All About Dick

I wasn't sure who Dick Rutgers was when I climbed into his sweet high tech SUV with Brad and Lea Ann. I just knew this older American guy was heading in the same direction as the Chicken Bus and was a part of the Guatemalan team. He was wearing a pair of weathered jeans and a Hope Haven polo-shirt. I felt safe in the SUV with Dick driving because Brad was with us and he's everyone's big brother, right? [The mistake I made was that I forgot that Brad had gone through some hairy stuff in Iraq, so how he gauges danger is a little different than the rest of us. There were times when I wanted to let out a mighty squeal on the accessible bus, and in Dick's SUV.. and Brad would just sit up front and laugh.]

It wasn't long before Dick shared his story.. He came to Guatemala about 15 years or so ago on a mission to provide pediatric wheelchairs, just like the one we were on, and decided he wanted to stay in Guatemala. Every day he shares the love of Jesus in various ways-- he builds homes, he feeds the hungry, and he helps find Guatemalan children sponsors so that they can go to school and get an education. Every night he said he goes home to 15 hungry children. He's been a loving father to probably hundreds of children since he's been  in Guatemala. He blogs about his life journey and was featured in The Culture that Crawls  documentary.

Dick is like Brad in that he has years of experience seating children with the most complex disabilities into wheelchairs. There are many very special children, severely malnourished like little Juan, that have lived to see another day because of Dick's intervention. 




It was an honor to watch Dick provide instructions to the OT and PT students, talk to parents, hold children in his arms, and work on finding the best chair for each child during the last two seating clinics. He was incredibly patient, and even at the end of the day when you could tell he was exhausted, he was still smiling, and happy that the team had changed children's lives that day.

I'm not sure if it was the fun rainbow suspenders he wore or his lovely white beard but kids adored him. However, under all that cuddliness I could see there was a fighting spirit.  I see that spirit in many of the very best advocates -- we see something awful, you may or may not see us cry about it, but then we pray and channel all of our feelings into action, and you'd better help or move out of our way..

Dick is an amazing man. If you ever decide to go to Hope Haven to help go on seating clinics then I "hope" he's on the trip with you. You will learn from one of the best. Just don't let him tell you about his crazy encounters with bandits!! And if he says there's a short cut he knows then opt for the much longer route! :-)

Wheelchairs for Kids International -NEW Video!!

Please take a moment to enjoy this new Wheelchairs for Kids International video! Learn how you can make a difference in the life of a child with a disability!

 

 

Our Final Seating Clinic - Saving Juan - Part 2

It was a short walk to the clinic. The Nuns were waiting for us when we arrived. Dick took Juan out of his new wheelchair carefully and carried him inside. It was a relief for all of us to get out of the heat. I was worried that Juan wasn't taking in enough fluids.

I think it's best not have any expectations when you go into situations like this. I tried to stay out of the way and wait for someone to tell me whether or not Juan would stay at the clinic.





I asked permission to take photos as I was walking around the room. It reminded me of orphanages I had heard about and seen photographs of in Europe. It was a relief to see the children physically healthy, and they seemed relatively happy to see us ,while others snoozed.





There was one young child who had a noticeable disability. He was blind and had at one point one of the worst cases of cleft palate the Nuns had ever seen. He had been there for several years and his cleft palate was repaired. He bounced around in his crib and threw his cup towards me demanding agua (water). There was a collage of photos on the wall in the hallway that charted his progress since he arrived.

I had a million questions. I wanted to know if his parents were still visiting him; if he was being taught Braille; if he was receiving any tactile stimulation.. If Americans could adopt children from Guatemala then Marquitos would have been at the top of my list if he was an orphan. Unfortunately, Guatemala has suspended international adoptions. Please read here to learn more..

After visiting with the children we sat in the common area. Rita, the Canadian Missionary, played with a young girl who had some hair loss from malnutrition. She was a cutie and soaked up the attention she was getting from Rita.




