AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2019

Our month started out with a special week at Clinica for August.   It was plastics week and many little ones came for surgery.   The week was packed with cleft palates and other issues that required the plastic surgeon.  In addition many general surgeries were completed.

Rita holding a Cristina who had an extra toe that was being removed during surgery

A precious little girl that had hernia surgery

Another little patient ready for discharge

Javier came in in February for plastic surgery on his skin folds to allow some sight in his left eye

He came back in for surgery this month to help with his sight in his left eye

After surgery in August.   He was all smiles and very happy

Please keep little Abner in your prayers.  He had surgery this month to separate his webbed fingers.  The surgery went fine and the removing of the bandages two weeks ago went well.   We went to visit the family last week and it appears he has an infection developing where the stitches were.   We provided money for medicine and will be visiting him and his family this Friday for a follow-up.

Abner as he prepares for surgery

The week after returning from Clinica we were able to provide a kitchen for Alejandra Pio.   Alejandra is a sweet lady who lived in a small room next to her daughter's family.  She cooked in an old rusted barrel top in her room!  The smoke would get everywhere and eventually seep out through the holes in her walls.   We were able to provide and install a wood burning smokeless cook stove.

Alejandra's old cook station that was located in her room

Alejandra

Alejandra's grandson learning to use a drill with Cary's help

Alejandra, her daughter, and one of the grandsons talking and looking on during our visit

The grandson looking on as the son-in-law tries his hand at installing lamina

The sweet family.  It is hard to get a Mayan family to smile for a picture but this family had no problem!

The next week we visited Encarnacion Acual.   She is a sweet 84-year-old lady that is living by herself on the side of a steep mountain.   Her daughter visits her frequently but Encarnacion was very independent and wanted to live on her own as long as she could.  A lamina house had been built for her but the stove was placed outside.  We are in the midst of rainy season here in Guatemala and Encarnacion needed a kitchen.   With the help of our neighbor and Fidel,  our helper from SMDJ,  we were able to provider Encarnacion with a smoke-less kitchen that she could access from her front door without getting out in the rain.

Encarnacion and her old house and kitchen

The start of her kitchen on the side of the hill

The path we carried the lamina, boards, and tools down to get to Encarnacion's house

Almost Finished!

Rita giving instruction on the use of the stove but more importantly,  sharing the Gospel with the family as we finished our visit with them

Encarnacion and her daughter in her new kitchen

Then the work was not completed,  the steep walk back up with the tools.   We are thankful for Fidel's help every day.

This month we were also blessed with the opportunity to build a home for Samuel and Maria Chavez and their children Lester and Ana.    Samuel does not have a steady job but works at various day jobs to make ends meet.   Maria,  along with her sister and mother take in vegetables, cut them and ready them for market and then go sell in the market for the owners of the vegetables.   We thank Downtown Church of Christ in Searcy for their donations that enabled us to build this home for Samuel and his family.   In addition,  we thank Don Starks for coming down from Searcy to help us for a week and this house build.

Samuel's old house and kitchen with little Ana looking out at us

Ana,  who is 3 years old and was a delight the entire week

She would just wear whatever shoes she could find

Lester, who is 7, was ready and willing to help wherever he could

Don and Lester during a break in the build

Lester checking out a pole his dad had installed years before to see if it was level

Samuel and his grandfather

The building blocks kept them busy during the build and the rain

Samuel's niece Anglecia washing clothes next to our foundation for the new house

Samuel's mother-in-law cutting and preparing carrots for the market

Samuel'ssister and grandfather preparing beans to sell at the market

A meal of pepian chicken provided for us by Samuel and his family

Maria and her mother cooking the meal for us

Maria, her mom, and Lester checking out the drill.  You can see all the vegetables in the background that they have to prepare for the market

Lester assisting Cary in the construction of the kitchen

Even 3 year old Ana helps in the preparation of the vegetables for the market

The Samuel Chavez family in front of their new home.

We thank God each and every day for the opportunities He has given us here in Guatemala to work with the hurting, the poor, the widows, and the young.  We thank each and every one of you for your prayers and for your monthly support that allow us to do His work with your support and prayers.