Reaching Out: Local Clinic Reaches Out with Hands of Love
 Kitty Carmichael holds a baby from San Gabriel. |
Sandy Rousseau, LPN, is not new to the role of volunteering in foreign countries. She works at Cascade Family Medical Group, where they have a long history of missionary work. But in 2001, they found what their giving hearts had been searching for, a poor indigenous village in Guatemala--San Gabriel. Sandy and the others have returned each year to help the villagers learn how to help themselves improve their health and lives.
"In 2001, Kitty (Kitty Carmichael, ARNP, CDE) and I joined a missionary group heading to Guatemala for two weeks," Sandy explained. "There we realized the need to do more than go into a village with medical and dental care for two weeks and then leave. Through the help of Dr. Juarez, Central American Overseer of Compassionate Ministries, we developed the idea of adopting a village." Sandy, Kitty and others organized a nonprofit group, Hands of Love, and began raising funds.
San Gabriel
This
is very much a village of children: children without parents and little schooling,
and even less knowledge of how to improve their own lives. During the political
uprisings in the 1990s, many children were orphaned. They lived in an orphanage
until the Church of the Nazarene began a program to place them with their
extended families.
The villagers are mostly farmers. But, due to a lack of water, they can barely raise enough to feed themselves. The average family income is $400 a year, so buying anything extra is out of the question and finding ways to improve their way of life seems insurmountable.
Meeting Immediate Needs
Health--Hands
of Love went to San Gabriel as a medical team, including physicians, registered
nurses, medical assistants, dentists, dental students and volunteers. But
they all worked wherever they were needed the most. The medical and dental
needs were huge and immediate. The Hands of Love team also saw the larger
needs of the village: a year-round source for water, improved nutrition and
a permanent health care facility.
Improving
Daily Lives
Water--In
San Gabriel, the need for water was a constant concern. What could be captured
during the rainy season was all that was available. After their 2002 trip,
the Hands of Love volunteers helped raise the $1,900 needed to purchase a
pump and cisterns for a community well. The villagers then dug a 126-foot
well by hand. The looks on the faces of both adults and children as they
enjoyed their first taste of that water cemented the decision by the Hands
of Love team to continue helping.
Establishing
the Future
Nutrition--Sufficient
protein and dairy products were missing in the daily diet of the villagers
in San Gabriel. Goats could be raised, which would provide a precious source
of milk, cheese and meat. In 2004, the Hands of Love team was able to purchase
30 goats and helped the villagers decide who should raise the goats. They
then taught those families how to properly care for the animals so they could
provide much needed nutrition now and for future generations.
Permanent Health Care--The next goal of the Hands of Love team was to help the villagers complete a medical and dental clinic in San Gabriel. The building was started in 2004. After completion, it will still need medical and dental equipment and some pharmaceuticals. The team then plans to train some fo the villagers so they can provide for basic needs.
"Our goal is to help the villagers learn to use what they have to make their lives better," Sandy shared. "We don't believe in just doing everything for them and giving them money. They want to be a part of teh progress and have worked hard to make these changes a success. In return you can see they have a new lease on life, new hope for their future and a sense of pride.
"That's why I go back year after year; it feeds my soul. San Gabriel is now home for my heart."
Cascade Family Medical Group staff who have volunteered, through Hands of Love, in San Gabriel include: Mark Spencer, MD; Cindy Spencer; Kitty Carmichael, ARNP, CDE; Sandy Rousseau, LPN; Robin Martin, MA; Joanne Donelon, MA.
Hands of Love thankfully accepts any donations. Cal 360-435-2144 for more information or take donations to Cascade Family Medical Group at 326 S. Stillaguamish Ave., Arlington.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It should not replace a visit with your health care professional. Call your doctor if you need more information or have additional questions.