Juan's mother decided not to leave Juan at the clinic but promised she would return on Monday after she spoke with her husband. As we returned to the seating clinic with Juan we decided to send Juan's mother home with vitamins. I asked the Canadian missionary to take me to a store where I could purchase the food Juan required. After the third try we managed to get their only remaining few packages of a runny oatmeal substance that is high in nutrients and good for children with malnutrition.

I gave the family's social worker a few hundred quetzals to purchase food for Juan. No one was sure the mother would return with the child. Sadly, we learned from the social worker that there are 20 more children just like Juan in Comapa, which is the village he came from. The village is supposed to be sponsored by World Vision.

A few days after I returned home I contacted World Vision. They responded yesterday and provided the contact information for their Guatemalan office. If you're reading this blog then please consider contacting them -- the louder the voice; the more responsive they will be (it's the advocate in me-- I can't help it!).

Good News & Prayers Answered!!

I received an email from the Canadian missionary and Juan is staying at the malnutrition clinic and receiving the care he needs. Please consider sending a donation to help with his recovery, and the recovery of many other children like him. I am looking forward to lots of photographs in the future of a happy and healthy Juan using his new pediatric wheelchair!!

Return soon for my next blog post -- "All About Dick.." 

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Donations change the lives of children with disabilities all over the world. If 100 people donate just $20 each then 6-8 children will receive wheelchairs. Please visit Wheelchairs for Kids International and learn how you can make a difference; help a child go to school; play with their friends, and just be kids..

Visit: http://kidchairs4life.org/WFKIDonate.html

Our Final Seating Clinic - Saving Juan - Part 1

Tomorrow morning I will be speaking with Senator Harkin about my experience in Guatemala with Wheelchairs for Kids International and will also discuss the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I don't have a plan. How do you summarize and condense down an experience that has changed your life forever?

I would love to tell him about each and every child whose life was improved because of the pediatric wheelchairs they received. I would love to tell him about how wheelchairs save lives and provide children in developing countries with opportunities to go to school, get an education, and contribute to society in the same way Americans with disabilities do here in the U.S. I would love to tell him about the social opportunities that will occur because of the children's new mobility. However, when I'm speaking with him tomorrow I know in my heart and mind I'll be thinking about little Juan..

It was our last seating clinic in Jutiapa. It was a semi-outdoor facility and we knew it would be a lot warmer than we were used to. The wheelchairs were assembled and organized by size towards the back of the room. Small tables were located in the middle of the room and they were to be used for tools and wheelchair parts. Families were taking their seats in the waiting area on the other side of the room. They watched the seating process and I wondered what was going through their minds..

I saw a young child lying on one of the air mattresses. He was very thin and frail. I asked Dick to have a look at him, but instead he walked towards another child who was also lying on a mattress.
He spoke with the child's family and went to work fitting him in a chair. I didn't want to pull him away so I waited and took some photos of other children receiving their chairs.

Eventually, little Juan was in Dick's arms. Dick was explaining to the mother that her son was a very special child and that she was a very good mother. She smiled. I could tell that  he was praying as he held Juan. He went to pick a chair for Juan so I held him in my arms. Dick said his mother was very happy that I was holding him.

I want you to close your eyes and imagine you are holding a seven year old child in your arms. Your arms would get tired quickly because a healthy weight for a 7 year old is around 45-60 lbs. As I held Juan I thought of my own children and how much they weight when they were newborns. Juan probably weighed about the same-- around 10-12 lbs. He was severely malnourished.

As people were moving about working on his chair. I held him tightly. His eyes were very dull and his breathing was labored. I tried to reposition his leg to help him be more comfortable but it was twisted and very frail.  I was afraid to move it. I spoke softly to him and said "You have angels all around you today. You need to stay strong and keep fighting to stay alive." I prayed silently and asked God to send help. 

