Clinic in Mactzul I and meeting with ABC Families

Today, Tomas, Enrique and I headed to Mactzul I for clinic and a meeting with the families in the ABC Program.  We had a real small clinic and a couple of patients for dental cleaning.  

I thought this sign was interesting in the church building........reminding people to silence or turn off their phones during worship.  It is a great idea but the phone struck me as odd.  In what decade, was the last time that you used a phone like this?  I remember using this style as a child.  OK, now I have made myself feel really, really ancient. 

After clinic, we enjoyed a lunch of steak, rice, tamalitos and peach drink.  We talked about the ABC Program, how it has grown, the classes and education that has been made available and how appreciative the congregation is. They have had the program for two years.  They started with 23 students and now have forty-two.

There were about 45 people present for the meeting.  We wanted to introduce the sex-education to the parents of the ABC Children.  In the past, this would have been a difficult topic and not received very well.  This has changed and now they are welcoming it. 

Tomas and Enrique took turns translating for me and helping answer questions.  Then, we asked the parents what their thoughts were.  One man said that no one had ever talked to him about sex or the changes that were happening to him. He said that when his voice started changing, he thought he was really sick and he was scared! Another man shared that his 8 year-old son came home from school asking about babies being born, since they had been drawing pictures of animals who were going to be giving birth.  He was shocked at his son's questions and he did not know how to answer him.

I explained the importance of the parents being involve in the classes.  If the parents do not know how to talk to their children or do not know the information, the classes are opening the doors for discussion.  Children want to learn.  They have a lot of questions.  If parents are nervous and do not respond well, the child will sense this and hesitate to ask again.  They will go to someone who will give them an answer and it might not be the best information.

So far, all of the communities have welcomed the classes and we are thankful for this.