Community Outreach

We have started community outreach to two villages near Santiago.   The day starts with a educational talk and then either general medical clinic and/or ultrasound clinic. 

Hospitalito has recently received a portable ultrasound and we have been using this for these outreach clinics. 

Ultrasound Study

We have been involved in a ultrasound study for the past two years in Santiago Atitlan.

We are doing the study to develop intrauterine growth curves for the local Mayan population.

The hope is that by using ultrasound we can identify pregnancies at risk for intrauterine growth restriction (when baby in mom is not growing well) and then intervene in the pregnancy so that the baby has a better chance of surviving.

While the study continues there have been many benefits from the study already.  Our relationship with the local clinics, National Hospital and comadrones (traditional birth attendants) has improved and this has helped to provide better care for the population in Santiago Atitlan and San Lucas Tolimon ( a nearby village).

This picture is of one of our favorite comadrones Juana (on the right) who is with one of her patients at a recent Ultrasound clinic. 

Day 10

There are people from all over the world doing amazing, selfless work with vision, initiative, and very few resources.

Gratitude for little things is very important.

A positive attitude can go a long way in making a tough situation better.

Challenges in the Mission field are never what you expect. There are always surprises, good and difficult.

Day 9

"Baaing" goats sound like crying babies outside your window.

People can carry anything on their head/back. We've seen mattresses, backpacks, desks for school, huge basket of live chickens (seems dangerous), side of beef... you name it!

People eat all the parts of the animal. They sell the cow leg from the knee down with hoof and all, eyeballs, skull, chicken head and feet, as well as many organs which we cannot identify. In Ghana they even ate the chicken bones - probably a good source of calcium!

Day 8

Roosters do not only crow at dawn. We actually don't think they can tell time at all as they seem to crow at any hour and many days begin at 4 am. After you've lived in a place for a while, you stop hearing them so that is a good thing.

Bimbo is an unusual name for a bread company in Guatemala.

Day 7

The water filter can amazingly make black water, clear.

Many days, plunging the toilet is a more than a once a day event.

Day 6

Rain in the tropics is impressive, as is the thunder and lightening.

One can get a flea infested house without having a pet. The fleas come from the squirrels and rats that live between the ceiling and our roof.

We've also seen beautiful red tomatoes growing with plastic pesticide containers strewn around the base of the plants. So that's how they become so red and delicious...!?