He must have heard all of our silent prayers because I looked over and Brad was talking to some

people who looked like Americans. I went over to Brad and they were explaining that they had received a call from the town Mayor very early in the morning and he had asked them to go to the seating clinic. They were Canadian missionaries working in mountain villages where there is a lot of malnutrition.

We introduced them to Dick  and they shared that there was a malnutrition clinic just a couple of blocks away. Her son jumped in his car and went to the clinic to see if they would be willing to assess Juan.

Within minutes he had returned, and Dick, Juan's mother and brother, and the missionaries and I were walking to the clinic..


_________________________________________________________________________
Donations change the lives of children with disabilities all over the world. If 100 people donate just $20 each then 6-8 children will receive wheelchairs. Please visit Wheelchairs for Kids International and learn how you can make a difference; help a child go to school; play with their friends, and just be kids..

Visit: http://kidchairs4life.org/WFKIDonate.html

I Began My Day with a Conversation with God..

I began my morning with a  heartfelt conversation with God. I went to the Chapel. No one was there so I sat on the stairs and made myself comfortable. I prayed and asked God to provide the workers at the clinic with the skills and knowledge to make the most perfect chair for each child. I also prayed for the children--that these wheelchairs would change their lives and give them opportunities that they have never experienced before, such as going to school, playing outside, and attending church services.

I experienced tears of joy today because there was a 10 year old boy, who for the first time, through the use of his new wheelchair was able to move on his own. His mother experienced the same joy that any mother would feel watching their son crawling or walking for the first time; she had tears of joy too. It was a beautiful moment and I'm grateful I was there to witness it.

It is difficult to imagine a 2 year old child being smaller than any of my three children when they were born.

A mother with 4 children came to the seating clinic in Jalapa. I had gone outside the clinic where people were waiting and saw the children. I gave each child a small toy. There was such sadness in their eyes.



I never once thought that the infant she was holding in her arms was 2 years old. I asked why the child was so small and the response was "malnutrition." I heard her town Mayor plans to give her some chicken to help her. I'm pretty sure she needs much more than chickens but it's a start.

Lea Ann said there were children with conditions that OT and PTs may only see once in their careers at the last two clinics.  Her students will be far more advanced than other students because of their experiences fitting these children into their perfect chairs. Several children had signs of congenital and neuromuscular scoliosis. None of these children had received the necessary surgery or physical therapy, and as a result, they had permanent spine and nerve damage. There was also an unusual number of children who had dystonia.


I was able to meet and have my photo taken with the child I donated a wheelchair to. Her name is Diana and she's cute a button! I loved her lovely wee dress and pink shoes! You could tell she loved them too and her new chair!! Words cannot express fully the pure joy that I felt meeting her.

The family we visited the day before arrived at the clinic. His sister received a wheelchair and Dick and his team of students worked with her brother, Ody.

Ody was struggling with being
out of his home. The stress was too much for him and he had multiple seizures. Dick had him moved to a quieter room across the courtyard and it appeared to help. By the end of the day, Ody had his sister, Kenia, had their wheelchairs and their parents were so happy!





There were people of all ages who came to the clinic to receive a wheelchair. The town arranged for a clown to entertain everyone. The clown and music was fun but the work had to go on. It wasn't long before the clown jumped in and began helping!




Here are some of my favorite photos from the seating clinic in Jalapa..  I hope you enjoy them.







The Odyssey Continues; Good Food, a Spiritual Blessing and More..

After we visited one of the families who would be attending the clinic we went to San Luis Jilotepeque Municipality. Well, to be honest, we really didn't know where we were going. We followed Carlos in our cars and buses.  We knew somewhere at the end of the winding roads and dusty rainbow there might be food and we were hungry. I wasn't sure if the road we took to get there was the shortest route or if we were getting the scenic tour.

We pulled into a small town and parked our vehicles on a narrow street (they're all narrow in the small towns). We weren't sure if the chicken bus would make it out after lunch. There was a lot of discussions going on about it...

