The following was written by Sister/Doctor Jane Buellesbach, MM who ministers to families in San Marcos, Guatemala.  Her ministry is supported through your gifts to the Salvatorian Mission Warehouse.  The Mission Warehouse has provided medical and other goods to the Maryknoll Missions in Guatemala since 1980.

 

'I Don't Know God, But I Have Learned God Exists'

     For the past 23 years, our ministry has focused on two goals.  One is to enable local volunteer health workers to diagnose and treat the most common diseases in their communities. Toward this end we have educated the people in these communities about how to prevent disease.  We've trained VOLUNTEER RURAL HEALTH PROMOTERS who in turn teach their fellow citizens the habits and practices needed to prevent the most communicable diseases afflicting our mission families.

     Volunteer Rural Health Promoters must attend six basic courses (four days each) and a two-day annual recertification course in order to earn and maintain their certification. Their work is supervised by supervisors named from among the promoters themselves and by us.

Our second goal is to treat the diseases which the promoters are not qualified to treat. These include tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and severe malnutrition, to name but a few.  This is necessary because the Ministry of Health is not capable of responding to the multiple health needs of the people. Moreover, the local doctors and pharmacies charge exorbitant prices.  It's clear that the increasing need for health care is caused by endless poverty, unjust structures, and the ever widening gap between the rich and the poor.   The little tyke on the right isn't convinced of it yet, but his life expectancy will by longer thanks to the efforts of Volunteer Rural Health Promoters.

     Hector Eduardo is one of our health promoters.  Born in Jalapa, Guatemala, he and his family of four little ones came to San Marcos in search of land.  Hector is a recovering alcoholic who never had received a diploma in his life until he completed the six basic courses to become a Volunteer Rural Health Promoter.  He also had never followed any formal religion.  Hector had to borrow money to travel to the courses, and yet he felt he wanted to spend the margin of his days giving of his time and talents to care for others.

     On the day of his graduation, Hector came forward and with a voice filled with emotion and eyes overflowing with tears he spoke of what this day meant to him.  "I don't know God," he said, "but I believe God exists.  I have found God's love during these courses and in learning how to care for others.  Pray with me that I have the strength to continue."  Needless to say there was not a dry eye in the assembly.

     What difference has our being here made for the folks?  I talked with three of the health promoters who gave different and very interesting answers.  All agreed that health care has been provided for many who otherwise would have no access to it.  Disease is down thanks to the health promoters.  Another big contribution is the increased awareness of people regarding the use and abuse of medicines.  Education may have been the biggest contribution – with a little education so very much has been accomplished especially with regard to boiling water, use of latrines, and hygiene in general. These things were unheard of before, according to our health promoters.

     Things are improving in our mission communities. And yet so very much remains to be done. God most certainly does exist among the lives we're blessed to serve.