Our First Days in Tactic – by Tracey

Hola nos familias y amigos

 We have had two very full days…let me try and remember what to tell you.  Oh, but first, dad I haven’t been sold into white slavery or attacked with a machete.

 This morning we were at the clinic/school.  It is an amazing building. It contains lights and ceiling tiles from Canmore and even desks.  It is almost completed.  Classes are going on in one end while building is going on in other parts.   

 Three doctors, one dentist and one optometrist came last night from Guatemala City out of the goodness of their hearts, all young folks.  The clinic was open to the people of Parrachoch today.  Over seventy people came.  Chrisitine helped the dentist do over ten dental extractions.  Rob helped count out pills in the pharmacy for infections and other maladies diagnosed by the doctors.  Nikki and Linda poked fingers to do hemoglobins and got the patients to collect urines to check for infections and diabetes.  Shirley helped the optician with the eye test, and played gopher for the doctors and dentist.  It was neat to see children walking around with glasses after.  Bridget greeted the patients as they came in and weighed them and took their vital signs. Trudy assisted the dentist.  The dentist brought his own chair and autoclave for sterilizing instruments.  Bob brought his clown suit and performed for the school kids.  They love the bubbles and the endless colored ribbon he pulled from his throat.  The kids program was a hit.  Eileen talked about Jesus, and then the kids were split into two groups.  The first group colored pictures of Jesus and the second group made beaded pins that they could pin on their sweaters.

 The kids are so loving and huggy.  Nikki is our photographer.  She has gotten some amazing pictures thus far.  Arlana has been a real asset.  She hugs the kids and doesn’t want to let go.  She has a very big heart.  Marg runs all over making sure we are all happy and taken care of….and if you need anything, chances are, she has it.  Terry’s experience in construction is so helpful. At this moment, he and Bernie are putting up a ceiling in two of the classrooms.  This morning they installed the “ledge” around the perimeter and now they are starting to build the framework that the ceiling tiles will sit on.  The ladies have started to paint the classrooms.  Tonight we are going to visit one of the poor families in the area.  The people will cook for us….and we have been told that it is very inhospitable not to accept what they offer…so grin and bear it and swallow!!!!!  The ministry has of course financed the dinner.  We will have the opportunity to see them weave their art. Impact ministries packages and sells their table runners and table cloths, etc so these people have a means of income.  Yesterday was a full day as well.  Our main objective was to make the clinic available for use today.  Up to this point it had been used as a storage area.  So we spent a lot of times moving desks and chairs and donated lights from the clinic to various rooms in the building.  We also moved quite a few pews which were donated by a church in Canada.  They will be converted to benches or else the wood will be used for something else down the road.  Others participated with the children’s projects yesterday also cutting out a boat and filling little netting with cracker fish to represent Jesus feeding the masses.  We gave been treated wonderfully here.  Graham and Joanne are here for a month from P.E.I.   They make sure we are fed and coffeed up and drive us to and from the site and Graham keeps us organized at the work site.  Yesterday morning we went to one of the schools for the morning devotional.  Each morning all the Christian schools have a devotional period when they sing and praise God and Jesus.  It was something to see kids of all ages reaching up to the heavens with their eyes closed and giving thanks.  These kids have so little with regards to material things, but so much faith and hope.  We volunteers were then called up to the front and then a child came and stood by and held each one of us, and then we were blessed.  It was very emotional.  After the service was over, we stood in line and the children hugged each one of us as they filed out of the auditorium.  We must have gotten a hundred hugs.  The children who are sponsored were then measured for shoes which they will get at Christmas.  I cannot forget to mention two other people.  Amy is related to Les.  She is in Guatemala for work reasons but has stopped by to visit her dad’s cousin.  She has been a huge help to us in all areas, and I personally have really enjoyed talking with her.  Jenea is here from an area three hours from here I believe.  Her parents are missionaries there and so Jenea has been in this country for three years.  She turns 17 tomorrow.  She is here in Tactic to be our interpreter.

I  better close.  My fellow Canadians are working pretty hard.  All I can say is that in only four days, this has been an amazing amazing time for me.  I have never met a man like Les, and I am looking forward to meeting his wife Rita.  He is a man with a vision, but also a man with a vision that he is making happen…and it is a totally selfless vision.  It is so neat to be even a nanopart of that.  God bless everyone.  Tracey.  Love ya all.

TAY  JEM

 

A Million Hugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids Fitted for Shoes at Chamche

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chijacorral Clinic and School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children's Program at Chijacorral

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making and Eating Doblados at a Villager's House

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