 

We were escorted down a street to a restaurant and were grateful to get out of the vehicles, stretch our legs and get a bite to eat.  Chicken appears to be the dish du jour every day in Guatemalan restaurants. 

University of Missouri Students


 

 



Me, Dick, & William

After lunch/dinner, we thought we were heading back to the vehicles, but instead we were escorted to the San Luis Jilotepeque Town Hall.

 

 

 



Inside, we were invited to have a seat. There were some families with children with disabilities already there. It wasn't long before the University of Missouri students were cuddling them and talking to their parents. There was one child who was 8 years old but was smaller than her 4 year old brother.

 

It turned out it was a spectacular occasion for the town for our group to be there. I met a handsome young man from the town who could speak very good English and he explained that we were going to receive a cultural presentation. He had been to America as part of a youth leadership group.

 

 

 

It wasn't long before we began to hear music..

 

 





 

The evening was a beautiful blend of music, prayer, traditional dancing and gift giving. The spiritual leaders placed a Cross of flowers just below the stage, lit candles and burned what appeared to be sage. Perhaps the sage was used to protect us from bandits.  I'm grateful because we were safe during the trip and had no major incidents. What is  because of the spiritual blessing? I'm not sure, but I'd like to think it was.

 

There was a group of teenagers who demonstrated traditional Guatemalan dancing. The dance told a story--preparing for marriage. It was beautiful. If I can figure out how to fix the video option on BlogSpot then I'll post a few clips.

 

I remember Brad showed the teens his photo with "The Rock" (Dwayne Johnson) from the CNN Hero award show. They jumped out of their chairs and squealed and giggled with excitement. I think that was the highlight of their day. We met the town Mayor and received a clay pot from the Mayor's wife as a thank you gift.

 

Brad Blauser & Isabel Hodge with San Luis Jilotepeque Students

 

 

Returning to the Centro Diocesano in Jalapa was a challenge. The bus had left and the last two vehicles got separated. Dick was going to use a short cut but was told by a local that we shouldn't take that route because there might be bandits. After a long day of driving, driving, and more driving around, I thought a 20 minute ride would be much better than an hour long one but I wasn't sure what the survival rate was for people who encounter bandits.. It was best to play it safe.. Although, there IS the added danger of hitting wandering cattle and other things at night when you're driving on the roads of Guatemala!! We saw some huge cattle walking on the shoulder of the road but managed to avoid them!

 

Anyway, thank goodness we made it back to our rooms safely --the sage worked (and I'm sure there were lots of prayers that helped too!!).  

 





The Guatemalan Odyssey

Up, Up & Away!! To Jalapa & Beyond!

I'm not really sure how long it took us to get to Jalapa. I know it was a couple of hours. I rode in Dick Rutger's car (with wifi!) along with Brad and Lea Ann (University of Missouri Professor). There were lots of hills, winding roads, and amazing scenic views.  I think I saw a Drug Lord's home but I'm not sure. It was quite the estate..  Anyway, I was content listening to Dick, having a giggle with Lea Ann, checking Facebook, and touching base with friends and family at home.

We weren't really sure where we were heading except that we knew were going to Jalapa. I never received a formal agenda but I knew our Hope Haven host probably had everything under control. A left turn down a tree-lined road and we finally arrived at the Centro Discesano in Jalapa.

The Centro Discensano is a retreat for Catholic Priests that is managed by nuns. We had the privilege of staying there for one night. It was a large gated facility with spotless rooms. I thought it was super cute that each room had 2 beds with matching blankets. My blanket had a lion's face on it. I heard someone else say they got the dolphin blankets. I thought about Guatemalan Priests getting tucked into their themed fuzzy blankets and had a good chuckle to myself.



