Roll the Stone Away

Although we are not currently hosting medical or surgical teams, we are busy upgrading our facilities in preparation for future work. Our surgical facility is in need of a waste water treatment plant in order to comply with environmental law. So our latest struggle has been against red tape and big rocks. The rocks keep showing up as the workers dig the space for the treatment plant. Thankfully there are people whose livelihood is breaking up big rocks--some with dynamite and others with chisels!  We pray that the work crew will be able to work fast as rainy season has started and will intensify. On Saturday we had a surprise scheduling of our first environmental license inspection. Kemmel texted "We got a score of 100%! So poco a poco--we are grateful to God for the progress.

Alfredo, Kemmel and Jorge down at the end pumping out the water that accumulated over night. These are the "smaller" pieces of rock after the dynamite crew got after them.

Our clinics continue to be full at Caris and Ezell and we have even been able to host a few wheelchair distribution clinics with Faith in Practice. We love being a part of such a good work, helping families improve the mobility options for themselves and their loved ones. It always amazes us how much people have endured before coming.

This kiddo is getting a new chair that will help improve his posture.

In our community work we are able to do small group check ups on our ABC families, doing well-child checkups, fixing water filter issues and consoling families during hard times. One of our ABC families suffered a house fire and lost all of their clothes and most household items. Several churches and area Christians have helped raise funds to replace their things and help rebuild. 

Thankfully everyone was safely evacuated.

Another family from church had a baby born at 30 weeks gestation and spent 40 days in the hospital-no family was permitted to visit during that time. At one point they called the family to say there was nothing else they could do and were just waiting to the baby to die. But he survived and after fattening up to 4 lbs. they let him go home. Praise God for his mercy!

This baby is getting fat after two weeks at home and breast feeding like a champ!

 When we are faced with difficult struggles, when our patients are confronted with complicated medical issues, and when we hear about heartbreaking real life problems of our neighbors, let encourage one another to put our trust in God and remember that our Lord has strength to do things we think are impossible.

Recent Happenings

Medical and Dental 

Our clinical work here in Guatemala is still limited to outpatient consults this year. The restrictions locally due to Covid infection rates, hospital saturation and the government requirements for our facility licensing are putting a damper on our surgical groups. Though we are not hosting U.S. teams yet,  we are still offering primary care services daily at our central clinics and are starting to be invited out into the communities for mobile medical clinics. Our mobile work is restricted to sites that have enough space for patients to wait well-distanced and outside. And dental care is limited to our central clinics. We are hoping the vaccine availability here will improve and that we can start getting high risk patients vaccinated soon. 

 Our fans in the communities haven't forgotten us!

Darling and I working at Nahualate. Yes, it's hot with all this gear on!

Recently we were invited to work with the local health department at a nearby health post that doesn't have the staffing to prescribe medications. We are allowed to set up next door in the community center and charge for our consults and prescribe any of their meds from the health post or anything else we might have. The community leaders are very supportive and have been sending a representative to hang out with us. One of our nurses, Darling Ayerdis (licensed in Nicaragua) set up the arrangement as part of her social service year to get her full Guatemalan nursing license. So far things have gone well, and we hope to cultivate this relationship with the local health authorities while sharing Jesus with this town.

ABC Families

ABC kids from Chijtinimit--they are all grown up!

Kids are still restricted to "homeschooling" with homework assignments sent via text message or video chats. Families are frustrated for their older kids who are paying tuition for this kind of learning and hoping they are getting their money's worth. Sadly, we are hearing about more young people packing up and taking off to the States to find work, "because the recent changes have opened up opportunities." It is hard to to be supportive of these decisions and we pray that God will keep them safe and bring them home soon. 

Church Life

Baptisms and new church plant in Xatinap!

Despite the mandates on masking and distancing and room capacities, the churches are allowed to meet and most have started meeting regularly again, which is important spiritually and emotionally for people. We understand the public health concern of having large groups gather in tight spaces, but also see the need for fellowship and community. So many patients that are coming to us are struggling with loss of work, indebtedness, anxiety, illnesses needing specialized attention, worrying about family members who have headed to the States. Our evangelists and church partners are making efforts to be present during times of need and offering prayer, visiting and sharing the message of  Christ's regenerating Spirit. 

New life, new start!

Future Plans

We are busy readying our surgical facility at Clinica Ezell with updates and upgrades as we wait out the red tape of licensure renewal.  Please keep praying for progress, especially as Kemmel works with engineers and lawyers and other consultants guiding us through the process. We are grateful to all of our supporters for the generosity and continued interest in this ministry. Every week we meet patients who comment on the exceptional care they have received and their recognition of God's presence here.  We pray that  we will soon be working full steam and able to incorporate our U.S. team members in this mission work. If you would like to continue supporting the ministry, you are invited to join our Cross Walk Campaign.