Bienvenidos, Mama and Daddy!

We really enjoyed my parents' visit a couple of weeks ago. Here's a few shots from our whirlwind tour of Guatemala. We hope they'll come back again soon!

Ready to tour the Tikal ruins.

My mom next to a tropical cedar trunk in Tikal park.

My dad by the tropical cedar trunk in Tikal park

Mundo Perdido outlook.

Temple of the Jaguar

Listening to our great guide Nixon give us the lowdown on Mayan architecture.

Even riding out to the Tikal ruins and back, we marked 15,000 steps that day!

My dad and I at Lake Atitlan

My mom and I checking out the view of the Lake.

So many pretty flowers!

Enjoying the beautiful gardens and lunch at Hotel Atitlan

Santa Teresa de Jesus Convent ruins in Antigua--in memory of my Aunt Teresa.

It was a beautiful morning in Antigua

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Stroll in the Antigua central park after dinner.

Running around learning about textiles, stingless bees and chocolate prodution in San Juan La Laguna

Meeting up with Sheri for lunch in San Pedro La Laguna

Long-awaited visit with our friend and my parents' houseguest Ixchel and her family. We were treated to such a nice time with lunch, an outing to the local Qumarkaj ruins in Quiche and ice cream!

Good Day for a Baptism

Today at Clinica Ezell we were invited to join in on a baptism for one of Dra. Nidian's long-time patients, Elena. As our evangelist Baldemar said, she came to the clinic looking for physical healing and found spiritual healing as well for her soul. May God bless her walk on this new road with Christ!

Our hike to the river near the clinic. So beautiful today!

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ...
 1 Peter 3:21

God bless our new sister Elena.

Some Excellent News!

Yesterday Kemmel got a text from the attorney helping us file our hospital license. Up until now she has given us mostly "go back to the drawing board" kind of responses or "they are also requiring this" sort of news. 

When we left for the holidays we were told it would be another 3-6 months before the Ministry of Health would accept our application package because they wanted us to also have a clinical laboratory license as part of the process. 

But yesterday afternoon she sent Kemmel a text that started with, "I've got some excellent news for you."

She was able to submit our package and the Ministry of Health accepted it on the condition that we complete the laboratory licensure in the next two years. She said they would be sending out the Hospital Ezell license within 15 business days!

We are shocked and so excited by this and grateful to God for opening the doors for this to happen. Our prayers have been answered in a way we didn't see coming which is evidence of God's work in this. 

We will be planning for surgery to start in the next couple of months, preparing patients, confirming U.S. surgeons, nurses and OR staff. Please keep praying as we start this hospital back up!

Thank you for your prayers and financial and emotional support over the last three years. We are aware of the frustration and waiting and doubts that everyone has had--we have too!

If you would like to sign up for a surgery week, Bienvenidos! Contact Rick Harper or Bode Teague for information.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Being Thankful

Dance for joy at all times! Never stop sending up prayers. Give thanks to the Great Spirit in all things, for this is what he wants from you as you dance in step with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 FNV

Stateside Visiting

God has brought us some great blessings this year and has been by our side during difficult times as well.  We spent a month back in the States visiting supporting congregations and joining the board meeting for Health Talents. Seven states in total. It was a fun road trip for sure! We also squeezed in a few visits with  family along the way. We are  thankful for God's provisions through so many dear friends and family that make it possible for us to work here. 

Thankful for time with my friend Benita enjoying a great morning of hiking in the Colorado mountains.

Good times with great friends Tony and Brenda and C.

Mobile Medical/Dental Teams

We have hosted several mobile medical and dental teams this last half of the year. They help us wrap up our well-child checkups for the kids in the ABC Program and get some of our regular patients taken care of with specialty consults as well. It's always fun to get to work with family and long-time friends again. We were blessed to have my sister Anna and brother-in-law Charlie come visit this year!

My baby sister Anna and I.

Dr. Haller and Julie setting up for the day.

Dra. Anna hard at work.

Dr. Charlie ready to roll.

Yummy cafe after a long day out at clinics for Sierra, Melina, Sheri and Susan.

Got to spend time with our friend Jill and two of her daughters J. and J.

International Jack of All Trades and professional bubble blower Gary Tabor.

Nurse Mike Caldwell on his second trip this fall and Dr. Weed and NP Susan Herrod getting ready!

Dr. Quinton Dickerson spending time with us for cardiology consults.

Two Quintons and a Becca touring Clinica Caris between water filter jobs.

Ann and Britton Dickerson taking on the children's class challenge.

Quinton, Britton and Price hanging out at Clinica Caris

Clinica Ezell Surgeries

Although we are still trudging through the process of licensure and compliance for our hospital facility at Clinica Ezell, we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Kemmel had a very encouraging conversation with our attorney about the next few steps in the license approval. As Kemmel says, we needed a miracle and it looks like that's what we are getting. We are cautiously optimistic to be starting up surgery again in the new year. Please keep praying for that process to be complete and to have full approval for our services. 

Waiting to fill this place with surgery teams next year!

