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That’s what friends are for….
The chaos has come to an end…. all of the Canadian volunteers have come and gone…. that part of our journey is done…. for this year. I am both sad and elated at this fact. While I miss the hustle, bustle and noise of a full house I am relieved that it is over in a way. I feel that our hosting teams was successful. I believe in my heart that everyone that came here had a good time and their hearts were touched by this place and its people. I know that people at home write me now… saying things have changed for them just by being here. It seems they have changed in the same way I was a few years back after I visited here for the first time. God has touched them through what they saw and experienced here in Guatemala…. in a way that only seeing with your own eyes and touching with your own hands can. Now I can sit here and breathe…. I have time now to see and feel again… in a way that is harder for me now. It’s not that I am hardened to what I experience here…. but there is something that happens to you when you are responsible for dozens of people from home. I became a leader…. and a strong one if I do say so myself. I kept it together through the annoying…. through the hard… through the happy…. through the sad….through the fantastic….through the miracles, and I did it for the sake of my friends from home. I loved every single minute of it too! Showing people that I care about something that I believe in so strongly truly was an amazing experience for me. There is something to be said about friendship…
Frank & Lori visited us this past week…. and what a week it was! It began on their first full day here, a Monday, when we went to dig a trench around a home in the village. The family would have preferred a new home but unfortunately due to financial constraints all we could offer this family, whose home floods completely during the rainy season was a drainage pipe underground to help disperse the water. The family was happy for this as it will help immensely with the torrent of water that comes down the mountain straight into their home. They dug the trench themselves so all we had to do was put in the pipe and carry the gravel to the ditch for the base & then the covering. It was hard work but with Frank & Lori’s help we were done in a morning. During our break people came to us… they heard that we had been taking people to the doctor and they wanted help. This happens all the time…. whenever we are working in a village, word spreads like wild fire and people begin arriving one after the other asking for help. It’s so overwhelming at times to see this much need.
After digging the trench we were off to the Ruano home that the Thielmann’s built and just simply pulling up to the gate there we knew we were in for quite the afternoon…. Dozens of people were there waiting for us to see if they could see our doctor… all with a very specific need…. all worthy… all legitimate… all next to impossible for us with our limited financial resources…. This is the hardest part of this…. So we sat… we listened… we took notes… and it came down to the fact that we could only pick 5. Five out of dozens… all with legitimate needs for the doctor… I cried…. How do we choose? I am not God. I am not worthy to choose… I looked at Lori and her eyes were as full of tears as mine.
The woman who had asked for help for her daughter .. and we ended up paying for a funeral instead was there. She came right up to me… she told me that she just walked here to thank us… for the kindness we showed her family by helping with funeral costs. She said she knew that she had said it before…. but she wanted us to know that the hospital did an autopsy on her daughter and found she was pregnant… and that we had 2 special angels looking down on us…. and that …. well that’s about all I heard to be honest. I cried like a baby…. this woman wiped the tears from my face and held me tight… and assured me, with tears in her own eyes, that I have a friend here in Guatemala that will always love and pray for me.
Friend is defined by Oxford as: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
A bond of mutual affection…. true, but a friend is so much more to me… a friend is a person who ‘gets you’ .. the real you… the good, the bad, the ugly…. and that is what I have had here…. That Monday was a day I could not have done without Lori… my friend… beside me… ‘getting me’. Even though the day got so hard that at a point we simply could not look at one another without crying… that’s how much she ‘gets me’. People ask me all the time, how I can deal with having a house full of people here constantly…. My answer is simply, I couldn’t do this without them. I need to be surrounded by ‘friends’… people who get me… people who support me… people who know me and love me anyway…. Even people who aren’t here in body…. but send encouraging messages or comments through email, facebook or by phone. Your messages surround me like a warm hug…. even when I can’t reply right away, I read every one… I read them over and over… when times get tough they bring me encouragement to carry on…. When things are fantastic they make me feel like I have people to celebrate with beside me, even when I am alone….
That Monday night with Frank & Lori was a quiet one. Some of us broke down at the dinner table during high’s and low’s…. After, I sat up on our roof with Zack. He was pretty much destroyed by the day’s events. There were a lot of “why’s” floating around in his head. Gabe followed… as did Luke. Geoff went for a walk to be alone with his thoughts and sort things out. I sat on the roof with my boys for hours and talked… sorted… shared… they get me and I get them. Things flew out of us in a torrent. All we had held in for months came out… We got angry… we were sad…. we celebrated our victories and mourned our losses… When Geoff returned, we sat again and our family shared a moment that night that defined us as not only family… but friends….That is rare in many families…. I am so thankful for the privilege of being here… getting to do what I do… share it with my friends from home…. and my family.
After Frank & Lori left…. Ben arrived. He is a young man who is living in Columbia right now teaching English… he is a friend from home. He wanted to spend the Easter holiday with some friends from home… I get that… and we are loving having him. He isn’t here to work… he is here as a friend to spend time together. People need people… I get that….I am one of them!
As a treat we booked a bus this week…. and loaded the Hermana’s and our friends from here into it and went on a road trip to Esquipulas. Esquipulas is home to the Black Christ… a statue from hundreds of years ago that is said to have healing powers. Most of the people had never been to Esquipulas before… and those that had, like Hermana Mercedes hadn’t been in 30 years. People come from all over the world to visit this sacred Basilica and yet those that live only hours from it simply cannot afford the money to go. We did this as a thank you… a thank you to our friends here. The Hermana’s & Novitiates for all they do, not only for the kids and the poor but for us… supporting, loving, helping… befriending…. Ileana, Hector and their family for opening their home and theirs hearts to us…. being our friends and loving us for who we are…. Sr Chico, Sr Vilma & Fernando for always being friends & family and helping us however we need… and loving us… The support staff at the Hospital like David, Dominga & their family for always being there with a kind, knowing smile…. Hector & his family….Albero & his family…. Elias and his family…. Caesar and his family…. Mynor & his family… the list goes on and on. So many people… so many friends… There was a part of me that upon coming here I wondered how I could ever stay for 5 months…. now I wonder how I am ever going to leave….
As I said, I could not do what I do here without my friends from home…. but I have learned something… I can not do what I do here without my friends from here either. I have formed relationships here… priceless ones. Other organizations distance themselves from the locals a bit. I am not sure why… I simply know that we chose a different path… we chose to immerse ourselves completely in the culture… in the neighbourhoods… we jumped in with both feet and hoped for the best. We chose to not insulate ourselves…. so we feel… and we feel so much that it leaves us raw and broken at times… but we never feel alone… and that is what is important. We got the best… the best of both worlds… we have friends in Canada… we have friends in Guatemala… real friends… true friends…. friends that will be there for us through thick & thin…. I have to admit it feels good…. all warm & fuzzy to be very cliche. I could do this no other way…. Thank you to my friends… far and near…. You give me strength… you give me hope… you give me encouragement…..you give me love…. and that’s what friends are for….
Me & Lori
The crowd waits to see who gets medical care today....
The woman on the left is the girl who died's mom.. my new friend
Listening to each person tell their story of why they need medical care....
The trip to Esquipulas with a busload of friends!
Ileana's family & mine together at Esquipulas Basilica
Me & Ileana & the ridiculous traditional Esquipulas hat she bought me as a souvenir
Grief…
Wow… what a week we have had here…. sometimes things here are so amazing… and sometimes they are so difficult. There are times when I have trouble here… but not with being here…. I have trouble thinking of my life back home. My comfortable home… my car…. my closet full of clothes… my tap that dispenses hot or cold water on demand… my knick knacks strewn about…. my computers, my tv’s, my furniture… etc etc… the list goes on and on…. weeks like this sure make me reflect on my life and my needs….
