medical consults.  Donations are down due to the world economic crisis.  The Clinica Maxeña does not turn down patients because they cannot pay.  We have to  find a way!  We are called to serve the POOR.  THANK YOU for walking this Journey with us. Donate on line to the CLINICA MAXEÑA at:
http://catalog.diocesehelena.org/Guatemala-Mission-c10/

I share Photos from our celebration for WATER! in the Community of San Juan Maza, and Sohomip, Palacal.  And of the Rotarians of Suchitepequez, Guatemala and Libby, Montana. We also thank the Guatemalan Engineer, David Ruiz and the many volunteer laborers from the communities that made these projects possible.

Life is Not ALWAYS EASY!

Friends and Family,

This past week, two of the young patients that we follow very closely had a crisis! All seems better for them today. They do need lots of PRAYER. Diego is 20 years old, severely malnourished, anemic, brittle, insulin dependent diabetic, cataract in the right eye. Left cataract was removed last year.

He came in to clinic early Monday as scheduled for cataract removal by team of surgeons from the North West. Problem was his glucose was 598! He had severe diarrhea for three days, severely dehidrated and was more emaciated than prior. Immediately we admitted him to a bed and started IV fluids and did laboratory tests. With insulin, antibiotics and IV's food he stabilized enough to have his surgery on Thursday. He was blind last years from the onset of cataracts. Now he can SEE again. Today after two months absence from school he returned to classes. He continues to stay in the clinic so we can monitor his diabetes. He is still unstable but very collaborative and in good spirits. His appetite is good. His sugars are unstable but our doctor and I are monitoring him closely.

Maria is 16 and her situation is more serious. Maria has AIDS, diagnosed when she was thirteen. She was a victim of Rape. She is from an extremely poor family. She has recovered with the help of anti viral medication. She is a pretty girl. She has moved around with relatives, and neighbors, never quite settled. She attempted going to school; she is illiterate and never really got beyond second grade primary. We brought her always to the AIDS clinic for her medicine. This is an excellent facility. The person in charge of her case speaks fluently her dialect. She has received psychological support and counsel. We knew there was difficulties out there she had to confront. She had to live her own life. She did find a boy friend and we were not prepared for that notice. They are now together as a couple. One of our clinic workers accompanied both of them together to her last appointment. He is committed to her and now understands the complexity of the life he has chosen. He is 17 and still in school. They live with his family with many brothers and sisters. Maria has been accepted by the family. You can understand the support and prayers they need. Maria is very talented with crafts and is able to make their traditional belt in beautiful beaded designs. We hope to provide her with materials for this so she can work in their home. Thank You for support and prayer for those we are called to serve!

I attach a photo of Diego with his MOM and Nurse Rosie! And since he just arrived back from first day back at school I wanted to include a picture today! Diego is very happy today.

Emergency Room and Eye Surgeries make day go fast!

Friends and Family,

Our first day with the Eye doctors from the North West has indeed gone very fast. Patients came in vehicles, bus, and on foot. The gift of sight is something we all take for granted until our vision fades. This opportunity for most of our patients is truly a GIFT. A minimal charge of 100 dollars is what we request for cataract surgery. Most can pay but many from the mountain villages cannot pay the entire amount and it is waived. In some instances a patient would pay nothing. Last night one of our first patients to arrive, came hungry, and without any money for care or services. We provided food, a bed, consult, and eye meds; surgery was not required at this time but perhaps in October. The doctors and Nurses worked until 7pm in the operating room; Thank you Tim, Aaron and Patrick, Connie and Shelley! Dr Joe, and Fred worked consult on the second floor of our clinic, with nurses Rosie and Sr. Mary, choosing the patients for surgery and providing eye medicines to others. The eye surgery patients stay 24 hours, with a family member. They will be discharged in the morning following a checkup and return in ten days for followup.

We are blessed to have the colaboration of the Guatemalan Ministry of Health Eye program to accompany our visiting doctors. They provide an Opthamologic Resident, Dr Jorge; Social Worker, Zoila; and Auxiliar nurse, Luis, to accompany our team. THANKS!

Our own Doctor Ever held regular consult with a full load of patients and three emergencies!

One of our young insulin dependent diabetics, who was scheduled for removal of a second cataract, came in crisis! a glucose of 596, severe diarrhea for three days, anemia, and malnutrition. He is recovering as an in patient and we hope will be able to have his cataract removed later in the week. A Motor cycle accident brought a man with a broken arm who was sent to the National hospital and a severe wound from the sharp instrument of a field worker came with sever loss of blood and shock. He was sutured and given intravenous fluids and rest in emergency room for several hours. Our charges are minimal and we do depend on the generosity of friends and family to serve these beautiful people.

HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE AND WE MUST ALL STRUGGLE THAT THIS IS A REALITY FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS! THANK YOU FOR HELPING US PROVIDE THIS CARE IN OUR MISSION OF THE DIOCESE OF HELENA MONTANA!!

Attached a photo of our Doctor attending field worker with deep wound and our visiting doctors in the operating room on first day of Eye Sugeries in the Clinica Maxeña¡

Donate on line for the CLINICA MAXEÑA at:

http://catalog.diocesehelena.org/Guatemala-Missiona-c10