Our plans for increasing family counseling access has been slowly but steadily making progress. We would like to be able to offer more services and add alcohol rehab group counseling someday. But we know that we must have a network of churches ready to help people in that walk. Our evangelist Gaspar Chan has been working for the last few years to train area church members in pastoral counseling. His groups are getting bigger and there are more requests for classes. Please be praying about this area of ministry as we prepare and look for God's guidance. 

Pastoral Counseling 2022 wrapping up their sesions.

Jesus says, "Follow Me..."

Thanksgiving/Accion de Gracias

Being in a foreign country makes it a little challenging to fully enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. But we do our best to spend time with friends and prepare our favorite dishes to celebrate the day. Here in Guatemala one of their traditions is having a "thanksgiving" worship service and meal to celebrate anything they are thankful for, much like the first Thanksgiving traditional story. This can take place any day of the year. This month we have been invited to two such "Thanksgivings." They were both to give thanks to God for his healing and provision during illness and recovery. One lunch even had turkey stew! It was good to be with loved ones and share in the feasting. 

Martina and Raul giving thanks for Martina's health recovery.

Jose and Cristina and Carmen sharing a thanksgiving meal for Jose's recovery after surgery.

A great turkey dinner was had--complete with tortillas and homemade peanut horchata. 

The scenery around here is so beautiful after the rainy season comes to an end. It's a good reminder of God's work in us us through our trials. We hope you all enjoy a great day of giving thanks to God and spending time with loved ones. 

Beautiful Tine (tee-nae) or tree daisies as I call them.

Several toucans were seen for the first time on the Clinica Ezell property this week! Enjoying bananas and different berries.

Different kinds of yellow and orange flowers everywhere this month.

The bees are happy

Keepin' On

Orquids love the rainy cloudy weather!

Rainy season is in full force around here. In general we love this time of year for its cool, cloudy days and rainy nights. It's a real blessing knowing folks up North are suffering 100+ degree days and fires.  However, things are getting pretty soggy around here lately.  Thankfully in our area we haven't had any serious issues, but the two main highway systems from the Capital city to the Highlands and to the Coastal areas are plagued with mudslides and a huge sink hole. That makes travel to the Capital a real headache. Be praying for the government to have wisdom and resources to adequately address this. 

Arial view of the mudslide on the highlands highway. They have it back open now and under observation. (Photo Prensa Libre Carlos H. Ovalle)

Major sink hole in the Coastal highway. Still not passable. (Photo Prensa Libre Roberto Lopez)

Clinics are going well and people are grateful as always for the care they receive from our staff. I had a patient come in with diabetes symptoms ("Doctora, my urine is like pure honey!") accurately diagnosed by his wife for about a year, but he wasn't having any of that! We gently but firmly pointed out his high blood sugar result, 30 lb weight loss, and all of his symptoms and started his diabetic education. Hopefully he will accept the diagnosis and medication and begin some lifestyle changes. His wife who has been a diabetic for 15 years was well controlled and very thankful for her medications and asked about nurse Sheri. 

Mobile clinic in Rio Bravo

Covid cases are picking up again, but so far no hospital overflow like last year, which is reassuring. Schools are still in a hybrid state as they are waiting to get kids vaccinated before going full time. Not sure when that will come to pass, so we just wait and pray for families to figure it out the best they can. A study came out this week showing that 70% of Guatemalan students failed to reach minimum academic standards during the last 2 years. We have a long way to go. 

Moms and kids from Las Trampas.

Our hospital licensure is still an issue at Clinica Ezell, preventing us from hosting surgery teams. But we are on the right path and jumping through the hoops necessary to get government approval of our site. Our local health department is starting to be more reassuring about our future approval. We talked to a dentist friend who said lots of private clinics are struggling with the same issues regarding their environmental and sanitation licensing and large fines for practicing without proper permits in hand. So, we are trying to be diligent and patient and praying for progress. Please continue to pray for us to advance in this area. 

One of the ongoing requirements to maintain the environmental license is planting native species plants and trees on the property. Our staff reached out to the government agriculture agency and we were able to score some free saplings (including mahogany) and education on how to start our own nursery. The program provides the trees, and we invite people from the community to come help work, and the government pays the people with food packages per day of labor. 

One of the ladies (Dolores) helping prep seedling bags.

Our onsite tree nursery.

Thankfully we are still able to host mobile medical/dental clinics this year. We've enjoyed spring break teams and wheelchair clinics, and in May we hosted a team from Oklahoma Christian University to wrap up our well-child check-ups for the ABC sponsorship kids. They are a great group and always come prepared.

Dr. Neil Roberts showing off his pediatric skills

 

Diane and AnaLuna running the library area.

Everyone is growing well thankfully!

This year we were even treated to a smoked turkey Thanksgiving meal for the whole staff and team, courtesy of Eric Phelps! He brought down his own smoker and left it for us to use now and for next year!

Eric Phelps the champion turkey smoker, sharing his know how with our team.

 

This was a great group. Thanks, OCC!