Sandra & Lindy are working at the hospital. Playing games with the kids…. teaching them songs… circle time…. etc etc. The rest of us, (My family & Matt, Erwin, Linda & Rachel Fast, Jessica & Rachel VanGeest and their cousin Nataschia Buys, Jaclyn Duffy & Kate Cresswell-Turner.. yup it’s a full house) are all spending tons of time at the hospital as well. It’s so important that people spend time with these precious little ones. Culture here is different and kids are a commodity… they are rarely held or played with… sometimes they are hardly interacted with at all. They crave the attention… and we lavish them with it as much as we can. We can see major differences in the kids already. Some that were shy and withdrawn run up to us now… some that were downright terrified of human contact actually not only let us hold them and feed them, but actually laugh and giggle with us. So much joy to see them getting better and accepting the love that us strange white people have to offer them….
The Thielmann family arrived this past week and took over from us building the home for the Ruano family of 12 that they fundraised back home for. Their daughter Jazmin was here with us in late Dec/early Jan and was touched. She went home and talked with her family and together they made a decision to take on a project of their own. How incredible!! We along with our friends, Trish, Gerry, Aileen & Angie began buying and gathering the materials…. demolishing the old cornstalk home and digging the foundation until they arrived. Once they got here they took over and in one week the progress on the house is amazing. Senor Chico & Hector (they build Marquito’s parents home a few weeks ago) are building this home for us, with the Thielmann’s helping until they return to Canada and then we take over again… The Ruano family is pitching in as well. I have to interject here that this family is one of the sweetest I have met in Guatemala. Mama & Papa are always there helping, smiling and encouraging… and the kids…. oh the kids… Pulling the truck up to the site is one of my favorite moments. The kids all come running with beaming smiles on their faces and ready with huge, warm hugs. What a total joy this family is!!!
We are working extra fast because it is so important to get these people into a warm, dry place and out of their temporary shelter before the rains arrive. All of Guatemala is preparing right now for the rainy season. Its a bustle of activity everywhere… highways are being reinforced for mudslides… ditches are being dug everywhere to divert the torrents of water….. retaining walls are being built…. its quite something to see.
One of the things that our March Break visitors have been treated to that others have not is the scurrying that goes along with the onset of the rains. Just about every day that we have been working at the Ruano home someone comes… they come carrying a note that they wrote… or they simply come and ask…. either way it all says the same thing… “Can you help my family?” If you have never experienced this… you cannot understand. They look at us missionaries, “Senor Geoff & Senora Rita” & the family as though we are some foreign dignitaries. They always wear their best… and they come prepared… and they come with stories. How do you feel back home when someone comes up to you on the street and begs for money? Do you give? Do you walk away? Do you feel anything? I can tell you that here, its like nothing you’ve ever experienced. They want you to come and look at their situation…they want you to sit and just listen to their story…. and if you feel that God is calling you to help then that’s great… but if not, that’s ok too…. just please pray for them. It is so incredibly difficult to hear and see such extreme poverty… you just want to scream at how unfair it all is….
This week, we have toured several homes and one village. What a tough thing it is…. to hear peoples literally gut wrenching stories of poverty, illness, death and yet they keep their faith in God… and they are convinced that God brought us to Guatemala as ‘angels’ to help the people here. I will give you one example… in the village we met a woman… she is a missionary. She is so poor that she may only eat one tortilla a day that she puts a drop or 2 of water on and then some salt for flavour. That’s it. Now this woman lives with her daughter…. her 1st son died at age 13 by drowning in the river…. her 2nd son died also by drowning… and then her eldest son died by a rock falling on him from the mountain above…. and then her husband died of a heart attack. Her and her daughter were left alone… and now they are missionaries… visiting the sick and elderly in surrounding villages… offering hope and encouragment… praying with them… sharing what little they have with others. This woman asked us for help. And we had to look into her eyes and tell her that we will…. but we cannot right now, because we have to raise more money. It is so hard to look into those big dark eyes full of hope and ask her to wait… a woman who has lost so much already… Geoff had to walk away for a moment to compose himself…. these are the moments that tear your heart out of your chest and shred it.
Just a few moments later, we met the lady next door… who’s 28yr old daughter was in the hospital with some unknown illness. Since they had no money for extensive medical care she was sent to the ‘public’ hospital…. the free one…. the one with the lousy medical care. She asked for help…. we had to say the same… “we will see what we can do”. It hurts so much to have to make people wait… the situation is dire now… its quite honestly the hardest part of being here…. The heavy labour at times is nothing compared to looking someone in the eye who is in desperate need and telling them to wait…. The village visit was long and so many asked…. we became overwhelmed at the sheer poverty & need we saw. All of the Canadians were eerily quiet as we toured home after home and heard story after story of things that I can quite frankly say would have broken my spirit. We heard laughter and joy throughout the village though… they have hope. It is truly quite incredible. As we finally cut the tour off…. partly due to time and partly due to the fact that we honestly couldn’t take much more emotionally, we headed back to the truck to hand out some toys, clothes and water we had brought. As we began to walk down the hill into the clearing toward the truck I looked back…. The sight was incredible… people… so many people…. coming out of the trees… coming over the hill… coming from all directions… hundreds… men, women, children, young, old, infants…. you name it. It was like a scene from a movie. When we got to the truck people lined up to receive whatever it was we were giving… when you are poor you don’t care what you get… anything is welcome. Over an over we heard “Dios les bendiga” (God Bless you)… it took time, a lot of time but once we were done everyone had received something, even if it was something as simple as a t-shirt or a bag of water. I can honestly say it was one of our best, and yet most emotionally draining days here thus far. We packed up…. received our gift from the village… a delicious bag of mango’s and left for the day.
The next morning Geoff, myself and the boys left for the city. It was time to drop off & share a tearful goodbye to our friends, Trish, Aileen, Gerry & Angie at the airport. Our trip was also to bring Jessica, Rachel and Nataschia to see Ray, Jessica’s son that is serving here with another organization. He has been here for a few months like us and has a few more weeks to go. As a mom it was my pleasure to take Jessica to see her son… how can you travel thousands of miles and not see him? On the way to the airport, the phone rang. It was Fernando. He gently told Geoff he had some bad news…. the 28yr old girl that was in the hospital had died…. she left behind a husband and 2 babies… and a grieving mom, dad and 3 sisters…. Immediately my mind crashed on the fact that her mom asked us for help yesterday… and now we were too late… she couldn’t wait…. we had told her mom that we would see what we could do… and now we could do nothing.
But there was something we could do… as little as it was… it was all we were left with… everyone, including those that we were driving to the airport and the Thielmann’s pitched in and we paid for the funeral which was the following day. In Guatemala, people are buried very quickly… bluntly put, there is no embalming and no refrigeration so…… We woke up early the next morning, loaded everyone into the truck and headed to the cemetery to make sure the crypt (a cement, above ground box) was built and ready. Then we visited Marquito’s home so Rachel & Jazmin could see it finished and the Fast family could deliver some gifts like a tortilla stone for Marco & Doris… We planned that visit for that time so we could strategically end up back on the main road at a certain spot at just the right time. You see, in Guatemala the funeral procession leaves the church and goes to the cemetery, just like home… the only difference is they walk…. miles and miles… and sometimes they carry the casket the entire way with 4 men… sometimes the casket rides in the back of a pickup…. either way, all the people walk. Yesterday was sunny, dry and hot, just like pretty much every other day and walking here is tough. So we made sure we were in the right place to catch the procession so we could hand out bags of water. After everyone had water we joined the procession and went to the cemetery for the burial ceremony. Everything was very similar to an internment in Canada with the exception of the fact that they mix cement & seal the crypt right there….. we quietly left knowing that we would see the family the next day… we wanted to pay our respects but be as non-intrusive as possible.
