Another trip to Antigua

I shared in our first blog about the trip to Antigua to set up surgeries for children with cleft lips. We were blessed that all of the children are signed up for surgery on January 8th! Several of the children are definitely malnourished so it is our job at the Milk Program to make sure they are gaining sufficient weight to have the surgery. Feeding a baby with an open palate is no easy task.

On Monday the 13th, we sent off another group to be checked for various surgeries. 2 of the little boys had their cleft lips repaired last January and are due for the palate surgery. Another of our little boys, Sebastian, has had both surgeries but was left with an opening in his palate. He was actually the first baby that we helped to get this surgery. He is now 4 years old and doing well otherwise. We also sent Ana to see about the surgery to correct her club foot. A new baby with a club foot and missing fingers and toes went along as well.

They all saw the pediatrician on Tuesday. The children with cleft palates will have surgery on January 8th as well. They have decided not to operate on Ana's clubfoot until she has her spina bifida repaired first. Another long wait for this precious little girl who is determined to go to school. The baby, Tomasa, we are still not sure just what her treatment will be.

On Wednesday, we sent another group in only this time they were to see the genetic doctor. One mother with her 3 year old son, Andres, traveled for 14 hours by bus to get to Chichicastenango on Tuesday. She lives in what is called the Zona Reyna which is way up in the mountains where there is almost no medical care and only trucks with 4wd can get in and out. Her daughter lives near us and has her own baby in the milk program. She told her mother to come down and we would help her with her youngest. Then she had to leave for Antigua with our group at 4:30 am to get to the 7 am registration. 2 other children also went to be diagnosed. After fighting the crowds and getting registered we found out that the doctor had another "activity" to go to and would not be in today! I was beside myself thinking of how hard it was for these 3 mothers to carry these children all the way in from their homes. The social worker then told us that if they could spend the night that the doctor would come to the hospitality house to see them later in the evening. They all decided to stay and my assistant, Bertha, agreed to stay with them. So far I haven't heard how it went.

Thanks to you who have prayed and given. We have to really be advocates for these children as there are very little services to be found. The charity hospital serves hundreds of patients every day at a minimal cost. So far it has cost about $800 to get the children in to Antigua and cover the costs of food and other items. It is well worth the investment.

More later!