Check out this month’s school newsletter!

Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Susanna Wesley School by downloading the PDF newsletter below. Meet the staff who love and support the wonderful kids in their learning…and playing!

Susanna Wesley School Newsletter April 2013

The day of her surgery, Ana was accompanied by two of her daughters and a granddaughter. Her girls were full of smiles at the prospect of Ana’s procedure and recovery. The hope that Ana would experience less pain gave them a lot of joy. Ana believed the doctor’s work to help her and her people was tremendous, and she was deeply grateful for the care she was going to receive.

There are many women and men like Ana who are in need of care for ongoing conditions that greatly hinder their daily work. Surgery weeks provide blessings for many but also remind us there are many people still in need of healing. Through International Hands of Hope’s service, 35 people were able to receive surgery and experience the miracle of healing. But there were more than 50 patients who were turned away because there was no more room in the schedule. Some of those patients, but not all, will be able to receive care from our next surgery team in July. Inevitably, there are always patients who need care but don’t receive it.

Many helping hands make healing possible. No single organization or team can heal everyone in need, but Salud y Paz is combating illness and pain one patient at a time. With the support of our generous donors, volunteers, and the work of our Guatemalan staff, we are living out our mission of providing health, healing, and education for the people of Guatemala.

Ana came to our clinic because her neighbor had received care here, trusted our doctors, and recommended our clinic to her. After her experience, Ana says she will return to Camanchaj for future care and will share her story with others. Through relationships with Ana and other patients, Salud y Paz will continue to grow and reach out to those in need.

Looking back helps us to look forward. Below is one of our early reports sent out. By August 2003, just two years after opening our clinics in Camanchaj, and Xela, we were treating tens of thousands of patients yearly and hosting our very first surgery team. I thought you would enjoy remembering back with me.

Update Guatemala August 2003

Has 2/3 of the year really gone by??

Well, 2003 has been filled with many surprises and with many blessings for us. January started off with a visit from our home church, Northaven UMC in Dallas. After helping us throw a huge Christmas party for our patients in Camanchaj, this group went on to El Salvador to visit another of the missions Northaven supports, Maria de Los Pobres in San Salvador. JoAn and I were invited to join them. We had a wonderful and very informative visit there.

As they left to return to Dallas, Jane and Richard Dunn returned with another medical construction team from Illinois and the North Central Jurisdiction. After two weeks of hard work at our clinic in Urbina, they returned home Jan 25. Just over a week later, Feb. 3 it was time for us to give our annual report to the Assemblea (general conference) of the Iglesia Metodista Nacional. We were able to report that clinic services were continuing to make significant differences in the lives of the people living around Camanchaj and Urbina. At the time we had documented over 12,000 patient visits. As of August, just over 17,000 patient visits.

Feb. 20 brought the arrival of a group from the Northwest Texas Conference, FUMC of Plainview. Unfortunately their pastor Max Browning developed some last minute health problems and was unable to come. Richard Ligon and the group gave us an enormous blessing by beginning construction on our new Guardian’s house in Camanchaj. I will be a 4 room structure which will include two bedrooms, one bath, a combined living/kitchen area, and a storage room or bodega for the clinic. The Plainview group was able to get it laid out and poured the concrete footings and even got some of the block walls started. As their team left March 2, another construction team arrived from North Carolina.

Dan Suggs brought a team from Gastonia and the SouthEast Jurisdiction to work at the clinic in Urbina. They spent a week of hard work there on the concrete block wall surrounding the compound and on the new dormitory rooms being built by the National church. When the dormitories are finished, teams will be able to stay on site instead of in hotels in the city. Instead of paying high hotel bills, teams will be able to stay onsite very economically, and the church will be able to receive a small but urgently needed income for operations. It will be a win-win for all. Even as the NC team was working, our next medical team arrived.