The next morning (today) we all got up at 5:30am…. and we were off to visit the family so we could bring a meal, some corn, some water and make arrangements to give them the only help we can now…. money to pay for the funeral. As soon as we got there, only Geoff and I went in with Senor Chico at first. We didn’t want to overwhelm the grieving family with 20 random Canadians. As soon as the mama saw me she gave me a hug…. she clung to me and wept… a hug that only 2 moms can share…. one that needs no words…. just pure grief and pure love…. It was then that I finally cried… with her. Once we were calm and had made arrangements with the family and explained how sorry we were that we were too late to help the way we wanted, we invited the rest of the Canada group in to pay their respects. One by one we all shared hugs… and encouragement… then the mom spoke… she said that she understands why … and that she knows we were too late to help her daughter but that she knows that God sent angels… angels to help others live… and she would always pray for us to continue… and that seeing all of us and the work we do, makes her know that Jesus is alive and living through all of us. I could not translate what she was saying until later because the tears were flowing for me yet again. It was a truly hard but touching few days….
I just returned from paying the funeral home a few minutes ago… Geoff & I drove to Asuncion Mita to do this wretched task… Once it was done and we were on the way home we made a pit stop at the tienda (store) to buy some supplies for the house… a friend here Ileana owns it, and when she saw me, she ran into the back and got something… she brought it out to me… it was a small, carved wooden cross on a string. The cross had an inscription of her brother “Fray Madeo”… Brother Matthew… He was a priest and a missionary here in Guatemala. He died 1 year ago and she wanted me to have one of the crosses as a remembrance of him and of her. Here the dead are remembered, respected and honoured. It is an honour for me to wear this carved cross bearing his name… It was a symbol of respect and friendship between me & Ileana…. Perfect timing for me…. The timing actually brought tears to my eyes. It made me more aware than ever that we are indeed building relationships and a life here. The death of the young lady from the village bothered me, not only because it seemed like a waste of a young life, and that we were too late to help, but it also bothered me because I am becoming protective of my “family” & friends here…. and I grieve with them… and I celebrate with them… and I love them…..
Just imagine…..
I guess I should begin with an apology …. as usual. I always feel so bad when I don’t make the time to update everyone. It’s an integral part of my job here but sometimes its just so difficult. Some of you have been here… so some of you know how it goes. Either we are working so hard from light until dark that I just don’t have time… or in the case of these past 2 weeks we are setting up the next round of projects, have some down time and simply don’t get to it because relaxation is so much needed. I left off quite a few weeks ago… and so much has happened… but it’s always that way here. Many people have come and gone. Time is different here and as I sit here writing and think back… wow… lots of people have come and gone through our humble door here in Guate. Dave and Justin left after just under 2 months…. Mike and Jess have been and gone…. Vanessa, John, Kyle & Jared too…. Dave was doing our weekly update videos and Mike was kind enough to train Zack on how to edit so they will thankfully continue. Jess cut all the nuns and novitiates hair and did the hair and makeup for Fernando & Elisa’s Church wedding. Vanessa painted signs and murals… The Attema family was here and it was such blessing to have them here to share in this journey with us! We got to share in something special with them too…. a visit with their Compassion Sponsor Child, Santos. Words cannot describe how absolutely awesome that was!
Fernando & Elisa’s Church wedding has come and gone. What a fantastic time that was. Guatemalan’s sure know how to celebrate!!! John & Kyle joined us for 10 days. Great guys who worked hard and had tons of fun with us here. Jared came on the best week yet… our relax week! We did manage to get a few days of work in and then it was time to head to the beach for some much needed R & R. We slept, read, played, ate and merely existed for 3 glorious days. One of the best moments was having the sheer pleasure of releasing some baby sea turtles back into the Pacific Ocean. There is a Sea Turtle Sanctuary in Monterico and we had a blast letting the tiny babies go home into the sea.
It was a bit weird to relax… things here have been so go, go, go for the past 3 months…. So much has been accomplished like:
AT THE HOSPITAL INFANTIL PADRE PEDRO
- a new kitchen
- renovations to the existing kitchen
- an addition with 3 bathrooms, 3 showers and a laundry facility
- a new dorm with bedrooms that can accommodate 1,2 3 or 4 Hermana’s
- a new roof over the main building and repairs to other sections of damaged roof
- 2 new pantry cupboards for food storage
- 2 new gardens stocked with nutritious veggies
- a chicken coop to raise chickens for meat
- new signage and murals
- a dental clinic that saw 186 patients and cleaned, filled or extracted hundreds of teeth
- various shelving units, cupboards & furniture repairs
- english & spanish classes
- a new classroom and library for the pre-university novitiates
- knitting, sewing and crochet classes, including a new sewing machine, and materials
- a refurbished underground cistern so they can have fresh water when the municipality turns off the water every day from 6am to between 4-6pm
- shoes, shoes and more shoes for the Hermana’s and the kids in the hospital
- new wiring throughout the hospital to prevent fire and provide light where there was none. This includes replacing roof panels with transparent panels to provide natural light & reduce the electric bill.
- The graduation of 2 Novitiates from Nursing school!! There are 2 more in University studying to be doctors and several others up and coming heading to nursing school! Also funding Hermana Mercedes and Hermana Elba for PHd’s.
IN THE MAYAN & GUATEMALAN COMMUNITY
- 2 homes built for families in need (1 is still in process of building)
- repairs to existing homes
- water delivery
- clothing delivery
- food delivery
- hygienic product delivery such as toothpaste & toothbrushes (Thanks Dental Team from Canada!), soap, shampoo and feminine products.
Lots done… much yet to do! But it has been a great beginning!
Now, I have something very important that I need to talk with you about…. we have realized that what we need to do here is so much more than just deliver hand outs. We need to provide ways in which the Hospital and the community can become self sufficient. There are many people here that need help and many different ways to help them. One of the best ways we have seen here to help people is to provide them education and jobs. We have spent a lot of time thinking and praying for answers… solutions…. ideas… anything….
Our prayers have been answered. We met a man and his family within our first weeks here. His name is Vidal and we are now good friends. Vidal’s brother has land for sale. Not just any land, but land in the lushest most fertile area of Guatemala. Land that Delmonte, Tim Hortons and other companies own to grow their crops. Vidal and his brother know Hermana Mercedes very well and they know of us and our mission. They want to help so they have offered us some land to begin a farm at a very reduced price. This is such a fantastic deal that we simply cannot pass up. We would be able to build a permanent home base on the corner of this property and then farm the rest. The home would house us, our volunteers & also have quarters for families visiting their children in the hospital to stay… a pseudo “Ronald McDonald House” of sorts. The farm portion would provide jobs for Guatemalan’s…. provide food for the poor… food for the hospital… money for the hospital through the sale of the crops and this would allow the hospital to not only make the budget each month but to perhaps have extra money for them to run at full potential (right now they are operating at roughly 25% due to money constraints) so more kids can be helped! What an incredible opportunity that has been put before us… but once again we are frustrated… frustrated by the constraints of money. We simply cannot do this alone… we need help… and that is where you come in!!! The best way that you can help is to partner with us in this. We are offering you an opportunity to provide money, food, shelter and sustainability for the people of Guatemala for $1000.00. For that amount you get your name (literally on a plaque) on a parcel of land that is 50ft x 50 ft. Stay with me here… close your eyes and … just imagine….
Just imagine that while you sit in your comfortable home in Canada you are helping to provide a much needed job for someone…. just imagine they are tending to the land that has your name on it… planting, watering, weeding, and eventually harvesting food… just imagine that the food from the land will either be used to feed the Hermana’s and the malnourished kids at the Hospital and aid in their rehabilitation… or it will be used to feed a hungry family up in the mountains…. or it will be used by the Hermana’s to take to market and sell and the money used to run the hospital, buy medicines, lab tests, operations for the kids etc etc…. The possibilites are endless…. Just imagine….
