Real Missionary Work

Editorial note: It appears that we left this blog unposted.  We are attempting to post it again.  it was from the middle of the month of September, I believe.














      One Sunday morning we went with Elder and Sister Call to visit a Maternity hospital.  A family from the States was visiting Guatemala and had hundreds of gift packages for newborns that the Young Women in their ward had assembled.  Each kit was in a large Ziplock bag and contained a receiving blanket, a hat, a onesie, socks, a couple of diapers and a stuffed animal toy.  On that particular day there were about twenty women and their babies in the facility.  We gave the gifts and saw that many of the women were teenagers with their first child, but there were several older women who had other children at home.  The expectant mothers come to these government hospitals just to give birth and are allowed to stay for 24 hours for free.  The cenyer is wonderful because it is clean and provides safe delivery, rest, care and training by trained doctors and nurses for one day.  If there are complications, the patients are sent to a regular hospital for treatment.  One baby died on the morning we visited, and I thought how difficult it must have been for the woman to be there with all the others and their babies and she alone.  I think the young girls from the visiting family were struck with the realization of  how these teenage mothers had ended their childhood and limited their life possibilities at a very young age.
     A couple of weeks ago we invited the sister missionaries, Sis. Espinoza from Nigaragua and Sis. Bates from Wyoming, serving in our ward to come to dinner after church and then we would go visiting with them to people they were teaching.  I was excited to have company for Sunday dinner and decided to fix Dr. Pepper Pork (pulled pork sandwiches) with these beautiful,flavorful, moist and delicious wheat rolls.   We made a fresh green salad with all the "biocided" vegetables, and for dessert I made lemon cake.  When we arrived at church we ran into the missionaries and made plans to meet after the meetings.   Sister Bates said, "I forgot to tell you about my allergies.  I'm allergic to pork, flour, corn and beans."  I couldn't believe that her allergies matched my menu so perfectly.  I spent the two hours in Stake Conference worrying about what I had to feed Sis. Bates instead of trying to understand what the speakers were saying in SPANISH.  We ended up making an emergency and delicious dish of rice,   canned chicken and Ortega chilies so Sis. Bated didn't starve.

     After dinner we visited three families.  The first visit was an eye-opener for us.  We went to an industrial part of town and parked the car near what looked like a broken down cinder block fence.  Covering the rubble was a large piece of corragated tin which we moved aside to enter into a littered path.  As we walked along we saw small ratty, skinny and cowering dogs, and dirty barefoot children playing.  We passed three rooms, for lack of a better term, which were made from the stacked, cinder blocks, more pieces of tin, plastic tarps, cardboard, and any piece of wood the people could find.  When we got to Jorge's house, we were greeted by his mother and sister and were invited into their home which was the size of Zach's bedroom.  We sat on a bunkbed, upside-down buckets, and one chair while we visited and sang with this family.  The only light in the house came through cracks and gaps between cinder blocks and the tin and the tarps; no light or lamp.  There was a small table and a hot plate to cook  on, no cupboard or refrigerator.  On the table were a few dishes and pots and a package of tortillas covered with large ants.  We talked to the mom and then her son came in. He is 17 years old and is the only member of the church. He goes to school, works part time, and goes to seminary every day.  He is clean, handsome and bright and the breadwinner of his family.  I hope he can break out of the poverty, by staying in school and eventually serving a mission so he can see a different life, learn about cleanliness, develop work ethics, and set goals.
    The next family lived in much better conditions.  This time we opened a gate in a wall along a clean sidewalk.  We see these walls and gates everywhere, but never knew what was behind.  We found a dirt lane with small houses along both sides.  This time we entered a small path through a small yard with a vegetable garden.  The house was very small, but was clean, light and orderly.  The whole family were members of the church and they were very welcoming.  We all sat down and sang a song and read the scriptures and shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon.  We read together from 2 Nephi where it talks about why Jesus was baptized even though He was perfect.  Migda was studying with the missionaries and preparing for her baptism.  I loved being there; it was why I wanted to go on a mission: to teach the gospel.
     The next family lived in a normal neighborhood on a culdesac.  As we approached the houde, we saw neighbors visiting and children riding bikes and playing ball.  They all greeted us and made us feel safe and welcome.  The home belonged to the Alfaro family and the missionaries were teaching Jon Carlos who was the daughter's boyfriend.  We watched the DVD about Joseph Smith's First Vision and then talked about prayer.  At the end of the visit, Jon Carlos told us that he wanted to be baptized and then said a sweet, simple prayer.  I didn't understand all the words he said in Spanish, but his prayer touched my heart and brought the Spirit into that home.  As we left, I felt happy that I was there, but the missionaries were "over the moon."  They had been on their missions for over six months and that was their first baptism commitment.
     On Sept. 1 we loaded up the vans and headed on another remote site trip to Esquipulas in the southern part of Guatemala near the border with Honduras.  We arrived at the home of the Danielsons and loaded everything into one van and left that car in their driveway.  That way the dental equipment was safe in their gated and guarded community.  We all piled into the other van along with the Danielsons and took off for Copan, Honduras.  We crossed the border at about 5:00, but it was raining so hard that it could have been midnight.  The skies were black.  We had traveled through the storm with low visability and the fear of rock slides.  All along the roads huge rocks the size of the car together with smaller rocks, gravel, water and mud forced traffic to travel from one side of the road to a single lane on the other.  Any dangerous road condition is marked by tree branches and bushes dragged out into the road across the lane.  The weather cleared just when we got to the border so the guys were able to take the passports and visas to show to the border patrol without walking in the rain.  We arrived in Copan at Don Udo's Hotel just in time for dinner followed by a fun game of Mexican Train until 11:30.

