The team spent the morning getting to know each other as we had fresh legs to coming in to reinforce of the 7 team members that had been here for the previous week. After devotion and getting a rundown of the day’s plan, we set out from Antigua to Totonicapán Village, through the mountains to 8000ft elevation. Upon our departure we were sent a fond farewell by an eruption from the Fuego volcano. What a sight.
Upon arriving at Escuela Tipo Federatión Atanazio Tzul in Totonicapán Village. This is where we would spend the afternoon unloading thousands of pounds of equipment and supplies that your donations help bring to the Guatemalan people. Thank you for supporting the mission! We unpacked over 40 wheelchairs, provided by Free Wheelchair Mission. https://www.freewheelchairmission.org Luckily, we had lots of support from the Guatemalan volunteers, and great teamwork among our members, to unload all the equipment. It was great watching the different nearly empty rooms fill out with All of that equipment.
The rooms filled would become a Pharmacy, Mobility Clinic, General Practice, Eye Clinic, Pediatric, Lab, Gynecology, Ultrasonography. These empty classrooms had been transformed into a place of healing and hope by the end of the day waiting to be filled with patients
After setting up the clinic and preparing for the first day, we wrapped up the day with dinner only to learn the roads will be closed tomorrow due to a strike over gasoline and electricity prices. Some Guatemalans have lost power for up to 6 months without notice from the government. So, in turn we must leave early, at 5:30am to ensure we can reach the school before the closures, but this wasn’t the worst of it.
Oh no it was not, the team later learned there was no coffee at 5am in the hotel, the horror. Fortunately, the General, and team lead Felicity was able to track down some coffee for the team. That left many able to sleep soundly, knowing they had their 5am coffee, to begin our day.
Fun Fact of the day. The national bird lends its name to the Guatemalan currency. Guatemala’s national bird is the quetzal, a long-tailed bird that lives largely in humid forests
Vaya Con Dios