I use the analogy of “just imagine” because that is the tag line of the lottery in Canada…. For us, and the people here who count on us Canadians (and that includes you) the offer of this land is like winning the lottery. A lottery that literally has the potential to keep people alive…. and that to us is worth so much more than imagining driving a fancy car, buying a fancy house or other things like that.
If you are interested in helping in this way please visit our page at www.ctenc.ca/ritadoppenberg and click on the “Donate” button or send a cheque made out to “Commission to Every Nation Canada” and enclose a note saying for “The Doppenberg’s in Guatemala”. Do not write this on the memo line… leave that blank and enclose a separate note. Then drop me an email at ritadoppenberg@cten.org and tell me that you sent the donation in for our “farm”. Together we can help these people help themselves and build a bright future… Just imagine…..
Home is where the heart is…
Whew…. what a few weeks. I guess you can tell by the extreme lack of blogs that I have been swamped. Crazy times… but great times. Its been 10 weeks and we are still going strong. There are times of happiness, times of extreme exhaustion… times of tension…. times of irritation… times of frustration…. but even through it all our spirits remain very high here at “Club Doppenberg” as Tim so affectionately called it. Sure we all get on each others nerves especially when fatigue is running high but overall its great times… communal living is like that. I am so behind on blogging that I am trying to figure out a place to begin… there is so much to tell…. I know today I could definitely write a huge blog… maybe I will…. so um, settle in haha.
When I last left you Marquito had just arrived home. What a whirlwind couple of weeks its been since. So much has happened… especially in the lives of Marquito and his parents Marco & Doris and their 2 young daughters. Marquito has pretty much completely recovered from the surgery. We visit him and the other kids at the ‘hospitalito’ (little hospital as it is know in El Progreso) every day and we like to think that based on the reception we get, the kids look forward to our visits. It has become clear that Marquito has a very special love for Geoff. It is quite beautiful to see. No matter who is holding or playing with him, at the mere mention of the name “Geoff” or the sound of his voice, Marquito stops whatever he is doing and just listens intensely. Within seconds he begins smiling and bouncing… he knows what is to come. A while ago, all Geoff could do was hold him and give him rides, but now that the surgery is completed on the exterior of his cleft palate, the world has opened up so much more for him. He is finally, at the age of 3, (almost 4…he will be 4 on April 8th) he is allowed to learn to walk. Up until now, he was never allowed because he is also blind and if he had fallen and damaged that tiny bit of nasal bone he had left, the surgeons would not have been able to work the miracle surgery they did. So walking, or anything that could put him and that nasal bone in jeopardy was strictly off limits. One of Geoff’s favorite things to do now is to walk the hospital with Marquito… over and over again. He never seems to ever get tired, Marquito that is… he is like the energizer bunny… he goes and goes. Geoff is worn out long before Marquito ever wants to stop…. What an amazing young boy… and he captures the hearts of anyone who comes here and meets him. All the other kids there are so precious too… We were joined last week by little precious Lade (prounounced Lady)… she is a year and a half old and is the size of a preemie… so malnourished she needs the constant use of a light to provide heat because her tiny body cannot regulate temperature… so sad and yet so hopeful because if little Lade was not in the hospitalito with these amazing Hermana’s she would most certainly be dead. And that is no understatement. At least with them, she has love and a fighting chance at life.
This past week we were joined by a dentist from Hamilton, Dr Laszlo Szoke and his team. Rita a dental hygienist, Debbie, Dr Laszlo’s assistant and Ursula an administrator from St Peters in Hamilton that served as another assistant. They were joined a couple days after arrival by the Doctor’s wife Sophia and her friend Katherine. Together they put together a dental team of epic proportions. Just for clarity though, I want you to imagine a single dentist…. just one…. with a single hygienist… just one… working their way through 186 patients, 170 cleanings, 343 extractions and 295 fillings in 5 days…. Perhaps that looks a bit more do-able written down than it is do-able in real life, especially if you are not a dentist…. trust me when I say, God was with them… because without God giving them the strength and fortitude to carry on I think they would have dropped on the floor from sheer exhaustion…. But I digress….
One of my jobs this week was to assist the dental team along with Matt and Zack. So I looked in mouths trying to do a bit of makeshift triage…. I learned dental tools and did my best to muddle through getting what the doctor needed when he needed it (yay CH… haha). Mostly though I did what comes naturally to me… what God built me to do… I “mothered”… Patients this week ranged from 3- 77 years old… I held scared children… I held hundreds of hands…. I held wet cloths on the warm foreheads of the elderly… I fed applesauce to those that came in hungry and felt ill after dental work. I learned a great deal about myself this week…. I learned that if I had it to do over I would become a nurse of sorts. I never thought I had it in me…. but God used this dental team to not only help the poor Mayans… but to teach me something about me. I was tired…. bone weary fatigued…. but the entire experience was something I would do over again in a heartbeat. I have to say…. We became a family with those wonderful people who gave of their time, their money and their energy to come here and serve alongside us… and I will be forever grateful to Laszlo, Sophia, Rita, Debbie, Ursula and Katharine…. You all are in our hearts and in our prayers… and we will see you when we get back to Canada and look forward to lifelong friendships! And I would like this opportunity to give you all the award for “the best suitcase packing I have ever seen” Way to Go!! haha.. In all seriousness…. Te Quiero Mucho a Todos!!…. I have to also say on behalf of all of us serving here… thank you very much to Kindness in Action for the loan of the dental equipment for the week… and to Dr Luis…aka Dr Taz…. thank you… you gave of your time to help the Canadian’s when you could.. you did a good thing for your people here. God bless you all.
During the chaos that was the dental clinic, I got a gift from my husband… a priceless gift… one that I will never forget… one that I will be hard pressed to repay. I was helping an elderly patient off the dental chair and into a makeshift lawn chair recovery corner we had when Geoff came in and called me outside. There, waiting for me, was Marco & Doris and their 2 young daughters…. Geoff went up the mountain, got them and brought them down so they could see their son Marquito for the first time since the surgery…. Tears filled my eyes as soon as I saw them. I could never imagine not being able to see my children whenever I want…. especially if they were in the hospital. But that is the sad reality here…. if your child is in the hospital you will be lucky to ever see them. Simply put, they do not have the money to get to them. Sparing the few quetzals for bus fare is not an option…. the money simply isn’t there. Having the opportunity to get a ride down the mountain and a 30 min drive further was a huge blessing to them… and to me… because after more than a year I had the privilege of witnessing this reunion. They were tentative at first…. almost seemed afraid to go in. They have had 3 years to mourn their son…. they never believed their prayers would be answered….. they had only known to fear the worst….
Marco was first to his son… who stood in the crib jumping up and down waiting to be picked up when he heard his father’s voice. He pulled his boy out of his crib and placed his arms around his neck…. Doris was next…. I have a very short video clip of this moment…. but I shut my camera off and left the room…. Even through my tears I could see that this family deserved private time. I wept in Geoff’s arms for quite some time. Tears of pure joy… tears that were a long time in coming…. stored up for this day…. and what a day. After a bit I calmed down… I took a photo of the family together. Geoff and I then went to a small photo shop in town and got it blown up and framed as a gift for them. We drove them home after a few hours (and some dental work on Marco while he was there) and presented the gift in the truck. Doris held the photo the entire way…. they all stared at it… over and over… they couldn’t stop looking at their family…. together for the first time in over a year….
On the way home we had one more surprise for them. Before we even began construction on their new home we arranged for a water line to be run to the property. So they now have running water… but no sink. We overheard Marco telling Doris several times that someday he was going to get her a sink… it was her dream to have one. So, this day, on the way home we stopped at a small sink maker and let them pick out a sink. Doris & Marco were both so incredibly happy…. walking around picking out the sink of their choice…. but as Doris was walking around looking, she stopped and ran back to the truck. Neither Geoff nor I knew what she was doing…. she had gone back to get her family photo… she carried it around, clutched to her chest as she made the decision on what sink she wanted. Such a cute and priceless moment.
