Thursday, February 28, 2019
WATER FILTERS IN A CH’OL VILLAGE..
A wonderful, if looonnng trip to a Ch’ol village near Palenque, brought a large number of water filters to the residents. Sebastian had made a pre visit to this remote community for other business and had coordinated a return visit with a number of water filters. A list had been made of those interested and able to purchase such.
We returned the other day with the truck loaded with 40 filters and buckets.
What was thought to be a 2 1/2 ride turned out to be almost 4 hours! A stunning ride with amazing vistas of the huge mountains of the Sierra Madres. No matter where you drive in Chiapas, you must wind and circle and cross many ridges and mountains, up, up and down, down. No matter whether your destination is up high into the higher elevations or down to lowland jungle.
We were heading down into hot country. The day was gorgeous and I cannot stop gazing around every curve and over every precipice . The “highway” is rugged, otten washed away, graveled, with great sinkholes . The brush comes over the sides of the road and there are no shoulders, markers, fences, and few signs or lane markers. A great deal of awe and trust goes with every journey!
It was a delightful time in this remote community. Our Tzeltal language is not understood by them. Spanish is the transitional language. They greeted us warmly.
We met in a small community building and Sebastian with his wit and warmth, presented the filters..how they work, what they filter, the benefits. I did a small health talk. Like an itinerant salesman he even asked for volunteers to come up front and drink the filtered river water with him!
I translated small love notes put into each filter packet. The residents were charmed and delighted with the notes of blessings and encouragement. 37 filters are now in operation in this community!
We turned around for the long ride home, feelimg blessed ourselves, and satisfied with our mission.
The ride home was punctuated with a side trip to beautiful waterfalls, in the jungle. Gorgeous. How lovely it is now to capture this wild but contaminated water 💦 to use for drink.
We returned the other day with the truck loaded with 40 filters and buckets.
What was thought to be a 2 1/2 ride turned out to be almost 4 hours! A stunning ride with amazing vistas of the huge mountains of the Sierra Madres. No matter where you drive in Chiapas, you must wind and circle and cross many ridges and mountains, up, up and down, down. No matter whether your destination is up high into the higher elevations or down to lowland jungle.
We were heading down into hot country. The day was gorgeous and I cannot stop gazing around every curve and over every precipice . The “highway” is rugged, otten washed away, graveled, with great sinkholes . The brush comes over the sides of the road and there are no shoulders, markers, fences, and few signs or lane markers. A great deal of awe and trust goes with every journey!
It was a delightful time in this remote community. Our Tzeltal language is not understood by them. Spanish is the transitional language. They greeted us warmly.
We met in a small community building and Sebastian with his wit and warmth, presented the filters..how they work, what they filter, the benefits. I did a small health talk. Like an itinerant salesman he even asked for volunteers to come up front and drink the filtered river water with him!
I translated small love notes put into each filter packet. The residents were charmed and delighted with the notes of blessings and encouragement. 37 filters are now in operation in this community!
We turned around for the long ride home, feelimg blessed ourselves, and satisfied with our mission.
The ride home was punctuated with a side trip to beautiful waterfalls, in the jungle. Gorgeous. How lovely it is now to capture this wild but contaminated water 💦 to use for drink.
OXCHUC. A CHURCH YOU SHOULD KNOW
Sunday we went to Pablo’s new mission church in OxChuc. Very interesting story for these persecuted folks, who have declined to join the political violence in rowdy OxChuc, and have been run off their land, and forced to settle at the edge of town in a conclave in the scruff at the edge of the montes. They have a tiny plot of land, a broken down wood kitchen, and a concrete church building with a dirt floor and no roof. They are wonderful folks, made wonderful fritattas on banana leaves on the open fire and a creamy chili 🌶 sauce to go with it for lunch after church. They are very happy to have Pablo, who preached. He was installed there this week. The men are banned from working in the fields. They have it tough. If anyone wants to contribute towards a water tank, building a better kitchen, kitchen utensils, let me know. Jan and I are trying to help as they join the fold.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
ODE TO CARAVANA MEDICA, FEB, 2019
ODE TO CARAVANA MEDICA, FEB, 2019
De Carolina
John and Janet, Alice and Penny
Do you drink pure water?
Hardly any...
Thyroid, typhoid, What could it be?
A prostate, an ear
Bill, can you help me?
Tzeltal, Spanish, OxChuc, Oh No!
How many languages can one brain know??
Knees and head, Fingers and toes...
