Interviews continue

Over the last two days, we have talked to 16 students about their future.  Some have very interesting stories.

This Alicia and she lives in Mactzul.  She is attending high school and if I remember correctly, she will be the first young lady in her community to graduate from high school!!  What an accomplishement and honor for her and her family!  This Alicia with Cynthia, Harriette and Alex.

I know..........I should not brag on my children but I can not help it.  This is Sandra and she getting ready to graduate and start teaching.

This is Cecy and she is one of our promoters.  She is in the process of finishing her entrance exams and will study nursing.  I know she would appreciate your prayers as these exams are a struggle!

This is another one of my students. His name is Esteban and he is pretty much a straight A student.  You go, Esteban!  I think he also wants to study nursing.

We saw either 14 or 16 students over the two days.  I wish I had takena photo of Josue.  Maybe I can get Cynthia to forward her photo to me.  Josue was with us for about a year and then went to Guatemala City to study medicine.

Tomorrow morning Harriette, Cynthia and Alex will travel to Antigua.  It has been an enjoyable time working with them and sitting in on the interviews.  All of these students have great potential and we pray that they will use their talent for the Glory of God.

Interviews and work in India

This afternoon, a group arrived to start interviews of students who are applying for scholorships. It is such a great opportunity that students have!  It opens doors that may never have been opened without the help and support of Health Talents.

If you are interested in knowing more about these scholorships, please let me know.  Many people like to help with a one-time donation.  It may be some money that you might never miss but the future that you give to someone, they will never forget!

This is Cynthia, as we prepare for dinner.  Harritte and Alex are also here and we will start the interviews in the morning.

I wanted to share photos from a church in India.  There were several baptisms on this day and it is always interesting to understand the culture. Whether it is in a baptistry in the USA, rushing river of Guatemala or a calm stream with the bathing cows in India...............this is the way to Christ.

Romans 6:4------Therefore, through baptism we are buried with him into his death so that, just as the Messiah was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too may live an entirely new life.

Through baptism, we have the acesss to Christ's blood which cleans and saves us.  Without the access of that blood, do we have hope?  Is baptism something that you have thought about?  Does the Bible mention any other way in which salvation takes place?  These are questions that we need to ask ourselves. 

Visit with Jane and Mickey

 I found out late last night that the new mother in Chuchipaca did take her baby to the hospital in Solola.  They directly sent her to the hospital in Guatemala City. I hope they will be able to help this baby.

Jane and Mickey arrived in Chichi yesterday afternoon.  Jane comes down every year and brings more baskets for the babies who have cleft-lips and palates. Her organization is called Evelyn's Basket of Love and Life and they do a lot of work here in Guatemala. 

This morning we had breakfast and then went out to Lemoa.  I found out that the mother from Pocojil did take her young son to the eye univeristy in Solola but she did not get a consult that day.  She does have an appointment to go back.  More on that situation is on the Sept. 26th blog.

We then went to ASELSI, another clinic that Jane helps.  She had not seen ASELSI since it was finished and this is Mickey's first time here.

Jane and Mickey will continue on to Xela this afternoon. I hope to see them again in December.  May you have safe travels!!

Day in Montellano

This morning, left early to make it in time for worship in Montellano.  I wanted to see a group that is there and visit with Marlene and her family.  I called her last week and invited her to come and visit with us.

When I left my house, this was the Coke that I had opened.  I did not know until last week why there were names on the Coke bottles.  When we had a group of people down, they told me what it was about.  So, according to them, I need to share this bottle with a friend.

Usually during this week at the coast, our friends from Sacramento, CA visit. Today, is Cynthia's birthday so they sang and brought cookies for her.  This is Cynthia, her mom, Olga and I in the dining hall at Clinica Ezell. 

Cynthia and Harriette will spend a couple of nights in Montellano and then make their way to Chichicastenango.  They always interview students for different scholorships programs and it is a very busy week for them. When they finish, they will travel to Antigua to meet up with the rest of the group before their flight home.

Clinic in Chuchipaca

Manuel, Cecy and I had clinic today in Chuchipaca.  It was a smaller clinic than normal since there was a large clinic there last week.

We have an epileptic patient that usually comes to see us.  She is in a physically abusive marriage and her mother-in-law was one of her main support people but last week, she died.  She is really
struggling and her husband is drinking again. Some people just have a very difficult life.

We saw a new mother today with a baby that is 13 days old.  The baby has a large fontanel buldge. For whatever reason, they had not taken the baby to a hospital as advised.  As I was writting out a form for her to take, I offered to drive her but she told me that she wanted to wait until Monday or Wednesday. I just sighed and gave her a stern look...............I had done everything I could do. :(

After clinic, we went to visit a man who fell about 18 months ago when he was living in the United States. I visited him last year with Susan and he continues to struggle with chronic pain.  He lives where it is very difficult to get to the road and his family has dicouraged people from visiting him.  Again, another very sad situation.

As we left the clinic, I had mentioned that I wanted an apple.......well, about 1/2 a mile down the road was a truck full of apples and some kids sitting on the crates. I yelled, "Hey, will you toss me an apple?"  Well, they started tossing them 2 and 3 at a time into our truck!  I offered to pay for them but they were from the church and told me no.  I shared with Manuel and offered some to Cecy but she told me that she had trees full of them so I needed to keep these.

Among those that they had thrown, were these three that had grown together. I had never seen anything like it before but I had a set of triplets!

It is the weekend!  It will be full of activities and it will be good!

The President visits Chichi

When I returned from Antigua this morning, there was a BIG gathering in Chicua I.  I was told it was the president of Guatemala.

As I arrived in Chichi, they were preparing the same type of area at the soccor field. The crowd was beginning to form and the stage was set.

 

No one knew what time he would arrive but people waited patiently for hours!  As you can tell by the umbrellas, the sun was very strong.

I do not know what time he arrived but he left about 7 pm.  He flew over the top of my house in his helicopter ONLY 4 times!  I thought he was going to land on the roof!

Beautiful day in Antigua

I went to Antigua to get my passport back.  It was waiting for me and it is nice to have it back.

Many people know that one of my favorite restaurants in Antigua is, The Sky Cafe. I took advantage of the afternoon and had the rooftop to myself.

Tomorrow, I will head back to Chichi and do clinic on Saturday in Chuchipaca.