     While we were there Wayne met a man who was the District Governor of Rotary.  He lives in Belize and is over all the clubs in Central America.  We visited with him for awhile and of course he wanted to know what we were doing in  Guatemala and Honduras.  When we told him about our trips to treat people all over, he invited us to Belize.  We explained to him that we aren't licensed to practice dentistry anywhere else but Guatemala.  We mentioned that we were going to Melchor, Guatemala in November, a town right on the border of Belize; he gave us his card and invited us to his ranch.  That will give us an opportunity to see the ruins and other attractions in that country.

Marvin, our guide.

     On Saturday we headed for the ruins, found a guide and took off hiking.  Our guide's name was Marvin and he was amazing.  He spoke German, French, Spanish and English and had been doing tours for 20 years.  He knew much about the land, vegetation, and the Mayan culture and history.  We were the only people in his group so we had his undivided attention as we walked for four hours amidst amazing ruins.  For every temple, stadium, residence, stellae and statue that we saw, our guide pointed out the huge mounds of earth overgrown with jungle that were also Mayan ruins which hadn't been excavated or restored.  This village was inhabited by the Mayans from 426AD to around 1200AD.  The leaders of the Maya were thought to be semidivine.  They had strange names like Mat Head, Yax K'uk'Mo', Waterlily Jaguar, Moon Jaguar, Butz' Cahn, Smoke Imix, and 18 Rabbit, Smoke Monkey and Smoke Shel.  Each of the kings built upon the last king's temples and buildings etc.  So that's why they keep finding more and more ruins.  The ruins have drawn archaeologists from all over the world.  They come for years and some just move to Copan and spend their life digging, tunneling and studying.  They found a staircase which they named the Hieroglyphic Staircase which is a history of the Mayan dynasties.  Two things caused the end of this city.  One was overpopulation.  The population of 25,000 kept growing and the people expanded into the surrounding fertile land and then there was nothing to feed the people.   They left because of erosion, droughts, and floods.  When 18 Rabbit was captured and beheaded the people began to question the divinity of their kings.  When the Spanish discovered the city in 1524 the people lived in small villages.  Our guide told us that once the jungle in Copan used to have jaguars and monkeys and boa constrictors.  They had many Macaws, but they were kept in cages to protect them from the boa constrictors, the only surviving animal from the past; we were glad we didn't see one.
     One of the most interesting parts of this area was a large public gathering place with an athletic field where they played a game like soccer, except they used a hard ball of gum rubber the size of a basketball weighing about 25 lbs.  They were only allowed to touch the ball with their shoulders, hips or knees; no heads, feet, or hands.  Another interesting feature of the game was the prize for winning.  The captain of the winning team was painted blue and beheaded on an altar in the public square.  This was an honor filled with glory and the guarantee that he would live in heaven with the gods.  I think I'd settle for a 6" plastic trophy.

