Next day in Guatemala

We started the VBS program in Desierto with almost 200 kids! It was a little crazy, but we have some really great leaders who are maturing into responsible young adults.

Susan and Michele saw more pregnant women in the morning and in the afternoon had a workshop with the local midwives from all over San Antonio.

We had a rainstorm this afternoon that knocked out power around 3 pm at the clinic. Then while we were making bags at the hotel tonight the electricity went out. So all of San Antonio is without power. Luckily I have two flashlights in my house - one for me and one for Gale.

First Day

The team worked in two different villages today.Susan and Michele
Stayed in Concepcion in the clinic and saw pregnant women for individual consultation. Then lead a 2 hour training group for 12 expectant moms. The rest of the team road with 20 of our leaders to Desierto in a pick up truck
To work on our first children's
Program there. Abby and Shelby
Went over the program and taught the crafts to the team and the leaders.
Shelby's parents went to dinner at Millie's ,with whom Shelby lives .
We made 103 gift bags to give out
And need to make 120 more.
Finally people started drifting off to go to sleep. Abby and I left for home to review. Cindy was still working on her Bingo cards for her English class.
Very nice first day and great team.

Safe Arrival

The team arrived safely at the hotel in Guatemala. I was the one who had a bit of difficulty getting to the hotel to meet them - another flat tire! This is getting ridiculous. After a delicious dinner and a quick meeting it was off to bed for the weary travelers.

Tomorrow the two midwives Susan and Michele will do consultations with pregnant women in the morning and an afternoon workshop a group of pregnant ladies.

The VBS team will start prepping and teaching the leaders the crafts. It's going to be a busy and fun week at the school in Desierto.

On our way to the village

Well,we had a great flight. No delays and all the luggage made it . We are 1/2 way to the hotel.

Dulce's Graduation

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of attending the graduation of one of our sponsored kids and English student Dulce Coroy. She graduated from the equivalent of a technical high school with a degree as a preschool teacher. She plans to continue studying education at the university level next year.

the beautiful graduate

with her proud parents and youngest sister

Flying to Guatemala

The team is on the plane and ready to
Go. Midwives, construction and a new children's programming diesierto.

Pictures from Haiti

Kids still arrive for yoga, crafts and food.
Kids in boots love the rain.
What to wear if you don't have a rain coat.

Hurricane Sandy update

As received from Lizzy:
We have been under Hurricane Sandy here at PID's clinic for the past 3 days. Sandy has brought lots of rain, and there has been flooding in some places. The water in the streets has kept Dr. Sem from coming today and yesterday, and we were forced to close the clinic. However, the kids who come for Showty's yoga program have not let the hurricane stop them!

 Pictures to follow if I can figure out how to put them on the blog. ( this is from Gale)

--

Rawr! VBS time!

Almost ready for Vacation Bible School! We are excited to welcome a volunteer group this Sunday and dive right into a week of crafts, singing, games, English classes, and most importantly God's word. Although we'll be studying Daniel and the way he trusted in the Lord with all he did, I think its safe to say lion puppets make for a better craft. We've got a great week ahead of us!

 

Operation Day!

On Tuesday morning I was up early to meet Kevin and his mother Juana at 5:15 in the park in San Antonio. And then we were on our way to the hospital!

We arrived before six and began waiting. Around 9:30 I decided to ask the secretary if she could find out how much longer and she said just a little bit longer. About 5 minutes later we were called in to get prepped for surgery.

He went in with Dr. Byron around 10 am and came out about 11:30. He then went into a recovery room where he was hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor. Once he woke up the nurse put on "no-no's" - little things on the arms so that he couldn't put his hands in his mouth. Then she started to feed him watered down gatorade with a syringe. For the next three weeks he will only be able to eat with a syringe so that the wound doesn't open up.

After about half and hour in recovery we moved into the ward where he and his mom would spend the night. Around 5 pm I headed off and stayed overnight in a hotel.

