The dynamic team below is hosting us -- transporting us, feeding & housing us, teaching us and protecting us -- while we're in El Salitre, a poor community on the shore of Lake Amatitlan, approx 80 km from Guatemala City. We stay in dorm rooms above the church "La Santa Cruz", actually a converted lakeside home donated by a well-to-do family when the lake became polluted and less than desirable for water sports & tourism.
Lis provides delicious, safe meals for us with help from a few church women. Elry is a M.D. and Lutheran pastor who gave up a successful career teaching medicine at the university in G.C. in order to begin a mission outreach in this poor community. Five days a week Elry and Lis have organized activities for the youth. Saturday is "Kids' Club" from 2 - 7; Sunday afternoon is worship, followed by catechism. Three other days, children come for tutoring, catechism, and to learn to play the recorder (flute). The days always end with pick-up futbol (soccer) in the back yard. Unless there is a team visiting, Elry & Lis commute from G.C., where Dr. Elry still sees his patients.
Our team has taken to this couple and their 27 yr old son, Samy, like ducks to water. The team is learning from Dr. Elry daily as we do clinical work in the government health post up the mountain in Llano de Animas. We see and treat patients daily, take immunization and treatment supplies to other poor communities, and work until there are no more patients. This is all done with the blessing and support of the 2 Ministry of Health nurses who staff the health post, and whose energy and resourcefulness are an inspiration to us all.
Speaking of inspiration, it is a privilege and a blessing to be able to work under the tutelage of this couple. Our team describes Dr. Elry as "caring, self-sacrificing, diligent, community leader, exuberant, puts loving others first, a servant of God, and passionate." Our description of Lis includes these characterizations: "amazing, treats us like family, generous, amiable, shows the love of Christ, open & warm, genuine, loving." We are in good hands!! - Cindy
Dona Lis, concocting our delicious meals
Dr. Elry, ready for a long day treating patients and mentoring the team
Our view at sunset: Volcan "Agua" is in the background at left.
Our team has taken to this couple and their 27 yr old son, Samy, like ducks to water. The team is learning from Dr. Elry daily as we do clinical work in the government health post up the mountain in Llano de Animas. We see and treat patients daily, take immunization and treatment supplies to other poor communities, and work until there are no more patients. This is all done with the blessing and support of the 2 Ministry of Health nurses who staff the health post, and whose energy and resourcefulness are an inspiration to us all.
Speaking of inspiration, it is a privilege and a blessing to be able to work under the tutelage of this couple. Our team describes Dr. Elry as "caring, self-sacrificing, diligent, community leader, exuberant, puts loving others first, a servant of God, and passionate." Our description of Lis includes these characterizations: "amazing, treats us like family, generous, amiable, shows the love of Christ, open & warm, genuine, loving." We are in good hands!! - Cindy
Dona Lis, concocting our delicious meals
Dr. Elry, ready for a long day treating patients and mentoring the team
Our view at sunset: Volcan "Agua" is in the background at left.
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