   We wound through the mountains on a hillside road which dropped into a small town in the valley.  We saw a beautiful white basilica, that reminded me of the Salt Lake Temple.  It was surrounded by the town and the green countryside.  Later in the week we went into the basilica to see the town's most popular attraction, The Black Christ.  We tried to find out the significance of the large crucifix with the Black Christ, but no one seemed to know.  One theory was that the figure of Christ was carved out of normal brown wood, but it miraculously turned black.  Some people believe that it is evidence of his love of the dark skinned people of Guatemala.  Every weekend bus loads of people come on pilgrimages to see this sacred shrine.  As we walked through the quiet church with the beautiful altar, paintings, and stations of the cross, we felt the reverence there.
     Every morning at 6:AM the bells in the basilica rang, and rang, and rang.  It started out with what we expected to be the time, but the chime stopped at five and was followed by a random, rapid ringing that lasted for almost a minute, and then was followed by another chime or two.  Those bells were the wake-up call to the whole town, because afterward we heard trucks, vendors, dogs, and noise in general.  The view from our room was of the rooftops of the buildings across the street.  On one building there were at least 30 satellite dishes and receivers, and on another were two guard dogs who snarled with bared teeth and barked at every passerby. Our hotel was just a block and a half away from the basilica and so we got up with the rest of the town.  Interestingly enough, the whole chiming sequence rang out again at 6:00PM.


     On Sunday morning we went to church in a small chapel about 5 blocks from our hotel.  The people were friendly and welcoming.  We attended all the classes exactly the same lessons we would have had in Guatemala City or Downey.  As our Sunday School class began, a man came in with a backpack filled with suckers.  He passed them out to everyone who wanted one.  The dental team all exchanged glances and had a glimpse of what we should expect the next day.

Jorge

     We worked all day on Monday on the members who came there.  We get there early to be ready, and already the line is out the door.  We worked from 8:00 to 6:00 and still there were people who were waiting.  We told the ones left that we would see them at 7:00 the next morning so we could get them done before the orphans came at 9:00.  All the leftovers were there accompanied by others who hoped to be seen.  We got them all.  Our most outstanding case was Jorge, a 12 year old with caries evident when he talked and glaring when he smiled.  We ended up doing 17 fillings in 12 teeth.  His mother and he were so excited to see the change in his mouth and also in his countenance.   After our 2 1/2 hours of work, his older brother told him that he had a new mouth and a second chance.  I hope he can keep his mouth healthy.
     Another patient, a sweet little old lady who wanted teeth pulled was so grateful  that we got her out of her pain that she tried to give me this beautiful gold ring she was wearing.  It was probably a wedding ring, but if not that, it was a treasure.  Of course, I wouldn't take it, so she just gave me a kiss instead.

     Then came the orphans.  We treated 41 orphans from the Catholic orphanage in town.  These children were darling, clean, quiet and well behaved.  We saw five who had no cavities.  For each one we made an announcement and everyone clapped and cheered for their clean mouths.  We also saw others who had four or five cavities, but we could tell these kids used a tooth brush and ate  wholesome meals, not lollipops.The Johnsons had some little swaddling dolls that had been sent to them from the states to give to the girls and some wooden cars for all the boys.  The children loved them.  We were lucky to have help from the full time young missionaries serving in the area, Elder Wooton and Elder Martin.  They were good at directing traffic, translating, loading up and just helping in any way they could.  The children loved them.

  After we finished seeing the children, the nun invited us to visit the orphanage.  It was beautiful and clean and happy.  The children flocked around us and wanted us to hold their hands.  One little girl remembered that we were the ones who treated her and showed us her doll which she and Wayne had named Estrellita.  We saw the nun holding a four month old little boy who had been left on the doorstep in a box.  In Guatemala children who are abandoned will be put into orphanages and can never be adopted.  The country had a problem with people stealing and then selling babies, so now all adoptions have to be arranged before the baby is born or the child will be put in an orphanage and will stay there until he is 18.  The nun told us that they had found a newborn baby girl on the doorstep in the morning after a huge rainstorm, but she died the next day.  We all thought of all the people we know who would love to raise those children, but couldn't.  Americans absolutely cannot adopt Guatemalan babies because they believe that Americans only want the babies for their organs.  Those children in that orphanage were lucky to be in that beautiful facility where they were loved and cared for so well.
     When we arrived home, we heard about the volcanic eruption of Fuego.  We previously sent a picture of that volcano from La Reunion, the hotel we stayed at in Antigua.  It was sending up smoke then, but on Friday it erupted spewing out smoke, ash, fire and lava.  Thirty-three thousand people were evacuated because of the gases and ash including all the people at La Reunion.  Today at church we talked to a couple who are serving near Fuego and they said it's back to normal now and all the people have returned home.
     Because of the problems in the Middle East with riots and the raids on the American Embassy where the ambassador and three others were killed in Lybia and the American School was looted and destroyed in Egypt, and the rioting in Sudan, we were advised to stay indoors on Friday and Saturday.  The area office and the embassy felt it was not safe for Americans.Things were already unusual in Guatemala because Saturday was their Independence Day.  On Friday we went to the temple at 6:00AM and there was no traffic at all.  At 9:00 we screened missionaries at the CCM (MTC) next door to the temple, and then stopped at the market on the way home.  We were home by 12:00 and felt safe all the time.  Later in the day we heard fireworks, which is normal here and didn't see or hear anything unusual.
     On Saturday morning ten missionary couples went over to our ward building at 9:00 to have a Guatemalan breakfast and to celebrate Independence Day.  We were the first to arrive and helped set up tables and chairs.  We thought about going to McDonalds for sausage Mc Muffins because the breakfast turned out to be lunch and finally started at 11:15.  They sang their national song, and then had little presentations about each Central American country and then we ate foods from those places.  We were a bit afraid to eat the food, but because we were very hungry by this time and because it looked good, we all ate.  None of us had any problems and the the food was delicious.  That afternoon we all gathered on the rooftop and celebrated Independence Day with a potluck dinner.  It was fun to sit and talk and eat Wayne's black beans prepared in his new bean pot seasoned with a green banana before use.  Everything else was yummy too.