Many other things are going on here…. Construction at the hospital continues… the addition is totally complete so the dorms, bathrooms and closets are finished…. a new kitchen is almost done… 2 new pantries are finished and waiting to be filled…. Vanessa has painted a beautiful new sign & mural on the hospital wall…. english class continues when time allows… Marco’s home will be complete today…. we are gearing up for the next projects…. life is busy…. but life is amazing. One other thing I have to tell…. Yesenia.. she is a sweet Novitiate here… she calls me Mother Rita… I love her so much. Some of the money we send here every month pays for education and Yesenia came to me a few weeks ago while I was painting a pantry and gave me a hug… she was wearing her new nurse hat and name badge… she graduated from nursing school that morning…. and she said a heartfelt ‘gracias’ and through the hug a heartfelt, ‘te quiero mucho madre Rita’ (I love you very much mother Rita)…. Oh the tears I shed here…. let me tell you….
The Hermana’s have become our family…. we spend so much time together now and all of it is filled with love… with laughter… with hope. They have put on major ‘goodbye’ parties for both Geoff’s parents and the Dental team…. We are all now such a tight family unit that even the slight language barrier that was once a source of frustration is now a source of intense laughter. God Bless Google Translate for those tough words haha….
Dr Laszlo said something during dinner here on his last night… that he ‘got’ way more than he ‘gave’…. such a true statement. I am getting so much more than I am giving here. People always say they don’t understand how I could ‘give up’ so much of my life. I have to tell you…. I am giving up nothing. I am only gaining. I am afraid… terrified actually of my return home to Canada. While I miss my family & friends ‘back home’…. I have built a ‘home’ filled with family and friends here. I think my heart will be torn in 2 in May when the time comes to leave this home and go home. Hermana Veronica sent me a beautiful email this morning, Valentines day. Here it is the Day of Friendship. I love these ladies with all of my heart and soul… and it will be very tough to leave them. Add into that equation… Fernando and his family. He got married this past weekend…. the first of 2 ceremonies. In Guatemala only the civil wedding is legal… so they have 2. One civil and one church. Geoff and I were asked to be Padrino’s for them… which is basically Godparent’s…. best man/matron of honour etc. It is one of the highest honours a Guatemalan can bestow upon someone to welcome them into a family. We are family…. Fernando, his new wife Elisa, his mother Vilma and his father Chico… they are our family… and it will be so hard to leave them as well….. Home is where the heart is…. I will literally have to split my heart in two in order to leave here….
But leave here I will…. because there is much that needs to be done in Canada for the 6 months I am there, especially in the fundraising department… we are finding that when we are down here the donations slow to a trickle….. this is where you come in…. Funds are running low… there is much yet to be done…. much yet to be paid for… mouths that need food and medicine… So we need more help this year yet…. but if that is not possible I am going to let you know that we have already begun planning things for 2013 (remember, I work with Mayan’s everyday… they are alive and well… and they all want homes that will last 100+ years… so if they aren’t worried about their own prophesy of the end of the world in 2012, neither am I hahaha). Some things to think about and prepare for next year… We need:
– Eyeglasses… we will be collecting old eyeglasses to distribute with the help of an optometrist (see below)… people here don’t have much access to eye glasses or eye exams.
- An Optometrist to come on board, sort glasses and hopefully run an eye exam clinic here.
- Pediatricians to run clinic’s up in the mountains
- General Practitioners to run a clinic based out of the hospital
- One time donations to help fund construction projects for next year… especially the construction of a second location of the hospital in Jalapa
- Monthly partnerships so that the hospital’s monthly budget can be covered and the hospital can be used and run at full capacity… right now it is running at around 1/10th of what it can… the more money, the more kids, and the more lives that will be saved!
- Volunteers… I encourage you to begin planning to come here, see for yourself and experience all it is that we are doing. Its not too early to contact us about next year!
Think about the above… pray about it…. talk to your friends… talk to your co-workers…. talk to your companies…. talk to your churches…. talk to your doctors… together we can spread the word and make things happen. Our job is to tell people…. its God’s job to touch hearts and spring people into action.
We just finished a lovely visit with our CTEN pastor couple Stephen and Tammie. What an honour it was to have them stay with us and see our ministry first hand. I have to take a moment to thank them and CTEN for all they do for us here on the field. I cannot tell you what it means to have your love and support…. and even validation. I know that validation is not what Stephen and Tammie were here to do… but it is so amazing when people come and truly ‘get’ what we are doing here… why it has become our lives… why we will stop at nothing and fight for these people until our last dying breath…. And to you at home that send support, that comment, send emails, facebook messages etc of encouragement…. I cannot tell you how much it means for us to know that you are out there praying, thinking about and loving us from afar.
Much love to all of you & God Bless!
Dr Laszlo, Rita, Debbie, Ursula, Sophia (Katharine was ill that day) and Dr Luis who popped in to help when he could.
Madre Rita and Yesenia at the clinic
Nurse Yesenia
Me and one of my dearest friends... Hermana Veronica
The new sign for the hospitalito that Vanessa painted
Fernando & Elisa... Senora Vilma & Senor Chico.... Geoff & I
Precious little Lade..... A year and a half old and severely malnourished... safe and loved at the hospitalito
Marquito on his daily walk with Geoff
Marco & Doris reunited with their precious son Marquito
A cherished family photo... the first ever....
A Quick Note….
Greetings everyone. I am a bit behind on everything… blogging…. emails… facebook…. Life sure is busy here in Guatemala. So, I wanted to drop a quick note to say hello, things are great here, just really busy. I also wanted to say…. If you haven’t already, please check out our youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/doppenbergrita
Our good friend, Dave Tebbutt arrived here 4 weeks ago and has been documenting a video blog once a week so everyone can see who we are, what we are up to and where the money goes. This past week (Week 4 for Dave, week 8 for us) was our best week so far so if you can only check out one video this week please make it Week 4. Dave is an amazing videographer and he has done great work!!! Thanks Dave! Enjoy the videos everyone, and stay tuned because there are more weeks on the way.
Anyway…. I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog…. thanks for taking the time…. thanks for the kind words… thanks for the encouragement….thanks for everything! It truly means so much to me….
Dios les Bendiga…. (God bless you all)… Rita, Geoff, Zack, Luke, Gabe and everyone here in Guatemala!
Hope……
Not to sound like a broken record….. life here is tough…. but…. it never fails to bring me more moments of joy in mere weeks than I have experienced in my entire life. Today was so incredible I just have to write….
Today began, like any other day with basic home chores in the morning and then we were off to the hospital after lunch. Geoff’s mom, Leny was giving another day of crochet and knitting lessons to the Hermana’s. His dad Bill was busy tending to their new garden. Justin was hanging drywall in the new pantry. Matt went up the mountain to work the afternoon and relieve Zack who had been working all morning with Senor Chico on Marquito’s families new home. That left Geoff, myself, Zack and Dave to tackle what was for me, the worst job yet. It was time to paint the inside of the new cistern tank that is underground. I do not know if you have ever seen a cistern but it is basically a bomb shelter underground with a man sized hole at the top and about 5 ft tall. I am claustrophobic so it was not one of my top 10 favorite things to be doing. It was very necessary to get this completed because the hospital does not have water every day. In Guatemala, especially in the dry season the water supply is on a rotation. Some people only get water every 8 days! Just imagine that! Water is a precious commodity here.
We had hoped to take 5 min shifts one at a time inside the bunker because the paint to seal the concrete is highly toxic. We all paused to mourn for a few moments that our masks from last year are safely tucked away in my closet in Beamsville….