Hot feet, bolas..
That’s how it goes.
Renee and Ramona, Mary and Martha.
We also have William Arthur!
Harla and Darless, Did I get that Wright?...
Devotions in the morning
DeBrief at night.
Lentes, dentist. Do you need a filtro’?
Dr. Bill, where does that finger go??
Peace, Joy, and Love.
We give, we find.
But Pablo says, “Don’t get behind!”
Wings to fly, Joy to share.
Hearts that hurt
Do they know we care?
Sent from Carolyn's I Pad
Monday, February 18, 2019
CARAVANA MEDICA, FEB, 2019
Well, the team has left, and though there is calm, and relief, and time to rest....there is a giant hole. Where a vibrant, loving group has been. It is our designated purpose for being here. So with the end of the 2 week event there is sadness. But as we de brief and share the small moments and the big ones, we all take away something different. As our eyes are opened to needs, to joys, to poverty, to the grateful and humble Tzeltal people, we hope that this flame will continue to be ignited at home, to serve other people, in so many different ways.
We served 1500 patients during our two weeks! It was a challenge most days, but more so because many of us team members got sick! Some came with the upper respiratory illness, and then one by one it affected all but 2 of us! We dropped like flies. High fevers, chills, deep, productive coughs, sore throats and laryngitis. It took most of us 2 or 3 full days of dead sleep, and starting antibiotics to recover enough to be useful.
The patients came from farther away than usual, mostly due to our Christian radio station, Radio Maya. It broadcasts pretty far into the mountains, and the sweet faithful people love listening to Pastor Pablo and Sebastian and others preach, and do Bible studies. There are health talks and Christian music. Our Dr. Bill went on air and talked about what the Bible says about health and taking care of ourselves. The announcements of the Caravana are made on the radio.
Most patients came from hours away, leaving home in the middle of the night to arrive by 3 in the morning to get a place in line for that day. Almost all pts. this time were Tzeltal speakers, no Spanish. Many were there for the very first time, very first medical exam. There were many serious conditions. We prayed with every patient . No one turned us down. Many left our rooms in tears, for the compassion, the treatment, the listening ear. It is a hard life here.
And it is hard for us not to be changed ourselves....
We served 1500 patients during our two weeks! It was a challenge most days, but more so because many of us team members got sick! Some came with the upper respiratory illness, and then one by one it affected all but 2 of us! We dropped like flies. High fevers, chills, deep, productive coughs, sore throats and laryngitis. It took most of us 2 or 3 full days of dead sleep, and starting antibiotics to recover enough to be useful.
Dr. Bill injecting a pts wrist
A very poor family with a lot of medical issues
A lady from OxChuc
Carolina and a cute family.
Where did this shirt come from??
Off to work we go! This was the day the tall stack of loaded orange crates collided with our truck...
Mary prays with patients
And now...Green Bay Packers??
Carolyn and a sweet lady
Same age as grand daughter, Keaton. But she quit school in 4 th grade..
Happy toddler with a new toothbrush
Carolyn and Mary work together. Mary is 82, does leaps arounnd all of us, speaks Tzeltal and about 30 other languages. She walked the farthest, was up the earliest, said beautiful prayers, and never got sick!
My little adopted kids next door to clinic
The patients came from farther away than usual, mostly due to our Christian radio station, Radio Maya. It broadcasts pretty far into the mountains, and the sweet faithful people love listening to Pastor Pablo and Sebastian and others preach, and do Bible studies. There are health talks and Christian music. Our Dr. Bill went on air and talked about what the Bible says about health and taking care of ourselves. The announcements of the Caravana are made on the radio.
Most patients came from hours away, leaving home in the middle of the night to arrive by 3 in the morning to get a place in line for that day. Almost all pts. this time were Tzeltal speakers, no Spanish. Many were there for the very first time, very first medical exam. There were many serious conditions. We prayed with every patient . No one turned us down. Many left our rooms in tears, for the compassion, the treatment, the listening ear. It is a hard life here.
And it is hard for us not to be changed ourselves....
Saturday, February 2, 2019
LIFE ABOUT OCOSINGO,
A rack of radishes
Jan’s house exits right into,the street and alley and markets
View down the street with the mountains around the town
The people’s market
My favorite kids!
Other street
Street view. Look close, there is a parade with a band, statue of St. Candalaria . Dnacing, drinking, music, bombs and fireworks all night for a week
Altars built, traditional dancing, streets blocked...
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