Goat milk mustache

     I have to include one thing that we have been trying to take a picture of since we came, the goat man.  Most mornings we see him on our way to work, leading his four or five goats along the sidewalk.  He stops at the house's of his customers and they give him a cup and he fills it with milk.  He squats down, lifts a back leg of one of the goats and starts milking.  I think it is an unusual sight that is strictly Guatemalan.
     Another regular on our route to the clinic is an old one-legged woman who begs from the same spot every day.  Dr. Johnson always slows down to give her a quetz and she makes her way nearer the curb to get his coin.  Now we give her money too, because she recognizes the car and expects it.  She always says, "Gracias," and follows it with a blessing that we never hear the end of because we are forced by traffic to keep moving.

     Love and miss you all, but we keep busy enough to enjoy life like never before.

                                       

Back to The City

     We are back in Guatemala City after ten days on remote site visits, but I need to talk about some happenings before we left.  The first thing was our traffic accident.  We've already talked about the crazy driving here with motorcycles weaving in between cars and stop signs considered suggestions, and the obelisks which requires blending and merging, and buses which take a lane when the driver puts his hand out the window.  It's a real adventure!  But our accident was really not an accident, but a planned occurrence.  

 To Whom It May Concern:

On August 8, 2012, I was driving the blue Toyota hatchback assigned to the trio of dentists of the Central Area Welfare Mission.  I was just transitioning from Vista Hermosa North to Calle Procreres westbound and was merging with the traffic.  The weather was overcast but not raining at that time.  My wife was with me and can attest to the details of this account.

As I reached speed with the traffic, suddenly a car beside me sped up and swerved in front of me braking hard.  He turned on his emergency flashers as he came to an abrupt stop.  The whole passing and braking could not have taken more than 2 to 3 seconds.  I very nearly rear-ended his stopped car but managed to stop about 2 feet from him.

I immediately watched in my rear view mirror, fearing the worst, that another car would rear-end me, and I saw a car was rapidly approaching me.  Like my case, he stopped just short, maybe 2 feet but then to my surprise, he accelerated moderately and hit my rear bumper.  He did not jump into me as if hit by another car behind him; it seemed a deliberate maneuver.

I had an immediate impression that this was wrong and not natural and that I was probably being set up for a robbery or a scam.  I had not hit anyone and the impression said, “Leave this scene.”  I had enough room to swing left and I continued on into the city on Proceres.  Examination of the rear of the Blue Toyota showed a scuffed bumper about 10 inches wide and the lower edge of the tailgate dented slightly in 2 or three places.

This is the report and I await your instructions.

Elder J. Wayne Wilcox
     I thought about telling the story, but I thought Wayne's accident report said it best.  I might add that we had been shopping at Cemaco (Target), and when we went into the parking lot I noticed three guys there.  I heard them talk to each other loudly and then saw them leave towards their cars.  I just thought they were friends saying good-bye, but something about them made me hold my purse tightly in front of me when we got into our car.
     When we went to the area officeand talked to the transportation guy, he told us that we made the correct move in leaving the scene.  He said it was a common robbery technique.  They set up a accident with minimal damage, so the driver will get out of the car to see what was done.  /when they are out of the car, they rob the occupants and steal the car.  
I was sure we were going to be arrested for leaving the scene of an accident; it felt wrong to me, but I guess Wayne was absolutely right.  Jorge told about another scheme where a motorcyclist will be lying in the road with his bike laying nearby.  People assume he has been injured in an accident  so they stop to help and are robbed and sometimes their car is stolen too.  These stories really discourage humanitarian instincts.
     The week before our planned remote site trip was a strange one because the city of Guatemala was gearing up to celebrate the patron saint of the city.  The site of the celebration is the area around our clinic.  Streets in the four or five block radius are blocked with carnival rides, food booths, games, etc.  We walked around the area to see what it was like and almost missed the entrance to our clinic.  Booths had been set up closely on either side of the door and then someone had parked his motorcycle in front.  People had to have a pass to drive into the area, so the missionaries and the orphans could not get into the clinic.

