EMERGENCY CHILD IN GUATEMALA

Juan Carlos Tahual Bautista

DOB: August 20, 2006
#113

Juan Carlos is seven years old and was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. He also is developmentally behind for his age. When he was younger his mother took him to a nearby hospital for a medical mission to have two operations. Unfortunately his palate isn’t completely closed so he will need corrective surgeries along with major dental and orthodontic work. Juan Carlos has one older brother named Marco Venicio and two younger siblings who are twins – Luis Miguel and Marisol. He lives with his siblings and their parents in a simple one room wooden house with a dirt floor. Their house doesn’t have electricity or a bathroom. His father works as a day laborer but doesn’t have a steady job. Neither his mom nor his dad went to school. The family eats tortillas with beans, pasta or boiled herbs.