Then back again in the morning around 9. Nurses came by to clean the wound one more time and then we were given instructions and then free to go home! And Kevin was certainly ready to get home.

On Thursday it was back again early with Carlitos and his mom Maria.  This time we were lucky and he was the first one to enter into surgery.

He was out after about 1 hr. and 45 minutes. Then on to recovery where he mostly slept. He wasn't fussy or unhappy or anything. He just wanted to sleep.

His mom told me that he spends most of his day swinging in a hammock and sleeping. What a life!

This morning I was back at the hospital and we left around 10:15 am. And would you believe it that I had another flat tire when we got to my car at the hospital? Well believe it. So we drove down very slowly to the same pinchazo that I stopped at a week ago and he fixed the tire.

Tomorrow I'll post more pictures on the PID Facebook page.

Another day at the Hospital

Yesterday we went back to the hospital to get evaluated by the surgeon and to fill out paperwork. We left earlier and got there before seven! Not a whole lot of traffic on Sunday morning and I didn't get a flat tire! Woohoo!

Yesterday there were even MORE kids than on Friday - some that had been signed up before. I would guess around 60-75 patients total. So we did even more waiting then last time.

Kevin having a little snack while waiting outside

Carlitos - snoozing

lots of people waiting

more waiting

We were finally called into the waiting room around 10 am. From there we filled out paperwork then got into another line for weights and blood pressures - which no one really liked. Then we visited the surgeon, then on to anesthesia and then finally to checkout.

Kevin all handsome and ready to see the doctor

Paula

The surgeon said that they will not be able to operate on Paula this week because she is too young and still malnourished. One of the translators who lives here in Guatemala gave her mom a special bottle to help her with feedings. That was very kind.

Kevin and Carlitos are scheduled for surgery this week, but we are still waiting to see which day we'll be returning to the hospital.

waiting in line inside

Carlitos was NOT a fan of blood pressure

Pre-op Visit

This morning I rolled out of bed around 5:20 to meet the mothers and their babies at the school here in Ixtacapa. We then drove about an hour to a town called San Felipe Retalhuleu. About 5 minutes before arriving at the hospital my car got a flat tire! Luckily a few feet back there was a pinchazo (a place that changes tires, they are all over Guatemala, because I guess it happens a lot). So I pull in and the guy changes my tire. Luckily I had a spare in the back. As he is finishing up I hear a noise and look in my car to see that my rear view mirror fell off my windshield! Unfortunately the pinchazo didn't have any sort of glue so we had to continue our journey without a rear view mirror. About 20 minutes and 20 quetzales (about $2.50) later we are back on the road!

We arrived at the hospital and were given numbers. There were probably about 30 different kids with various degrees of cleft lips and palettes. Some little babies and some older kids of about 5 or 6. The numbers were called and we gave our names and paid the consultation fee. Then each child had to get blood work done, which they did not like at all - lots of crying babies in that hospital today! After that drama the kids were called by name to get weighed and take their temperature. I asked the nurse doing the weights what the name of the organization was that is going to be performing the operations and she told me that it is Free to Smile.

Then there was more waiting to be called in to see the doctor. Carlos and Kevin are all set to be operated on, although the doctor prescribed some cough medicine for Carlos. It is common for children with cleft lips and palettes to develop coughs and possible pneumonia if the mother is not careful. Because their mouth and airway passage is all open, any little bit of milk or food can go into the lungs instead of into the stomach. The doctor isn't sure that they will be able to operate on Paula next week because she is still so little - only a little over a month old and weighing a little over six pounds.

And now we all have to return on Sunday to be evaluated by the surgeon who will be performing the operations. He has the final say on whether or not he can operate on a child and it will then be determined what day each child will be operated on. After the operation the child and  mother will stay one night in the hospital and then can come home the next day.

So it has been a long day of waiting....and waiting....and waiting. And Sunday will probably be similar.

Kevin and Carlos with their loving (and funny) mothers

Kevin

Carlitos

Hello from Shelby

Hi all!