Cakes in hot honey

Homer says "Mmmm, dooonuts!

     We were expecting a group of future missionaries from Santa Lucia to come in, but because of the fair we called to let them know that they wouldn't be able to get to the clinic and suggested we come to them.  They were so excited.  Later the district President told us that they had taken these same boys to Guatemala City to get their paperwork done in the immigration office and were told that they needed their parents with them.  So they were very discouraged and prayed that somehow they could get these boys prepared to serve missions.  It made me think of all the roadblocks we faced as we prepared to go.  They felt that our phone call and subsequent visit with them was a direct answer to prayer.  They brought in 30 future missionaries, and we pulled, filled and cleaned teeth until those boys were prepared.  Then we worked on other people who came in - members of the church and their friends who heard about us being there.  There was one man, Edgar Giron, who was there for both days we were, in fact, he was there longer because he helped set up, sterilize instruments, direct patients, slept there overnight to guard the equipment.  He owned a doughnut shop and brought us luscious American doughnuts filled with chocolate or custard.  Wayne and I have not had doughnuts here in Guatemala, but we were told they were hard and dry and flavorless.  As we were leaving town we stopped by and met his family and saw his shop. 
     We had heard about some archaeological findings on an abandoned sugar plantation not too far from town.  We followed him to the plantation and were lucky to find a man there at the site which is now guarded. They call it a museum, MuseoBaul, but it is open except for a fence and the guard who collects admission.  Inside there were probably thirty carved stones with placards explaining what they meant.  They had one huge jaguar, several skulls, a smiling head and a carving of a winner and a loser in a competition.The man, who was a Branch President, gave us even more information related to the Book of Mormon and the Nephites civilization.  The stones are from the Pipil culture which flourished in Guatemala between 500 and 700 AD.  Those who had been there before told us about a stone, called the Lehi Stone, that is still in the sugar field.  It is carved with what is thought to be the "Tree of Life."  We were not able to go to the stone because the sugar cane was high and infested with poisonous snakes and sometimes thieves and assorted riff-raff.  Can you imagine walking through a field and finding a stone carved 1500 years ago?  Pretty insightful glimpse into the past.  
     On Friday we traveled on to our hotel near Panajachel on Lake Atitlan.  Our hotel was in one of three green 16 story high-rise buildings right on the lake.  Lake Atitlan was formed during a volcanic eruption that caused the mountain caldera to collapse and fill with water.  The lake was formed when the two surrounding volcanoes erupted and blocked drainage to the Pacific Ocean.  Our view from the 11th story balcony was spectacular.  We could see the lake and all three volcanoes: Taliman, Atitlan and San Pedro. On two of the nights we stayed there, we were entertained by thunder and lightning storms reflected on the lake's mirror surface.
     On  Saturday we went to the Solola market which I suppose could be compared to a giant swap meet, except this is the only place in town to shop except for liquor store size tiendas.  People have all kinds of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, clothing, pottery, crafts, and weavings.  It is noisy and smelly but so colorful.  We ate dinner that night at a restaurant on the top of a hill.  The glass walls allowed an expansive view of the town, the lake and the surrounding hills.  We took a ride to a nearby town called San Jose, a farming area where they used terrace farming.  The road wound around, up and down the usual mountains with steep drops to a beautiful river.  Everywhere we drive we pass people walking carrying baskets on their backs and heads, sometimes both.  The women are the most amazing because they are often carrying huge loads and have a child tied on to their body and another one in tow.  Everywhere we go the .children wave and smile.  We passed workers planting and harvesting mostly onions, and stopped to give a wooden car to a little boy who was working with his family in the field even though he was probably only three years old.  That night we had our first touch of something and Wayne and I stayed home when everyone else went to dinner.  Wayne had a fever and slept for about 12 hours and woke up the next morning feeling great.
We went to church Sunday and the church was beautiful and filled to overflowing.  They have two branches there.  When we walked in bout ten minutes before the meeting began there were not seats where we could sit together.  Everything is just like home but in a different language.  The man who played the piano was a native from Solola and wore the traditional Solola dress.  He played from memory and told us he had been taught how to play by the missionaries 30 years ago! After church we noticed the members socializing out on the lawn.  Children were runnin around, laughing and playing while the women visited - just like home.  We saw many children with lollipops.  Finally we startied bring in all the equipment and setting up the clinic in the Primary room.

