Guatemala 2023: Day 4

Wednesday November 22, 2023

Day 4: Kids, Kids... and More Kids!

Have you ever experienced a day that felt surreal? Today was it, and I wish I had the words to truly describe all that happened. Picture our group huddled together, along with our duffle bags, in two trucks, driving for almost 2 hours on roads that felt abandoned by most of the population. Between mud trails, make-shift bridges over pristine streams, and acres surrounded by African palms and rubber trees, and the sun shining over us, it was nothing short of an adventure just to get to our destination.

The village, Adelita, is a remote community inhabited by Indigenous people who were persecuted during the Guatemalan genocide; conflict that included both state and guerrilla attacks. Many don’t speak Spanish; instead, they speak one of 22 Mayan languages still in existence throughout Guatemala- “Q’eqchi”. So, in essence, we needed translators for the translators which certainly made for an extra layer of complexity and patience

There were few signs of what we would consider modern, everyday conveniences including cell phones, running water in homes, electricity, and basic infrastructure. Access to nutritious food is also extremely challenging where the “tienda” (the local store) sells primarily sugared drinks and heavily processed foods. Not surprisingly, our clinical team is often assessing for tooth decay, diabetes, hypertension, and stomach issues.

What was most distinctive about today’s clinic was the number of children we saw - women, often very young, with many, many children - a symbol of fertility that brings a certain status within the community. The beauty of course, is that these children are like any others - curious, playful, energetic and full of life!

We also had our OT support a teenager who experienced a life-altering injury with some assistive devices, and our nurses and physician completed two home visits for those that could not physically attend the clinic. In total, we saw approximately 200 people today and after a long and bumpy road home, I’m confident that all of us will tuck-in early tonight!

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