Its intern Shelby writing. Well, I have been in Guatemala for about two weeks now and I am loving every bit of it! I am taken aback by the beauty of this country and the people who live here. Everyone I've met has welcomed me with open arms, and I feel very much at home.

My main job for the next two months will be to analyze and organize information about our clients. People affiliated with PID are periodically interviewed so that we can keep record of their well being before our involvement, and their progress thereafter. My goal is to have everything up-to-date and in one place so that we can smoothly track our progress in working with individuals, and rate our success as an organization. Looks like I have a lot of work to do!

I have a lot to learn, but I am surrounded by a gracious and loving staff. It is truly an honor to be here.

Thanks for all your support!
Shelby

Finally!

Today we finally received a date for the cleft lip/palette surgeries! Next week will be the operations. So on Friday I will be heading to the hospital with Kevin, Carlitos, Paula and their mothers for the initial consultation and exams.

These cute little faces are about to get even CUTER!

Paula Griselda

Kevin

Carlitos

MSPP visit in Haiti

As it turns out the visit was a pre evaluation visit . According to Guetchine we did pretty well. They will come again and made some recommendation, some of which are impossible , like having someone available to receive emergency baby deliveries at all times. So we continue working!!

Welcome to Guatemala

Kimberly, Bernabe, Maria Susana and Flor

On Saturday the Leaders Group put on a little welcome fiesta for Gale, Shelby and I. There was singing, dancing, cake and hugs!

On Monday some members of an organization named Fundazucar came by the clinic to talk to Gale and I. We discussed plans to work together and offer some medical services to the people of the village.

Gale and I with the reps from Fundazucar in the village

Today we brought the wood and tarps to Canaan, and distributed them to the families in our program there whose tarp houses were destroyed during the hurricane. Thank you so much to all who donated!!

News from Haiti and Guatemala.

Today the MSPP cancelled so we are on hold until Thursday! The staff sent a message that they are on alert and ready! So very proud of the staff.

My last day in Guatemala was great.
We did A1C tests on some of the diabetics.
I worked with Keily and Marta and taught them how to use a spreadsheet
And do averages. They entered all the information about the diabetics .
Later we had lunch and went to buy
Yarn for four girls who finished their projects. Shelby began studying the PPI and entering the info about new kids in the program. I said my goodbyes and now am in Guatemala City waiting to leave at 5AM for the airport. Very successful trip.

In Haiti, the staff has been working non stop to get ready for the visit from Public health tomorrow. I am a little nervous because I can not be there. I am sure they are much more nervous because they are there, working so hard.
In Guatemala , Shelby continues to get somewhat unexpected tours of Guatemala. Today,  I went to a lawyer to work on a land purchase next to the clinic. Shelby, went to the ice cream store with two girls from the village, waiting for me to return to teach her how to take a bus. The lawyer took 1 1/2 hours and we still weren't finished so I asked for a break to run and get them. They sat in the office for another hour while we finiahed. At that point we were invited to see the lawyer's farm. 
So we spent the afternoon there, having lunch and seeing a rubber tree forest and learning how rubber is made. We also got to have a cheese sampling . His wife makes the best cheese that we have ever tasted.
She makes it everyday from the milk of their cows and you have to order it ahead of time if you want to be able to get any.

Tonight we finally arrived home at 7 , to have empanadas made by Marcelina. So good. We finished the night by working on the Progressing out of Poverty index. Shelby never got her bus lesson but we will try again tomorrow. It was a good day.

It's great to be back in Haiti. Today we've been busy preparing for the long-anticipated MSPP visit. Guetchine and Dr. Sem had a meeting with all the clinic staff about how the prepare their rooms, how to act, and how to answer MSPP's questions should they pose any. After work, about half the staff stayed very late cleaning the clinic out from top to bottom, organizing, and putting everything away. It looks like a new clinic. We are praying for all to go well tomorrow.