     The next day we were there at 7:30 and Pres. and Sis. Tanner had breakfast ready for us before we started working at 8:00.  We ate lunch in shifts and finally finished the day at 7:00 PM.  That was na exhausting day and so was the next.  There are no labor unions in the mission field.  On the 3rd day we quit at 4:00 so we could load the equipment and leave on Thursday.  In those three days we treated about 60 patients.  We had a first time ever experience one day with a five year old patient named Marcelo.  He was scared from the start, but his mother held him still during the exam .  He had problems in three quadrants which required injections in three areas.  When Wayne got the third carpule of anesthetic, Marcelo glanced over and took off screaming out of the room.  We never saw him again and his mother explained that he didn't want his teeth treated.  He won't have deal with treatment because his teeth will be gone soon.  Dr. Johnson has a saying, "You only have to brush the teeth that you want to keep."  Marcelo's problem was that he still drank a bottle at bedtime - a common practice among Guatemalan children.  For the whole time we were in Solola we heard the question, "Has anyone seen Marcelo?"
     Dr. Call was treating one lady and he asked her if she was a member of the church just in conversation.  She said she was and had been the first missionary to go from Solola 32 years ago.  She was excited because she was going to The City on Saturday to pick up her son who was finishing his mission.  He was the 3rd of her children to serve.  Amazing people!
     The next morning we started for home , but we took a detour through Chichicastenango, famous for its large and colorful native market - the best in all the Americas.  We hired a tour guide to take us through the market and tell us about the town.  The town has two churches :one is Santo Tomas and is a Catholic Church, and he other is Capilla del Calvario also built by the Catholics but a place where the Mayans practiced a blend of Mayan and Christian beliefs.  When we went to see Santo Tomas, the church was closed because of construction, but we  watched the people just outside the door.  They were burning candles and praying for specific blessings:  yellow was for business, white for health.  There were "chuchkajaues " who are like Mayan shamen who chant prayers and swing incence in what look like cans with holes poked in the side so the smoke comes through.  The people place the candles and rose petals at the top of  18 steps.  We saw one man and another woman who were each climbing the steps on their knees and praying.  The guide told us that was a penance assigned for repentance. 
We walked to the other church and saw a glass case with the body of "The Black Christ which no one could explain to us.  There were many flowers and colored candles there too left by worshippers showing devotion and praying.  I took a picture of a little girl and a boy who were scraping up and gathering the wax probably so they could make new candles.  I was quickly told not to take pictures in the church. 
      We saw the cemetary in the distance and our guide explained that the colors of the little burial buildings is determined by the day the dead person is buried.  The crazy part about the markets is the people selling things.  If they see you show any interest at all they are on you until you buy or leave.  We looked at some small little fridge magnets and suddenly we were surrounded by children with fridge magnets.  The say in English "Buy from me for my sister." or "It's for my school," or My mom is sick."  They will haggle over the price.  We have been told to offer them half of what they ask, and then deal.  When they refuse to go any lower, then walk away and they will give you a lower price.  One little little boy kept hounding me and I kept saying, "No Gracias!"  I said to him I don't have any money because my husband has all the money.  Thirty seconds later he showed up with Wayne.  Ladies wanted me to buy tableclothes and I wanted some.  I got the price I wanted and turned around to three other ladies offering the same deal.  One lady followed us about two blocks out of the market to the parking lot.  Shopping was fun, but exhausting. 

It's August Already

     We just returned from another remote site visit, and this one was really remote.  We went to Coban and Telemann.  We left on Friday morning after loading two Vans (Everests) with everything we need for three days in a makeshift clinic.  We take two compressors, three folding dental chairs, dental unit with hand pieces, instruments, sterilization tubs, gauze, cotton rolls, anaesthetic, etc.  We took another Senior Missionary couple and their son with us: Skip and Vicky Standage and Jeff.  The Standages are serving in Public Affairs and they went with us to see what we do and also because they were covering the publicity for a Choir visit to Telemann.  Jeff came because he starts dental school in a couple of weeks and wanted to get this experience.  They were very helpful assisting at chairside, helping with dental education, and sterilization.  So add to all this equipment, seven people and all their luggage and
you have an idea of how tightly packed we were on this trip.   We had to tie the chairs on the top of the car.

