University of Missouri Medical Team

A group of medical students from UMC along with a doctor, 3 nurse practicioners and a big group of other helpers from the US and Guatemala are working with us this week giving medical care, holding a health fair for a large rural school and working alongside the National Health system out of Chichi in a rural clinic. The group is in the village of Pocohil 2 at a church where we hold discipleship classes. This is the first day of clinic for the group. They are ministering to the local children and building new benches for the church as well. Check out our photos!

Block and Beds

Saturday: Five guys from Greentree in NJ started laying block today. They came to work! Heard we are opening three more Churches in the Rain Forest. The Hospitality Floor is almost done. I told two of our students from Xajul that they could come Friday night and sleep there so the could study all day Saturday. They were excited!

Carman; break a leg

We finally coordinated a helicopter to pick up Carmen Tuesday morning. She made it in twenty minutes. They could not do surgery because of some instability. After stabilizing her, Carmen went into a three hour surgery. They finally found a way to fix the break. Carmen is resting in intensive care.

Team emergency

The day started out with blue skies and warming temperatures. Our team from Old Town Christian Outreach Center just finished their orientation with Sharon and Pastor Don was just getting started with his seminar on the "Last Days". I had just taken several people to the hotel to pick up some things when I got the dreaded call - one of the team members had fallen into a foundation hole in the new clinic and seemed to have a broken leg. By the time I got back to the clinic, our fire chief was also pulling up in the local ambulance. We took our patient to the local hospital for xrays and, sure enough, she had a very bad spiral fracture of her femur. Praying for wisdom, we started the process of trying to get approval from her travel insurance to helicopter her out to the capital to have urgent surgery. About 5 hours later and being on the phone most of that time, we had permission but were unable to get anyone to come that late to our area. Our dear patient has been a trooper all day. We had no heavy duty pain meds at the hospital so she was given what was available and has been able to tolerate the pain. The local missionary doctor at the hospital "just happened" to be returning today to Chichicastenango after living in the capital area for a year! God is always coming through for us!! He helped to stabilize her and we will fly her out with one of our nurses from ASELSI early in the morning and she will hopefully have surgery tomorrow morning.

A Blast

Don Dinnerger, Pastor from the center of the universe, Saganaw, MI, and I had a blast with him preaching and I interpreting at a Church in El Quiche. Don shared on ASA, the kning who started out honoring God and ended us 25 years later dishonoring Him. Tomarrow we lay the first block on our new 6,000 sq. foot Clinic.

We went to the police department to invite the new chief to our Bible Institute for a brief tour and a chance to pray for him. We try and connect with the community and have them connect with us.
Worked on salaries, study the new employment laws and changed some office hours.
John

A trip to the capital 1/26

I left early this morning for the Capital. I wish I had a camara! Although I have seen these sites before, they are still incredible. The sun rising over the mountains, the fog filling valleys and covering some of the volcanoes, a clear view of other volcanoes, Indian women walking in the cold morning with their black hair swaying in harmony; The on going construction and the pot holes that could swallow a car.
Bob and Shawn got their official birth certificate today! After waiting about a year, it has finally been put in their hands!

Sunday walk

I was enjoying the surrounding mountains on a little walk when I started straight up a trail. About halfway I was thinking how strong I ws for an old man, climbing this trial, when a little lady with a huge load on her head passed me by. I love living here.

We're Back!

We have returned from our 3 months in the US and will hopefully be able to blog more consistently. While in the states I had forgotten to bring my password, etc. for the blog so was unable to do anything with it since January. So much has happened that is now too late and too much to share but we look forward to starting anew again! Please check the blog site frequently!