Yesterday our team served in Porvenir. It is a village we have served in many times and is the hometown of Jesus Antonio, the health promoter we worked with that day. A highlight for our team was that Katie Wallyn, the Volunteer Coordinator for Friends of San Lucas joined us as an interpreter. We got a late start and only worked until mid-afternoon, but did serve 33 patients. It brings our total of patients served to 165.
Dave and I volunteered to help paint at the farm the mission runs on the edge of town. We were given some green paint, brushes and rollers and a ladder. After about 4 hours we were able to finish our assignment of painting one wall and touching up the trim and high places on 3 other walls. Chona fixed us a great lunch back at the mission. Dave and I took a tuk-tuk (a Guatemalan style taxi - like a 3 wheeler) to see Father Greg's place of burial. We visited a market with beautiful fruits, vegetables and everything under the sun. We were deeply moved to come across a funeral procession. It was something I have never seen. First, a young person carried a large framed photo of the person who passed. He looked to be in his thirties. Next the street filled with mourners in their very best clothes. The colors were dazzling. There were about 80 people and they walked shoulder to shoulder. The casket was one of prettiest we had ever seen. Men carried it at head level. It was wooden and had ornate carvings. Beside it walked what we presumed was his young widow, her children and his mother. Their sobs punctuated the air and their grief penetrated all hearts. We did not take pictures. It would not have been appropriate. But this memory will be etched in our hearts. In the evening after a delicious supper at the parish center, Rich, Cathy, Katie and I Skyped with Katie's dad who is with The Friends of San Lucas. We learned of new plans, new organization, continued efforts to carry on the 14 projects of the mission and much more. We very much appreciated the opportunity to collaborate and dream together about walking side by side in helping to serve the beautiful people of San Lucas. Several of us played cards later and the team all had a good day. Cathy and I believe this is a great team. Each and everyone is delightful, caring and works and plays well together. We are very grateful! This morning many of us went to Mass. After a fine breakfast of pancakes and eggs we took a boat ride to the villages of San Antonio and Santiago. It was a relaxing day with a lot of bargaining, bartering, buying, walking and laughter. I hear that we will play Pfiefer again tonight. In the morning we will go to another clinic. Thanks for all of your support! - Helen and the team PS - We will try to post more clinic pictures soon. Since I have been sidetracked in the construction type of work the past couple of days I don't have any to post. We are trying to get some from other team members but it takes forever to load them with slower internet speeds. Eventually we will be able to share them.
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Team Members
Catherine Davis, M.D., Team Co-leader and Medical Provider Archives
May 2014
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