   On Friday afternoon we went to the central market in Coban and wandered through the street market.  All the venders sell their stuff and expect us to barter and we are not good at that.  We mostly just walked around and looked at the people dressed in their traditional clothes.  This was the weekend of the Daughter of the King Festival, so there were tons of people.  We then went to McDonalds for dinner.  We Are all very nervous about buying anything to eat on the street.

     The next morning we went on a tour bus with a guide and just our group of nine to a place called Semuc Champey.  It means something like the disappearing river describing the river that flows rapidly until it spills into a large lava tube and flows underground for about three miles until it surfaces again.  Above the river flowing beneath are five spring-fed pools.  This is a popular recreational site for tourists and residents, but the park wasn't crowded because it is so remote.  The ride there is 2 1/2 hours and half of the drive is on a narrow, steep, windy dirt road.  The countryside is beautiful.  The hills are covered with corn, corn and more corn.  The terrain is so hilly and rocky that harvesting is done by machete; absolutely no tractor or harvester could possibly get to that corn.  The hills are never-ending:  just hills behind hills, behind more hills.  The foreground is bright with a hundred shades of green and then each hill fades until they disappear into a bank of clouds.  We haven't yet been able to take a picture that shows the beauty.  

     We were all exhausted when we finally got home from that excursion, but some still wanted to go to the Daughter of the King Festival.  Wayne and I chose not to go.  They supposedly had narrowed the contestants down to ten, and they would be answering questions having to do with their particular culture - from their city or tribe.  I figured I would not get too much out of the talking portion of the program because they would not be speaking English or even Spanish, but the language of their Mayan village.  The few who went to the pageant said it was very long beginning with a parade of each of the 145 contestants wearing their native costumes and being introduced by a very verbose MC.  They left at 9:00 and they hadn't started the final ten part by then.  

     The next day we got up and ready and headed to a neighboring town to go to church.  We spent about half an hour lost in this little town.  We did pass a cattle auction and the market place.  Both were interesting.  I love the adventure of getting lost.  As we drive through the towns we see the people.
They are as beautiful as the scenery.  They live life in a very simple way.  They carry produce or wood into town to sell and then carry what they need to eat for the day back home when day is done..  Woodcutters carry huge bundles on their backs reminding me of Grimm fairy tale characters except the men here cut the wood with machetes.  We saw one man about 25 or so with his son who was probably 4 both carrying their machetes as they walked along the road.  It is interesting how people just appear from out of the woods.  Sometimes the path isn't visible nor the house, but there they are with a bundle on their backs or heads starting for town. 

     Church was wonderful and the members there were friendly and very happy to have guests.  We continued on to Telemann, arriving at around three.  We checked into our hotel, changed our clothes and went to the church to set up the dental clinic.  We took all the chairs out of the chapel and set up three dental units and a sterilization station.  It's an amazing transformation.  We ate dinner at the only restaurant we could find that we trusted - Pollo Express.

     Monday through Wednesday are our work days and we look forward to them with mixed feelings.  They are long and grinding, but the people are generally very grateful, and we feel the spirit of sacrifice while we sweat away in the hot confines.  We close down about 5:00 to 5:30 and tell the rest of the line to come back in the morning.  When we arrive, there is already a line outside the door.