Mimi Touhey returned with another medical team March 7. Most of their team is Roman Catholic. They are a delight to be with. Thanks Mimi! In April Margie Groshong arrived and we had our FIRST training of Las Amigas de Salud y Paz. This is our group of local Quiche women from Camanchaj who we began training as local healthcare promoters. We called them Amigas de Salud y Paz because there is already an official group of community healthcare promoters in Camanchaj. They are not really functioning however. Rebeca Yak our nurse is visiting and following up with Las Amigas every Monday. That is now her job on Mondays. The group is excited and they are learning quickly. They have already helped out at other clinic functions.

April 10 saw the arrival of a construction team from San Antonio headed by Dan Tappmeyer and Bob Cole. They arrived to refurbish the inside of the Camanchaj and ready it for the surgical team to arrive the end of July. They were a whirlwind of activity!! Our “green monster” the generator was finally heard running. They ALMOST had the clinic completely ready.

In May Jerry Burche brought a medical team from Tennessee. They worked in the Camanchaj area. June 5 saw the arrival of a medical team from Hurst Texas led by Mark Hanshaw. This was the second year for the team from FUMC Hurst. They had not one, but TWO returning dentists along with two dental students. A lot of teeth were worked on that week.

June 27 was a neat day. A construction team arrived that was really special to me. It included not only my brother Ken Plunk, but also two of my cousins, Vic Plunk and Bill Lovelace from Maryland! Bill and I had not seen each other for…..well a LONG TIME! Bill also brought his pastor, Marilyn Newhouse along from Calvary UMC in Annapolis. The group not only got a huge amount of work done for the surgery team in July, but we had a great family reunion too.

In July we worked literally right up until the surgeons were walking in the door to get the clinic (hospital now?) ready for the surgery team. The group from San Antonio arrived July 26, some 52 strong! They went right to work and during the week of July 27-Aug 1, there were exactly 50 surgeries done, an average of 10 per day! There were 2 complete surgical suites running, plus an area for ophthalmic and cataract surgery, plus the dental suite was also setup to do general anesthesia for dental patients. It WAS hectic the first day, but even by the second, things really began to go smooth. The group had great doctors and surgeons, but it was the FANTASTIC nursing staff and volunteers from Helps who really made things flow smooth.  Oh yes, at the same time, we had general medicine clinic going and that group saw 535 patients for the week. Believe me Camanchaj was a sight to see those days!!

In August, Tim Nowak brought his group from Wyoming and they worked both at the clinic in Camanchaj and with Juan Ixtan at the new clinic being built in Patalup. Viva Pennington brought a combined construction/dental team from Memorial Drive UMC in Houston. It was their first time here. Again 3 dentists worked hard in the dental clinic seeing almost 50 patients/day and the construction group continued putting up walls on the new guardian’s house. In fact their work got everything ready for the next construction group from Spring Valley UMC in Dallas. In fact as I am writing this they are getting ready to pour the concrete ceiling on one part of the house.

So—that’s the 2/3-year in revue. I know I left out somebody. I ask for grace on that!

When Nehemias first started attending Susanna Wesley, his parents brought him to school and would stay through breakfast to help him. They’d then leave and return at recess and again at lunch. Because of this ongoing care for their son, neither parent was able to work full-time. At the beginning of the school year, the school director hired a full-time assistant who helps Nehemias while he is at school. For $100/month, Nehemias’ helper, Maribel, spends the school day with Nehemias, helping him learn, get around, and play. Maribel has been a special miracle for Nehemias and his parents because his mom and dad are now able to work during the day while their children are at school.

Nehemias’ family continues to hope that he will grow and develop, finish school, and become a professional some day. The teachers and kids at Susanna Wesley are glad for his presence and joy each day. Nehemias continues to grow in his new life filled with hope for the future.

Nehemias has a sponsor for his school costs but is still in need of a donor who can sponsor the $100/month which provides Maribel’s salary. This $100 doesn’t just support Nehemias’s growth, development, and learning; Maribel’s presence makes it possible for both of Nehemias’s parents to work and support their family. Can you help?

The picture shows Nehemias with Maribel on the left and his teacher on the right.

Check out this month’s school newsletter!

Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at Susanna Wesley School by downloading the PDF newsletter below. The kids are having tons of fun with “Reading, Reading, Reading!”

Susanna Wesley School Newsletter February 2013