As it turned out we were only able to stay inside the sistern for under 15-20 seconds each. Yes it was that bad. Eyes burned instantly and if you dared to take a breath….well lets just say it was horrific. It took myself, Geoff, Zack and Dave by surprise how incredibly difficult this task was. I understand all the warnings from people that someone had to stay up top and watch that the person inside didn’t pass out or they would die in minutes. Scary….
When we were about 3/4 of the way through painting we heard one of the Hermana’s yell…. When Luke and Gabe turned to look they yelled that the ambulance had arrived…… We all jumped up and ran…..
There are times when I feel like we are ‘spinning our wheels‘ here in Guatemala. We celebrate victories… we mourn losses… we teach, we learn, we triumph, we fail, but through it all we hope and we love. I realized that I have been deeply afraid…. After wanting to help a boy who touched me, Estuardo who I met 2 years ago and finding out upon returning to Guatemala last year that he had died (previous blogs). A big part of me had lost hope…. Today was the fruition of the hard work, perseverance, hope and love of a young girl back home… Rachel… and after waiting and praying for 1 entire year it came. And it came with more hope and joy than I can even explain. Inside that ambulance was more joy & hope than I have ever known. Marquito. Precious little Marquito.
The first of many surgeries are done and he was returning to the hospital. One look at his precious face had every single one of us in tears. I cried like a baby seeing the miracle that perseverance, hope and love can bring. He looks amazing. The first surgery was to fix the outside of severe cleft palate. Inside there is still a hole but these things take time and must be done in stages. But his outward appearance … unreal. I cannot explain…. just look at the pictures… see what I see… and understand…. and please, remember Marquito… remember his story…. and always, always have hope…..
Marquito before his surgery....
Marquito home after his first surgery!!
After a 1 year wait... a near fatal illness... He is home, first surgery done & is doing fantastic!!
Why is everyone fussing over me & crying? hahahaha
How it must feel to eat semi-properly for the first time in your life....
Lessons learned…. so far….
This Wednesday we will have been here in El Progreso, Guatemala for 7 weeks. Hard to believe its been that long… and yet at times it feels like I have always been here. Funny how things that at the beginning are so foreign to you, become the new normal. Washing dishes with paste… filling a resevoir with water for the days when you have no water out of the tap…. having no hot water & learning to shower in cold…. sleeping in a kitchen with no privacy whatsoever…. driving in the chaos that at first made my heart almost stop…. roadblocks of livestock on the highways…. construction tie ups that last 30+ minutes at a time…. etc etc… the list is long. I’m learning so much here. Patience is a big one. Everything here takes a long time. Guatemalan’s are famous for “10 minutes” which in our terms means an hour or more. I am also learning humility. My way is not always the best way. There are other ways of doing things… better ways in some cases. Learning to un-Canadianize myself is a tough one…. slowing down… enjoying the little things… stopping to smell those proverbial roses…. very foreign concept in Canada, even if we think it’s not… trust me, it is! I find myself not just learning from the Guatemalans though… I am learning from the visitors we have coming and going here. I find it fascinating how each individual that comes here has a certain gift. Everyone brings something so different to the table. Honestly it is so refreshing to see things differently… through the eyes of the diverse fellow humans we have had here. As hard as it is to live in community at times, I have truly learned that I was made for this!
My blog has had a lot of my personal thought thus far. Let me fill you in on some details on what is going on here: We had 4 students here from Canada…. Rachel, Jazmin, Juan David (JD) & Jessy. Oh the youthful exhuberance they brought with them. We worked hard and we played hard… and we miss them terribly even now, weeks after they have gone.
Dave and Justin arrived a short time after the above gang. The house became a bit more challenging to maneuver because it is fairly small. We managed and it was great. Dave is doing weekly videos and working hard here. Justin is a carpenter by trade and his skills are ones we simply cannot do without!
Fast forward a bit and Tim & Matt arrived. Matt is our Chef. Simply stated, he saved me. I can cook, but not very well for larger groups. He is feeding us way better than we deserve! He rocks! Tim, we barely knew before he arrived. What a guy, and we were very lucky to have him here. Love him to pieces with his friendly attitude and quick, sarcastic wit. He kept us all smiling even when we truly didn’t feel like it. He passed along some fantastic business advice for our fundraising efforts. Look out people… you don’t know what you are in for in the coming months!
As I am writing this, there is only my family, Matt, Dave and Justin here. It is quiet here now. Geoff’s parents arrive this afternoon. So looking forward to having them here and see first hand what we are doing here. Many more people will fill our house in the coming months… including a team of dentist’s that will be running free clinic’s up in the mountains. The house will be full, challenging and fantastic!!!
Work wise, we have many projects on the go. Exciting times filled with great things happening here like:
First and foremost… Marquito had his surgery 3 days ago!!!! After a year of waiting, hoping and praying, thanks to Rachel it is done! Marquito is recuperating nicely at a hospital in Antigua. Thank God for this little boy and all he has taught us, and continues to teach us.
Secondly, we have begun construction on Marquito’s family home he will share with his parents and 2 little, precious sisters. The current state of his family home was such that he could not return there even when he is better. They live in a one room mud brick home with no electricity and no water. Upon completion, the home will be 3 rooms, a fenced in play porch (Marquito is also blind) and running water & electricity. They will be able to care for Marquito and his sisters so much better and live as a normal, happy Guatemalan Mayan family.
Thirdly, the hospital renovations are still under way. The new bathrooms, showers, closet and dorm rooms for the novitiates are almost complete. The study/living room is also complete. We are in the process of finishing up minor renovations to the kitchen and a new pantry. The garden is dug…. the chicken coop is finished and Geoff’s dad will soon begin planting corn, beans and other vegetables for the hospital to grow to help them become even more self-sustainable. The construction of a new second kitchen will begin shortly.
Lastly, construction will hopefully begin on a new home for another family during March Break. Jazmin’s family is hoping to take on fundraising for this corn stalk home to be replaced. The family that lives there is so amazing… but so very poor. The condition of the existing home is deplorable and no one should ever have to live that way. If you are interested in donating to this home visit http://www.ctenc.ca/ritadoppenberg
We have spent time doing other things here as well. Justin, Tim and Geoff spent time helping Fernando’s family build some closets and minor renovations to help the family prepare for the arrival of Fernando’s new wife Elisa after their wedding in Feb. This family has helped and continues to help us so much we were happy to be able to help them. We have had many trips to the Jalapa dump and meetings with the people there. We did find out that no one actually lives there in the shanties. They live off site and return there every day to work. In the big picture, I suppose that is good news… however after touring their homes we quickly saw that the situations were still desperate. We hope to work together and come up with a solid plan of helping these people become more stable and self-sustaining. We have helped and will continue to help Mynor, Vincenta, Claudia and the boys. We are in the process of finding him solid, sustainable work that can improve their standard of living. We have toured villages and continue to make notes and plans for next year or when more funds become available. We have met several times with Hermana Mercedes and hope to shortly begin planning the next Nutrition Hospital that will be in El Salvador… In our down time, we have enjoyed touring Esquipolas, Antigua, Ziplining and visiting villages to play with kids… (my idea of Disneyland.. so fun).
We truly feel we have accomplished so much already…. we try to not get ourselves down that there is still so much left to do. People here are incredible. JD learned something when he was here…. how incredibly difficult it is to walk away with your head held low saying, “I’m sorry, there just isn’t enough money for us to help you this year”. Its a tough, tough thing to do. One of the hardest things you will ever do in your life. Imagine looking into someones eyes… eyes filled with hope and desperation…. eyes filled with thirst and hunger and saying… “I can’t help you yet”. It’s funny that the lesson lies in their response…. It’s always the same…. “Thank you, I will pray for you”…. Wow…. that hurts… hurts deep within… I cannot help you and still you pray for me….? …. and yet I am understanding more and more. And let me tell you, It changes you… those simple words… changes occur very deep within yourself in a place I would call your soul…. it changes you so much for the better… I know each and every person who visits here, including myself will go home a much better person than the one who arrived. And for that I want to say to each and every Guatemalan that we have met, helped or said no to… “Thank you, I will pray for you… ”
Me and Marquito a few days before his surgery
12500 mini bags of water we bought to hand out in the mountain villages
Matt handing out bags of water at the dump
Mynor & Vincenta's little boy Jose David & his healed arm!