Carlos Sandoval Cabrera Speaking to the Group

After we dropped off our bags in our rooms we went to the hall where we would be conducting the seating clinic the next day. It was clean, spacious and perfect for the work that was to be done. The wheelchairs had arrived and we received a warm welcome from our Jalapa sponsor, Carlos Sandoval Cabrera.



Visiting a Guatemalan Family

Shortly thereafter, we left the retreat and headed for a home visit to meet a family who would be attending the seating clinic the next day. Well, really, we thought we were going for lunch first and then going to see the family. There was a little confusion but it was fine.. I think I've realized now that it's the Guatemalan way, and to quote Matt Richard-- you should just "ride the wave."

We arrived at the home of one of the families, and as we approached, I wondered if we might be overwhelming the family with the number of people we had in our group. They were so gracious and hospitable. The father pulled out some garden chairs for us to sit in. Students took turns going into the family's living room to see the young man, Ody, and to listen to Dick discuss what he thought the best seating arrangement would be for him (stay tuned for my upcoming blog titled "All About Dick..")

I wondered about Ody and his quality of life. His mother took excellent care of him. He had no pressure sores which is common for adults with his type of disability. Did he ever leave the house? How did the family go anywhere with an adult family member that had no wheelchair? It was a good feeling to know that the chair Ody would receive the next day would change his life forever.

I never realized that the young man's sister, Kenya, also had a disability and would also be attending the seating clinic. Her needs were not as significant as her brother's. She appeared to also have a developmental delay and could walk a few steps with assistance. The number of people visiting that day was very overwhelming for her. She was very shy.

After sitting in the car for a long time that day I decided to walk around outside the house. I had never visited a Guatemalan home before. 

An outdoor oven.

Laundry Hanging on the Line

Rainwater collection system.

Seeing the clothing hanging on the laundry line reminded me of my childhood in Scotland--most of the laundry was hung out to dry or it was hung from a pulley system indoors when it rained. It was a luxury to finally get a dryer. Everyone collects rain water in Guatemala and its used for everything. I saw two barrels of water beside concrete sinks with ridges in them (built-in wash board) that were used for washing clothes. Sadly, I saw no water purification system..

After our visit, we got back in the vehicles and headed for the San Luis Jilotepeque Municipality for lunch and other activities. And so, the Odyssey continued... Remember, just "ride the wave!!!"


_________________________________________________________________________
Donations change the lives of children with disabilities all over the world. If 100 people donate just $20 each then 6-8 children will receive wheelchairs. Please visit Wheelchairs for Kids International and learn how you can make a difference; help a child go to school; play with their friends, and just be kids..

Visit: http://kidchairs4life.org/WFKIDonate.html

Oh Antigua - How I Love Your Sweet Chocolate!

I have an interview with a reporter from the Freelance Star on Monday to talk about Wheelchairs for Kids International; a business lunch with Mark Richard from Hope Haven tomorrow; breakfast coming up with Senator Harkin, and then I'm heading to north to present at a conference. I welcome any and all opportunities to share my experience in Guatemala and other countries, and to talk about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and why the U.S. should ratify it now. It feels good to stay busy. My heart aches for the colorful textiles, the pleasant Guatemalan surprises, and, of course, the beautiful smiles of children when they receive their wheelchairs...

The End of a Good Day - Antigua

After the first clinic at the Hope Haven facility we returned to the Guest House. The staff had prepared a delicious lunch. It tasted like Shepard's pie but it was missing the peas. We climbed into the buses and went to Antigua for a nice afternoon of sight seeing.


One of the most interesting places  was the Jade shop tour at Casa Del Jade. When you enter, you receive a guide who talks to you about the different types of jade and then shows you some museum pieces. Who knew there were so many different types of jade?! I certainly didn't..





