A Friendship with a Remote Mountain Village

A few months ago we had a German visitor who was referred to visit our Clinic by the Health Association we have been a member of for over 30 years. He is a Journalist and he wanted to report on the life of the coffee picker, and our mission is near several coffee plantations. His report appeared recently in a Guatemalan newspaper, and was very informative and also critical of the suffering and wages of the coffee pickers.

This visitor also had interest in our Health projects, especially our ONIL stoves that save wood, prevent burns and eye disease. He had adopted a group of 14 families during the armed conflict of the eighties and nineties. When this group of families were dispossed of their land, he purchased land high in the Quiche mountains that they had chosen. The area is very isolated; they use solar light, have fresh healthy spring water, no road into the community, they must walk two hours. Their homes are very humble, dirt floors made mostly from wood and tin roofing; he constructed a very basic structure for a school and got the government to allot one teacher. Their community has 70 persons, including women and children. There is one small store with minimal products. Market day is in a plantation that they must walk out to once a week. They have fertile soil and plant corn, coffee, beans and trees. Their land in on the side of a mountain. They have no clinic or medicine available in their community. They formed this new community seven years ago and named it WACHALAL, which in their Mayan language translates for "BROTHERS". They all speak Mayan Quiche, the same indigenous language that is spoken here.

His proposal to our Clinic was that he would purchase 14 stoves for the families of the community he supports from our clinic and if we would deliver the stoves to the community he would donate 1,200. dollars additional for our Nutrition Project. Our administrative team agreed to this proposal, not for the financial assistance to our clinic, but more of interest of collaborating with a community living isolated in the mountains. We knew we would benefit from this friendship.

Three of our workers delivered the first eight stoves to the community with our pickup truck. Our new German friend Andres also went on this journey. It was a three day adventure and Chico provided the others of the clinic with a report and pictures.

Dental Team returns HOME!

Good afternoon from the Clinica Maxeña!
This morning Friends of our Mission left after a busy, successful week of dental care for youth of our school and workers of the Clinica Maxeña. Chris Mast, dentist and his lovely wife Ashlinn, from Helena, MT. have provided this valuable service now for three years.They were accompanied by three dental students, Alan, Brian and Casey. Unfortunately in this country, Dental Care is not considered an aspect of health care by the Ministry of Health but reserved for those with considerable economic possibilities.

The poor have health promotors extract teeth when they are decayed or painful. This service is about four dollars. We would provide this service free when necessary. To save a tooth or have preventive dental care is rare in their reality.

Chris performed 8 root canals, 45 fillings, 28 extractions, and 6 deep cleanings!
For the few who are able to benefit from this service we are extremely grateful and we continue to look for ways that we can improve our dental service. Manuel, a Quiche Mayan dental health promotor does provide extractions, cleaning of teeth and preventive dental care teaching in the Clinica Maxeña!

As always there is time for a soccer game with the visitors and unfortunately this time the CLINICA MAXEÑA team lost to the DENTAL TEAM!!!

Each day there are patients acutely ill requiring immediate care and often hosptilization. As I write this we are waiting the arrival of the town ambulance to transport an 8 yr old child with probable acute appendix. Another child went yesterday also to the hospital with symptoms of liver mass or hepatitis.

Thank You for prayers and support of those we are called to serve.

Sheila

Visitors and Busy Days

Friends,
This is a repeat of a blog I deleted by error.

The past days have been busy since the chirping of birds and roaring by of the early morn buses. To remind us of the fragility of life we have had occassional tremors and now the news of another devastating earthquake in Chile.

Visitors also have been present in our Mission. The opthamology team left and shortly after two good friends of mine arrived. Jerry, an organic farmer, and his wife Margy, a Maternal Infantil Nurse from Seattle. Since they were bi lingual in Spanish they were able to particpate in some important meetings and plans for a nutrition project. Jerry spent his days in our Medicinal, Nutrition garden, helping to plant more vegetables and left plans for organic compost and worm bed!! Malnutition continues a serious health problem. Margy participated in our Nutrition class with our malnourished children and moms and share important information on Breast feeding and the nutritional value of breast milk. Our hope is to improve the nutrition of the moms which would enable them to have better quality and quantity of breast milk. It is a slow process!

Last Wednesday I had to accompany the ambulance and a 16 yr old student from Asuncion, our parish school, to a private hospital with a diagnosis of ruptured appendix. A competent surgeon performed emergency appendectomy and though she suffered severe peritonitis she appears to be recovering. We hope to bring her back to clinic tomorrow to contnue healing. These are unexpected expenses to our budget but necessary. In the clinic she will be sharing space in our clinic infirmary with another patient from our parish, Maria, 85 years, who is recovering from surgery from a serious femur fracture. We have hired a quiche speaking nurses aide to provide needed care during the day to Maria. She is visited frequently in our clinic by parishioners and friends.

This weekend Margy and Jerry have returned home to Seattle and our Dental team and friends, Chris, dentist and wife, Aislinn have arrived from Helena, with three Dental Students. They will begin tomorrow to provide valuable, free dental care to our dormitory students at Asuncion and workers from the Clinic. This is their third journey here. THANK YOU TO THEM AND OTHERS WHO SHARE THEIR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE!

Our Diabetic Club continues to increase in members who come monthly to receive valuable information, glucose and Blood Pressure checks. This past week the Nutritionist from our Diocese provided the theme.

Photos included are of Maternal Health Nurse, Margy Hinch in our Medicinal Clinic with Micaela, Clinica Maxeña worker and a Mother and child receiving instructions.
Second Photo is Sandra, student, recovering from Appendectomy surgery.

Again we thank you for your presence and valuable support to our work.

You can send donations to:
Guamemala Mission
Nurses Fund
Diocese of Helena
PO Box 1729
Helena, MT
59624
or at our web site: www.diocesehelena.org

Blessings! SHEILA

The GIFT OF SIGHT!

OPTHAMOLOGY BRIGADE A SUCCESS!!

SATURDAY WE BID FAREWELL TO OPTHAMOLOGISTS AND NURSES from Montana and California, AND their support team. In five days of hard work and long hours 247 patients passed consult, hypertension and diabetic checks. Thirty nine patients had surgery, 29 of which were cataracts. Sr Mary,BVM, and former director of clinic, has been successfully directing this project for ten years. We are grateful for her presence and expertise.

We were honored with the presence of Joe and Diane Kupko from Hamiliton, MT. Joe is an opthamologist and the DONORS responsible for the construction of the Surgical Opthamology Unit in the Clinica Maxeña more than ten years ago. All these Physicians, who have dedicated their time and talent to this eye service twice a year, have not only donated their time but also medications and equipment. We are fortunate to now also have a Laser Unit available in the Clinica Maxeña!

The Opthamologist team is accompanied by workers from PRO CIEGOS, which is the Guatemalan Organization that provides Opthamology care in Guatemala. Maria was the Guatemlan Opthamology Resident this year that accompanied our team of doctors and also given the opportunity to assist and learn in the operating room. Today she returned to see all the post operative patients from the week of surgeries.

The majority of clinic workers participate in the eye clinic and work extra hours to see that that each day and each patient receives excellent care. Our clinic Doctor, Ever, one auxiliar Nurse and a lab technician provided regular consult to the numerous patients that also arrived daily for consult for other ailments.

We all are aware of the GIFT OF SIGHT! THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR TIME AND TALENT AND CONTRIBUTED TO THIS GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.