Medical Opportunities in Guatemala

Linking Partners in the USA with Partners and Ministry Opportunities in Central America

Santa Cruz Clinic in Amatitlan Guatemala In partnership with CALMS and Short-term Medical Teams from the USA

Dr. Elry Orozco has a vision of a healthy community serving God and others in Amatitlan, Guatemala… His focus and approach is holistic and includes medical, educational, environmental, spiritual and social services. In addition to the medical clinic, the ministry provides tutoring for children in the community, Biblical equipping for children, youth and adults and other services.

Dr. Elry Orozco and Liz Orozco with son Sammy (Rt) Dr. Elry Orozco and his wife Liz direct the Santa Cruz Clinic on he banks of Lake Amatitlan about 30 km from Guatemala City. This clinic serves very needy people living nearby on an abandoned railroad track. They also run a children’s ministry that focuses on nutrition, spiritual growth and tutoring to help the area children do well in their studies and to supplement the efforts of the local public school. Teams are able to be involved in all these activities.

These are some of the homes built on an abandoned railroad track and just across the road from the clinic. Living conditions are very difficult for the people living near Clinica Santa Cruz. Lack of clean water and sufficient nutritious food are responsible for many of the health problems Dr. Elry and volunteers encounter.

People use the lake for bathing, washing their clothes and for drinking. Although the lake and the nearby volcanos make for a beautiful setting, the lake also represents a serious health hazard.. Many of the children have serious skin issues and parasites from the contaminated water.

Dr. Jim Dageforde from Richmond Virginia has volunteered regularly at Holy Cross Clinic and knows a great deal about the health needs in Guatemala.

Training is a big part of the clinic’s ministry. Dr. Mike Frith from St Louis, Missouri works with a Guatemalan dentist to share new techniques in dental care while learning from his counterpart about the culture and health challenges in Guatemala.

The clinic also has a growing children’s ministry. The outreach to children includes a nutrition program and after-school tutoring for the children in the area. Most of the kids are not doing well in school since their parents are often illiterate and the schools have few supplies, books and prepared teachers.

Music is a big part of the tutoring program designed to help the kids develop mental agility. Dr. Elry and one of the young people from Castillo Fuerte, Church in Guatemala City, a ministry partner where Dr. Elry and his family attend, lead a music session with the children from the community.

A new dormitory to house health volunteers is being built and will house teams who work at the clinic. The new dormitory being built over the new multi-purpose space that will be used for church services, community meetings, etc. has four separate bedrooms with separate bathrooms—and a great view of the lake!

Health Care Opportunities in the Mountain Villages of Zacapa State, Guatemala In partnership with CALMS and Partners from the USA (congregations and universities)

Volunteers like Pediatrician US olunteers like Dr. Sarah Mathias from Lincoln CALMS CALMS volunteers like Dr. Sarah Mathias from Lincoln Nebraska complement the medical services offered in villages through local nurses and midwives. This child did not like getting a vaccination but his mother was very happy to see her child get proper medical treatment.

Dr. Jen Jenousek, Director of the Public Health Program at Concordia University, Nebraska, has led three teams from he university focused on health and prevention of disease. Here she is with one of the beautiful children of Guatemala. Her research on health problems and prevention are very helpful for those preparing to serve in Guatemala.

Part of the prevention program in the mountain villages includes the construction of these stoves. Mission teams have helped CALMS build a growing number of stoves like the ones shown in the above picture. These stoves cost $200 each and have many benefits: 1) They use only 1/3 of the wood used with open fires 2) They save valuable time especially for the women who must normally spend hours each day looking for scarce wood for fuel. 3) The stoves are vented through a stove pipe so protect the children from exposure from harmful fumes and from injury that occurs when children fall into open fires. 4) The stoves help protect the environment since deforestation is a serious issue that affects water sources and leads to landslides.

Volunteers teach teachers and kids about health and dental care. Health teams share and demonstrate about good hygiene and dental care with the children in mountain communities where it is very common to drink soft drinks as a way to fill up an empty stomach.

Health and Hygiene Kits Help Improve Family Health Where possible, teams often help with health and hygiene kits to help families that may be using unclean water and eating mostly tortillas to help improve their health.

Improving Kid’s Diets through Daily Protein Drinks Scholarship students like Lilian (left) work with local communities to provide a nutritious drink: Incaparina to help respond to serious malnutrition that affects the children’s ability to learn. Mothers of the children take turn making the drink and the children help also by bringing a piece of wood to school each week to help provide fuel for cooking.

Teams often enjoy a free-day in beautiful Antigua Guatemala.