Well it has been 2 weeks since I last posted a blog and we have had quite a bit happening. Lisa continues to finish out her last month and has actually had a couple of weekends free which we did not do much except allow her rest time and spend time together which has been nice. I was incorrect in saying that she was in men's ER as she has been assigned women's ER. They call this the "crazy ward". Most of the problems of the patients deal with depression or some type of family problems which results in stressful symptoms such as fainting and collapses. It is sad to see so much emotional and spiritual conflict but as everywhere it is a reality that people face in their lives. Lisa has had quite a bit if opportunity to pray with patients in attempts to provide them some peace in their lives. These are the times that we rejoice that we serve a loving God whom we can rely on to help us through our struggles.
She only has 16 days left in the month and 5 calls. Please continue to pray for her strength and endurance to finish the month and to pass all of the tests that are left. She has one final at the end of the month that covers the entire 6 months of rotations. This test is worth 20 points of the overall so at least it is not a high percentage of the total grade. The tests are what she worries about the most right now. Of course the work is also taxing and that is where the strength and endurance is needed.
Over the last 2 weekends we have not done much but rest and take some long walks on the weekends. This last weekend we took a short drive to just get out of the apartment and the city and we drove down the El Salvador highway which was a very beautiful drive and we passed an area that sells pineapples and were able to buy 3 for Q10 or about $1.50. Pretty awesome price for a pineapple.
Over the 4th of July a team came to work with our teams in Chichi and helped us in clinics for 3 days. During this time we started a new program with a couple of the schools in the area of the clinic. This program includes providing medical and dental checkups to the kids of the school and providing a report to the parents about the growth of the child and their overall health conditions. Some children were better than others but overall as compared to the growth charts in Guatemala, many children are doing well. For dental, it is a much different story as many of the children had very poor dental health. We will take the opportunity of what we learn to present solutions and education to the school children and parents on how to better the overall health of the child. We will do this through a variety of ways to teach health principles and are looking at a possibility of introducing a fluoride treatment program that will need to be managed by the local school and/or parents. So we will see how this works. If positive results we will duplicate this in other areas. Please pray for the parents and school to be receptive to ideas that we can help improve their situation. This becomes delicate as we do not want to pressure them with our ideas but rather help them view the need so they can take ownership of providing themselves ways to improve the overall health of their children. So, please pray for wisdom on our part as well to not offend and to be patient with the communities as we work together.
The positive news is that the schools and the parents have been very interested in this program.
The other day a friend of ours from Paxot 2 delivered a new baby with Spina Bifida. Sheri and 2 health promoters, Juan and Gaspar went to visit the family in the hospital and to provide them encouragement. Juan has taken an active role with the family and is trying to help them in any way that he can. It is great to see the staff take interest in this way - not that they would not have, but the fact that they visit and speak with the family daily is a great ministry to that family. They will be heading to Guatemala City tomorrow in an ambulance provided by the National Hospital which has been arranged by the social workers who work there, who are also arranging their accommodations and needs while in the city. This is also very encouraging. Please pray for this family - their names are Sebastian and Anastasia Sut and he is an elder in the church in Paxot 2.
We continue to look forward to the day we head back to Chichi so that we can feel more involved in the ministry. Please remember to review Sheri's blog at www.sheriinguate.blogspot.com for other news and pictures of clinics, etc. She is the master blogger, normally blogging every day!
God bless!
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