Construction begins on Marcos's home (Marquito's dad)
Planning the second room addition for Marquito
Hermana Mercedes & Marquito's precious baby sisters
Tim handing out water at the dump
Me and Andrecito... one of our favourite kids at the dump
Jessy & Andrecito
This little one is now at an orphanage after her mom tried to sell her for under $30.00 US. Desperate people are forced to do desperate things....
Rachel getting mobbed handing out treats at the dump
Hanging out with the kids at Yolanda's village... my Disneyland!!!!
Its been so fun for our family to watch these kids grow up... especially Zack... they love him!
The Zip lining gang
Jazmin taking it all in
Our friend Ceasar had a special birthday quesedilla ready for Zack's birthday
The cornstalk home that we hope to build during March Break with Jazmin's family
The mom of 10 & owner of the cornstalk home... so amazingly loving .... pure joy despite having nothing....
JD explaining to the people that we simply don't have enough money to help them this year... toughest day yet....
Having to walk away from these kids... looking into their eyes is the hardest thing we have ever done. No one should ever have to do that....
A Call to Action….
Firstly I would like to introduce our brand new YouTube Channel! Thanks to Dave Tebbutt! Dave arrived 2 weeks ago and is documenting our experiences for us so that you can see in short 5 minute video’s what’s going on here with us! Please check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/doppenbergrita
Secondly, I have to say, thanks for all the words of encouragement these past 7 weeks. It has been rough at times but overall life here is amazing. I love the place… the people… the work we are doing…. I love it all. Sure it’s tough to be surrounded by so much poverty… but it is also so uplifting to be surrounded by so much joy.
When I get down its mostly because of frustration. There is so much to do here and we are held back by the constraints of money. We are at the mercy of the donations of others…. and that is a very difficult place for us to be. Many people have never been here… and they have not seen what we are surrounded by every day and thus they do not fully understand. People who are so full of a joy that we hardly know in Canada and yet living a life so full of hardship we can barely comprehend.
I see people every single day that look 50+ when they are 30 due to hardship… I see people every day who work hard for next to no money…. I see people every day that want to work and can find no work and therefore cannot support their families…. I see people every day that are hungry and have no means to eat…. I see people every day that are tired… hungry… thirsty…. …… What I do NOT see every day is people who are sad…. They are happy… they are full of joy… they are full of hope….
What I want is to not only give them hope… I want so desperately to give them a future… I listen to Hermana Mercedes and her dreams… dreams of a future for the poor. Dreams of hope and equality for all…. I share that dream. I want to put a call to action out there to anyone reading this…. Will you consider sharing that dream with us and becoming a part of bringing hope for the future to those that need it…. ?
Reality is….
Sometimes everything here gets to me. I find it so hard at times just to keep it together. A very good friend said a few weeks ago that he wanted to know the hardships… basically the bad stuff… to feel a part of the “real” – ness of this whole thing. A way for him to follow the story of life here and see how the conflict within us gets resolved etc. I find that hard to do for many reasons but the most important reason is that its way too ‘real’ here at times. So much of the time I feel so raw that I fear if I wrote about it I would never stop writing. But the bottom line is that for every 10 things that are hard, or go wrong here there is 1 amazing experience that completely makes you forget the bad stuff and feel totally rejuvenated and sure that its all worth it.
But…..
At times…. It’s hard to be a ‘gringo’… it’s hard to live with people… it’s hard to sleep on cots in a kitchen and have zero privacy…. it’s hard to sacrifice money and comforts…. it’s hard to be exhausted almost all the time…. it’s hard to eat things you don’t like…. it’s hard to handle the stomach issues that go with the territory here…. it’s hard to be itchy 99% of the time from the bugs….it’s hard to be patient…. it’s hard to miss friends and family and be away from home… etc etc etc… the list is long …. trust me.
But….
It’s also hard to watch people suffer… to see need but have to say “no, we are so sorry but we cannot help you this year because we simply don’t have the money and there is someone else with just a bit more need than you that we have to help instead so we will try for hopefully next year…”…. This is the most trying part of doing what we are doing. This trumps all the inconveniences of living here. Being the one in charge here is something neither Geoff or I was prepared for in a way. The feeling of wanting to help everyone but being totally helpless in certain situations due to financial constraints is one of the worst feelings I have ever had to deal with. Having to look at people and say no… then hope and pray that the money comes in next year… and that they are still alive to receive that help is the reality of what we face every day…. a reality that I dislike very much…. but it is a reality none the less. It is so easy to feel hopeless at times and a quiet, near depression kicks in… having others around to share the burden is such a blessing. A sincere hug from someone who completely understands you at that exact moment is priceless….
We are 12 here at “Club Doppenberg” as Tim (one of our guests) affectionately calls our little home… it is tight at times… and just right at others. None the less we have done a lot of stuff in the past weeks since my last blog. To catch you up on some of what’s going on here…. Dave and Justin arrived and we are so happy to have them here for a few months…. We visited Mynor, Vincenta, Claudia, Minito, Moso, Losevin, and Jose David last week and took them for Jose’s last doctor visit to see if he needed any more treatments. When they walked out of the clinic we were all in shock to see his arm almost completely healed!! It looks like there won’t even be a scar! What an celebration that was! Later we took the gang Zip lining in Matequesquintlas (say that 5 times fast)…. a perfect relax day. Afterward we picked up Mynor’s family for a weekend away. After a good but crowded nights sleep at our home in El Progreso we were off with all 16 of us to visit Esquipulas. We toured the Basilica of the Black Christ and then an orphanage. Mynor and the family had never really had a weekend away/mini vacation and it was so much fun to be able to share it with them.
Our newest arrivals, Tim and Matt came the next day and we knew immediately that they were a great fit with our team! The past week has been so incredibly busy… We have begun construction of Marquito’s families home so that he can return there once the operations are done and he is healthy. Right now they live in 1 small room and have kitchen and no water. We are adding 2 rooms for them, a bedroom and a kitchen. We are also working with the village council to get water to the house. We visited my “Disneyland”, Yolanda’s village… a place where we 10 kids multiply into about 60 once the word gets out the ‘gringo’s have arrived. We played games and had a blast. We have also been touring homes this week with Hermana Mercedes…. she has made a ‘top 10’ list of the most in need families in the area that she knows…This is the tough part… we can only afford to build a few homes… not all 10. With the construction projects going on at the hospital there is only so much money to do other projects. Some of these decisions are no brainers… others are just so darn hard. We sit each night with our team… we talk and make decisions together… it helps, but it’s hard on all of us at times.
So many things I don’t understand… we toured a home today. A complete and utter disaster made of cornstalks, mud, and basically scraps. All I could think of is the 6 months of torrential rain Guatemala gets and how miserable it must be to live in this home that most certainly would leak and be cold… The reality is a family lives there… dad, mom and 10 kids…. It’s one of the most serious needs I have seen as far as ‘shelter’ goes. The strangest part, the mother asked if we wanted to tour the church next door… just a few steps away… she has the key so she can open it for people on Sundays. We entered this church… made of solid concrete… a building that would be warm and dry during the rains…. Many of us talked later about how messed up our world is when a family of 12 lives in horrific conditions while a church a few steps away sits empty 6 days a week…. reality is that sometimes our world makes no sense whatsoever….
