This is a picture of the area around Chuchuca and Xejox. As mentioned in the previous post we have a medical team here with us from SouthFork Church of Christ in North Carolina. This is the sponsoring church of a nurse, Sheri, who works with us here in the area of Quiche. Sheri has actually taken over Lisa's clinics during the time she will be working in the government clinic.
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week we headed to the mountains above Zacualpa (2 hours one way) to work with 2 churches in hosting some clinics in their areas. These 2 churches are in the towns of Xejox and Chuchuca which are about a 1 hour trip up the mountain from the highway. Now, since there are some roads up to this area and the roads have been improved with more gravel and sand we were able to head up there for clinic. In the past these 2 locations have been rather difficult to get to due to the conditions of the roads during the rainy season. There is a main road that crosses the mountain which can normally be fine, but once you branch off to these 2 communities the roads would get substantially worse. Thank God this time the roads were pretty good; however, there were some deep mud areas that were plastered with rocks in the holes to help us get through and on the last day it was a little slick since it had started to rain before we left. We had one rental Mazda truck which had a little difficulty compared to the Mitsubishi's we normally use. So we have learned to not purchase a Mazda for this area. It was great for most situations but once it was steep and slick it struggled more than we would want it to. It was fast on the highway though - like that turbo action!
These churches have some great history and were started about 10-15 years ago in a time when the evangelists would have to hike to get to these villages - about a 5-6 hour hike for a Guatemalan. So for us gringos, except for those of you who are hikers, would be a much longer hike. These 2 churches are a couple of the biggest churches in the area with between 250-300 members between the 2.
This brings up an interesting topic to understand a little difference in our cultures. We have many groups or young people who come and want to go for a "hike". Well, in this culture going for a "hike" is not a normal event as a "hike" to them is walking home or walking to the nearest spot to catch a truck or a bus to get to their destination. So, when we first were bringing this idea up to our local promoters and friends to ask where it would be safe and if someone would join them for the "hike", the question was always "why?", "why do they want to walk to the top of that mountain?" They just do not understand... Their lives are much more physical, so to perform another physical task is pretty much futile and makes no sense, unless it is to play soccer.
OK, back on track... The week with Southfork was great and we attended to around 200 medical patients and 80 dental patients and 80 reading glasses patients. Each day averaged a good number for each caretaker, allowing us to also minister to the spiritual needs of patients as well. Most patients had simple symptoms which we would normally go to the pharmacy for and others were more serious illnesses such as blindness, malnutrition, cataracts, healed-up dislocations, eye infections, etc.
Also this week, I had the honor of meeting up with a good friend, Amy Vasey (well now married so a different last name), that I went to school with here in Guatemala many years ago. We are both now 40 and going on 41 and it was a great time to reminisce on the good old days of growing up in Guatemala. Amy was my brother Gary's (Gary has since passed away) first girlfriend so we were all pretty close during that time. We were able to catch up with each others lives and also find out about other friends we lost track of many years before. Amy's dad also now lives here in Chichicastenango as he is translating the Old Testament into the Kiche dialect of Chichicastenango. Amy's dad, Bill, has worked as a translator here in Guatemala for more than 30 or so years! He is great and is teaching us gringos some kiche as well! Hopefully we will catch on!
In Lisa's world of social medicine, she had a interesting day on Friday. Friday was the day for all of the midwives of her area to come together for an education session and a festival of sorts for the service they provide to the community throughout the year. Lisa had a lesson planned, but the day became mostly a time of celebration, and much to her surprise and discontent, included a traditional Mayan blessing on the women and the health post. This Mayan blessing /prayer service consisted of much fire and smoke while the local priests offer up sacrifices of sugar, candles, incense, etc. on behalf of the midwives. So health clinic became a mayan temple for a day, all filled with smoke, but at least there is not a smoke alarm - probably would not meet OSHA standards. She was also able to get to know the midwifes a little better while attending to their medical needs as well as there families.
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