Morning yoga

Amy practicing her morning yoga in the yard of our hotel in San Lucas Toliman.

SIESTA!

Can't beat a siesta on the roof overlooking San Lucas and the beautiful lake attitlan. The weather is perfect, the birds are singing, Latin music blaring and of course the dogs are barking.

The starfish

Last night we had a discussion in our group about why we are down here and what we think we are accomplishing. I was reminded of the starfish story about the man walking along the beach throwing starfish back to the ocean. The question about what he was doing and the observation that he was not going to make a difference brought the response that he made a difference to that one....I thought about the two reasons that I came here, one to practice medicine and give care to a population in need. However, second I came here to learn from another land and culture and hopefully enrich my life and perspective. Last nights conversation made realize that while I thought I was the man trying to make a difference to one, I now know I am actually a starfish. The people here in San Lucas have touched me so deeply that my gratitude will never end. I am so grateful to be able to share this experience with my wife and best friend.

Solidarity at it's best

Aaron was so fun to watch with the people he was treating. He had so much love and compassion for each one. The amazing thing though is that it was they who touched our hearts so deeply. This boy holding Aaron's hand was so sweet and polite. He enjoyed the crayons and paper I had brought and every picture he drew was for me. He has so little, yet he gave us so much.

Visiting the country

Amy with the children of a family living in one of the areas devastated by mudslides from last years hurricane season.

Volunteer work Guatemalan style

The last couple of days I've spent working to help rebuild temporary housing for 100s of families who were displaced by the mudslides of hurricane Agatha. The work is a little slow because they just don't have the the most efficient tools or not enough anyway, but it should be ready in time for the rainy season which starts in may.

This is the group I had the pleasure to work with.  They are an amazing group of High School Seniors from Michigan.  I was incredibly impressed with how hard they worked and what great people they all were. Thanks for taking me into your group "Butch"!

My heart was filled....

My first patient today in Xiujuy was an 8 year old girl named Besayra who has suffered from severe scoliosis since birth. She has asthma and is very small for her age in addition to the effects of the scoliosis. Her mother told me she says she hurts every morning when she wakes up. I asked her about her bed and she told me she sleeps on a metal and cinder block bed with 1 layer of cardboard for padding. She took me to her house to see it and I nearly cried when I saw the humble home in which they live. I had to return to work though I would have given anything to pass the whole day playing with Besayra and her family. As we were leaving she came out of her home and offered me a bunch of bananas, which I gratefully accepted knowing this gift was perhaps a part of their small evening meal. Some of my companions and i have decided to start a pool to try and buy her a mattress before we leave. We saw many patients but my heart melted for this little child of our father in heaven who was born to such a life, yet, is an angel to everyone she comes in contact with.