I have struggled much with this kind of thing in the past weeks… I have had feelings and thoughts that are such a roller coaster of emotions. It would be very easy to become a ‘hard’ person. To become desensitized, unemotional and cold. I think it would be a comfortable, self-preservation mechanism. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t let that happen. It’s so hard because there is so much need here and we can only help a few…. the desire to help everyone is so strong… but the reality is… we can only help one at a time…
Hermana Mercedes visited us unexpectedly this afternoon shortly after we dropped her off after our tour of the homes. She had “buenas noticias” (Good News) she couldn’t wait to share so she hurried over. Marquito’s surgery is booked! This Monday at 4am an ambulance will pick him up and he will be off to Antigua for surgery Tuesday morning! Hermana was so excited that she could share the news with us in person… especially since Rachel is leaving on Sunday. The hope is that both surgeries will be done, his family home will be finished and he will be recovered when Rachel returns in March. What incredible timing! Hermana shared with us one more thing just as she was leaving… She smiled and reminded us all that because we had perseverance, patience and faith, its is actually happening… one boy’s life will be changed!!! At the end of the day, I sat and thought about everything that has happened… not just over these past weeks… but over the past years here…. I thought a lot tonight about what Hermana said about patience, perseverance and faith… I looked around at the people here in this house that have such amazing hearts…. it was one of those moments where I was reminded again that the reality truly is, ‘help one at a time’…. and if that is they way it has to be, I am absolutely ok with that…..
Resolutions…..
I have sat staring at a blank screen for a while now… I am not sure what to write or where to begin. So much happens here in a short time… it is difficult to write about it all, never mind capture the feelings that go along with what we see and do here. I guess I will begin by telling you a story…..
A year ago, a young woman named Rachel was here with us… she met Marquito…. she felt a stirring in her heart for this severely disfigured & blind 2 year old boy…. Upon returning home Rachel began to feel more and more… she decided to do something…. she worked, she fundraised, she loved. She wanted this boy to have operations to fix him and give him a chance at a normal life… a life that we take for granted every single day. Several times over the past year, I did not have the heart to tell Rachel that Hermana Mercedes had written and Marquito was dying. I prayed… a lot. When I finally explained to Rachel how ill Marquito was, and that it looked like he might not live, never mind have operations, she simply began to work harder and pray harder to get more money to him so he could get better… Rachel showed a kind of strength and devotion to this boy that I find very rare… to her, he is a complete stranger… a boy who cannot even see her… but he is no different than any other boy and deserves a shot at life. It has been quite a beautiful thing to watch for the past year… And now finally, the day I had been waiting for had arrived… 1 year almost to the day since they first met, Rachel and all of us began the short walk to the Hospital. It was time to reunite this little blind, disfigured boy with the young woman that Hermana Mercedes calls “Marquito’s Protector”, or “Marquito’s Angel”.
When we arrived Hermana Mercedes warmly greeted all of us and gave Rachel a big hug. Hermana Mercedes and Rachel had not really met face to face but know a lot about each other from communications over the past year. Its funny how sometimes you never even have to meet someone to ‘know’ them and love them. I noticed Rachel was already tearing up and we weren’t even inside yet. Hermana didn’t make her wait long and she began to lead the way. She gently touched Rachel’s back and gave her an encouraging smile. Make no mistake, this boy would simply most likely not be alive if it wasn’t for Rachel. I am not overstating here. Even Hermana Mercedes realizes this. The money Rachel has sent down monthly has saved his life. Because of her, Hermana Mercedes was able to get Marquito the medical attention he needed… attention that was way beyond what her humble hospital could provide. Medicines could be bought… necessary lab tests could be done…. Operations have been and will continue to be done. Marquito, God willing, now has a chance because of a young (15 years old at the time) girl who just said, “No, this is not acceptable, I need to do something!!”
The reunion was a tearful one…. Quite honestly one of the most touching moments of my life here. I only have a few pictures of the reunion because I wanted to enjoy every second of it without the distraction of a camera…. Once tears began to dry, everyone got involved and together we played with this precious boy. We brought him a huge soft stuffed animal. He loved it…. I wish every one of you could come and meet this precious 3 year old boy who to us is a miracle. He is alive…. people see him and feel shock…. some even disgust… he is hard to look at. But once you get over the initial shock you realize he is a little boy with feelings…. he can smile… he can love. God created him and he is beautiful!!! There is a pure joy inside him that I have not seen in any other child…. it is hard to explain… but it is beautiful….
We are doing many construction projects and renovations at the hospital. New bathrooms… new dorm rooms for the new novitiates (girls training to be nuns and studying medicine etc to help serve the poor), new ceilings in the hospital, a chicken coop so the Hermana’s can both eat and sell chicken for money and other necessary things as well. There is so much need surrounding the hospital building itself. And we are trying to fill that need so that children like Marquito can have a chance at life. If you are ever wondering what happens to the money we fundraise for…. please consider coming and seeing for yourself…. meeting the people and putting faces to the names… building relationships…. there truly is nothing like it.
On New Year’s Day, we sat and shared in the celebration here of 6 new Novitiates joining Hermana Mercedes Order of Nuns. We listened as they took their vows…. vowing to serve God and being the hands and feet of Jesus by giving up their secular lives to serve the poor for the rest of their lives. They will over the coming years, study to become doctors, nurses, teachers and other professions that can be useful in their mission. As I sat there and watched Hermana Mercedes present each one of the young girls with their first white veil, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of sacrifice these women make. They will never do most of the things every other girl does…. they will simply serve…. if there is no money for food… they will feed the children recovering there but they will not eat themselves… they will never date… they will never kiss a boy… they will never own a car… they will never do or have so many things…. but they will have so much more. I cannot explain the feeling of being here… The feeling of serving others… I try, but I fail. I cannot seem to convey what I want to say. I realize now its because its something you have to experience for yourself…. These nuns are hero’s. True inspiration… they inspire me every minute of every day to do more. 6 months a year here is not going to be enough. I will work full time and tirelessly when I am back in Canada…. tirelessly to raise more money… there is still so much to do…. and it is so incredibly important that it gets done. I will not give up. I have hope….
Hermana Mercedes shared a meal with us on New Years Eve…. she spoke once again to us about her dream of having many malnutrition hospitals and serving the poor in all the countries of Central America…. She said, “My hope is that, with God in front we can walk beside your family & the people of Canada across Central America to serve the poor”… I share that hope too…. what about you? Hope can become reality when people like Rachel step up, give and work hard…. There is still so much to do here and without people giving none of it can happen…. Personally I want to see all the forgotten Marquito’s of the world have the same opportunities that my sons and other children of the developed nations have…. I know that with God all things are possible. Let Him into your heart and together, with Him leading, we can walk side by side across Central America, bringing hope to the poor and making lives better…. Our New Year’s Resolution is to make this hope a reality…. Give, serve and sacrifice……You with us?
Rachel & Marquito's reunion
Nap time! All the excitement tired him out...
He loves his new stuffed animal
Before and after picture of a recent patient that is now home & healthy!
Jessy, Jazmin, JD & Rachel had a blast visiting with the other patients in the hospital.
Sharing a beautiful meal New Years Eve with the Hermana's & new Novitiates at the hospital
No hospital should look like this.... one in Canada certainly wouldn't anyway...
New bathrooms.... up until now, all the Hermana's shared 1 bathroom...... not anymore!!!
Brand new dorm room for the novitiates.
The new addition from the outside... so thankful that people are giving so some of these much needed renovations can be done... still a long way to go so keep on giving!!!
Front row seats for the Celebration of Vows for the new Novitiates
The new Novitiates taking their vows....
One of the new Novitiates getting her first veil....
Renovating a storage room into a room the Novitiates can study and relax
Jazmin, Rachel, me and the boys husking 4000 cobs of dried corn... it will be dried more then ground into corn flour and given to the poor.
The Doppenberg's in Guatemala.... 