ASELSI

Well, we finally got the water to recede from the west courtyard and we have been working on drying out the carpet. During the rainy season, though, things don't dry very quickly, so it could be a long project.

This morning, we (Heidi, Matt, Isaac, Danny, Janeane, and John) got up and went to the Hospital Buen Samaritano to check on Heidi's patient from yesterday. She was doing fine. Then we went to our clinic at ASELSI.

We had our normal load of patients today, but an especially high number of "spiritual" cases. One woman used to go to church but then dropped out after her daughter slept with a married man. No one told her she wasn't welcome any more, but she just felt like she couldn't go back. Another man used to be a church member and had accepted Jesus, but some bad things happened to his family and he didn't feel like God helped him enough, so he's gone back to the Mayan religion. Another man can't sleep at night because he's afraid he's going to die. He says he's saved but is still terrified of death. We spent a lot of time with each of these patients and even involved ASELSI's pastoral care team. (They're also a Bible school, so there are plenty of pastors around.)

On that note, we can be sure that it's not just in Guatemala that people can feel alienated from their church in times of trouble. We need to make sure that people feel welcomed and accepted in our churches, even if they've made bad decisions (because who hasn't?). God does not approve of our bad behavior, but he will never reject us as people.

One patient who we diagnosed with twins during her pregnancy came back. We had advised her to go to a hospital for the delivery since midwives are not trained in how to deal with twins. She came back for another prenatal visit to the Velillas (a couple who does clinic there once a month) and they gave her the same advice. She ignored the advice, gave birth in her home, and one of the babies died. The level of distrust of the national health care system is very, very high here.

Since we're on asides today, we now have a small inkling of how God feels when He gives us excellent advice and we refuse to take it, then come running back to Him complaining about what happened to us when we ignored Him.

We saw a new (to ASELSI) diabetic patient who was supposedly told by a Guatemalan doctor (who diagnosed her with diabetes) to only eat fruit and drink milk. We have no evidence that this is what he told her, other than her word, but we hear things like this all of the time. Those of you who live in the United States, take a minute and thank God for the level of training American doctors receive.

Heidi also acquired another surgery from a woman who has a completely prolapsed uterus, as well as a prolapsed anus. (Sorry, I don't make this stuff up.) She will see this patient in her clinic at Buen Samaritano tomorrow for some pre-surgical consultation.

John got a chance to see Heidi in action in clinic and also had a chance to step out for a few minutes and see the world-famous Chichicastenango market. Then this afternoon, he had a meeting with the director of the hospital here in Quiche who is looking for some additional financial assistance for some projects he has in mind.

Tomorrow is Heidi's clinic at Buen Samaritano. John has a few last minute business items to finish, then we'll get ready for the weekend trip to Canilla. Aaron and Katie's wedding is this coming Wednesday, so we'll be bringing lots of extra stuff out to help with that. Please continue to pray for our truck as well as for all of the patients we listed above.