To the right is a photo of the Mayan calendar that I took. You probably remember all the fuss back in December, 2012, when we thought the world might end because the Mayan calendar ended. It's probably one of the best doomsday prophesies around. Well folks, the Mayan people have always known the world wouldn't end. We learned this during our tour. The calendar just starts over! Good grief! It would have been nice if someone (HELLO Guatemala!) had shared that with the rest of the world. It's not as though I ran off and did something drastic in December, 2012, but I could have. I really, really could have!  Life is short; live life to the fullest, right?! Pass the chocolate!

Speaking of chocolate..

Antigua also has a chocolate tour. I didn't see any cocoa trees in Guatemala. If I did, I would have yelled "Stop the Bus!" and tied myself to the tree. After all, when translated it's the "food of the Gods." I'm not really sure if that's true but I'd like to think it is.. The aroma of the store pulls you in and then you're hooked when they offer you  a few button-sized pieces of chocolate. I wondered if it would be rude if I grabbed the glass bowl filled with chocolate and licked it clean. Yes, it was that good.. I browsed around the chocolate goodies on the shelves. Did you know there's such a thing as Axe men's chocolate scented body spray? Oh my... Every American man should be glad it has not hit the shelves in Walmart..

Behind the chocolate shop there was a courtyard with stores. We welcomed some stress free shopping. I picked up a couple of frames to display my favorite photographs from the trip. Brad and I strolled through some art galleries pointing to our favorite pieces. The one I chose was a painting of a young Guatemalan child. It was incredible. I regret not buying it..





Later, we went to the fabulous "MonoLoco" restaurant for dinner. It's not accessible but that didn't stop Tom!! Good fun was had by all!! I had fajitas, and enjoyed getting to know everyone a little more.

Hope Haven Guatemala - Our First Seating Clinic

I went back to work today and it was very difficult to concentrate. I thought about the children in the seating clinics. I missed watching the OT and PT students assessing the children, playing with them and working their magic to create the best custom wheelchair for them. It truly was a blessing to be there..

Hope Haven Guatemala

After a delicious breakfast we traveled to the Hope Haven's facility which wasn't that far from the Guest House. As we approached the ramp into the clinic I noticed a family with young 12 year old girl with a disability. She had a beautiful smile. Her mother wanted to show me her leg. She lifted her trouser leg and showed me the large lump just above her ankle. If she was in the U.S. she would have received the medical care she needed..

Her name was Marelyn and having a wheelchair was going to help her finally go to school. She was so excited!!!

When we entered the facility several parents were already waiting with their children. The first four children we helped were from an orphanage. We took them from the waiting area into the warehouse where a couple of tables with mats were set up for them to lie down on. The students conducted their assessments, pulled out their measuring tapes and got to work. I gave them some sensory items to entertain the children while they worked. It was rather overwhelming for the children. They were surrounded by strangers and in a large warehouse with lots of people coming and going and lots of noise but with some toys and tickles from the students they managed through it.  I made my way back to the waiting area and met 4 year old Katheryn...

Katheryn has untreated hydrocephalus. Again, if she was in the U.S. she would have received a shunt. The back of her head was flat because she could not support her head properly as an infant and spent a of time on her back. She jabbered away and loved the doll and slinky I gave her. She was a cutie and will benefit greatly from her wheelchair.



Brad and I took photos of each child with their new pediatric wheelchair provided by Wheelchairs for Kids International via the Annenberg Foundation.

Hope Haven is being renovated, and in the future, will have rooms for families to stay overnight and medical and dental clinics. The workers there have disabilities and use wheelchairs. Many of them received wheelchairs from Hope Haven when they were children. The warehouse where the workers assembled the chairs was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the workers and speaking with them.


As we drove back to the guest house the students were conversing about the children in the seating clinic that day. The experience changed their lives...







_________________________________________________________________________
Donations change the lives of children with disabilities all over the world. If 100 people donate just $20 each then 6-8 children will receive wheelchairs. Please visit Wheelchairs for Kids International and learn how you can make a difference; help a child go to school; play with their friends, and just be kids..

Visit: http://kidchairs4life.org/WFKIDonate.html