     As we progress during the three days we go from Prospective Missionary checks and repairs and extractions to members and their problems.  Finally we go to non members and their families and the last half of Wednesday is devoted pretty much to extractions; relieving suffering and infection.
     One girl came in with pain in her upper centrals.  She had large cavities in both that together made a hole about the size of a BB.  We just couldn't let those teeth go, so we decided to restore them.  You can see the happiness in the patient's face in this "after" photo.  That was one happy smile.  In contrast we had another beautiful 20 year old girl who came in with almost the exact same problem.  She said she had pain in her front upper four teeth, but when Wayne tested and examined them, he could find decay in only three of the teeth.  One was perfect.  When he told her that, she insisted that all four were causing her pain and she wanted them pulled.  He finally pulled the three decayed teeth and left the one good one.  She was upset.  She wanted to have a gold bridge put in that is so common in her culture and a tradition amongst her people. Now I was the one really upset, because I know that eventually she will be a toothless old woman like so many we had seen those three days.
     Some will come in and say they want their teeth cleaned, but we tell them no and look in their mouth to see what is really wrong.  Usually 5 to 10 cavities, 4 broken teeth, and red, swollen gums.  So we ask which one hurts worst and see which one looks most likely to make them ill, and we take out three or four.  Demoralizing in one way, but efficient and necessary.  Okay, it's demoralizing and heart breaking.
We have to steel ourselves against the depression that comes with doing half a job.  Our resources are not infinite and our time is limited in an unlimited needs world.  One does his/her best.  In three days, we three dentists treated 174 patients.  We had ONE patient with perfect teeth - straight, clean, and without decay.  I made an announcement and everyone in the clinic clapped and cheered.  When we call an end to the event and start cleaning up, you think you'll refresh and move quickly.  Not so.  It takes a couple of hours to bubble again.  I don't think I've been so mentally and physically tired since I put up hay in Wyoming.
     I have to tell about the hotel we stayed in:  The Hotel Posada.  There were four rooms attached in two duplexes.  Wayne and I had a room with two double beds and so we used one to put all our luggage on.  There was a TV and air conditioning and screens on the windows. The beds were a little stiff, just a mattress in a wooden frame.  The funny thing about the beds was that the owner made the bed with the top sheet upside down.  The sheets had a lacey top which she carefully aligned with the bottom edge of the mattress.  Then up at the top she folded the bottom of the sheet like it was a bedspread, and then put the pillows on top.  We sprayed the room with permethrine and slept well. Annalee and Leeann both had bites on their legs the next day probably from fleas or flies.  The shower was a cold flow of water - no spray at all and was slightly above cold.  We took the fastest showers we could.  The toilet plugged up twice in three days.  The property where the hotel was located was surrounded by farms each of which had roosters.  One morning I woke up to the first of endless cock-a-doodle-dos and asked Wayne what time it was:  3:10 am!  That night after a hard days work we came home to a revival meeting next door.  They had preaching and singing and even a band.  Finally at 10:00 we heard the final "Hallelujah!,"  we were glad to join in for the final "Amen," and finallywent to sleep.
     Just one more thing.  On the Last day in Telemann, we were lucky to be there when a choir from Utah came.  It was made up of about 30 people;  men and women old and young.  About 12 had served missions in Guatemala, 7 had sung in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  The one whose brainchild this choir was had served a mission in Guatemala and then went to BYU where he majored in linguistics and music.  He decided to work on translating some Mormon hymns into Kekchi, the language many of the people of Guatemala speak, and then touring Guatemala and sharing the best-loved Mormon hymns with them.   The church was already creating a hymnbook in Kekchi, so it was icing on the cake when the choir performed in Telemann and then presented this new hymnbook to the District President.  The music was beautiful! There was a sweet reverence even though they sang in the City Municipal Center with open walls in the middle of the crowded town.  The people were drawn to the music and probably surprised to hear Americans singing their language.  By the end of the show all the seats were filled, and people were standing all along the edges.  One "tender mercy" was that it did not rain during the singing, which would have been disastrous because the roof of the building was corrugated tin.  If it had rained, as it usually does every evening, it would have been impossible to hear the music.  As we were leaving the show and walking to Pollo Express, it started to rain loud and hard.

Odds and Ends

It's 5:30 am and I decided to blog.  We haven't had much time to do anything but work in the clinic for  past little while, but on the way home the other day, we went to Central Market.  It is in the middle of Guatemala City and is three floors underground.  It is like a huge swapmeet, but people have permanent businesses there.  The reason we went was because Rich and Leeann's son, David, was going back to "The States" and he wanted to buy some candles, so he went there on the way home from work.  I was amazed at the shops with products piled high.  The first level was food.  I loved the produce display and took a quick picture.

We didn't buy anything, but we will some other time.  We usually don't buy food except in the grocery stores except for fruit that has a peel.  All the fruits and vegetables that we buy even in the grocery stores has to be washed in disinfectant, rinsed in agua pura and then dried before we eat it.  I took these pictures just to capture the color and beauty of the place.  The shops are piled high with product.  In the candle section there were five or six shops with candles of every color and fragrance on shelves, hanging from the ceiling and in piles.  If we hesitated at the opening or glanced into a shop, a attendant would appear ready to help you find what you wanted and then barter.  We were told to counter with half of what they tell you it costs and then play the game.  They know you can find the same thing in a dozen other shops so as you are walking away they shout their bottom line.  That's when David bought the candles and Richard Johnson bought his Guatemalan flag.  It's a game for us, but for the workers there, it is a livelihood.

     Another place we just happened to visit was "The Pink Church."  It's real name is "Capilla de Nuestra Senora de las Angustias" or The chapel of our Lady of the Anguish."  On a rainy afternoon as we were passing the church, we noticed that the gate to the parking lot was open and attendants were directing traffic.  The Johnsons were excited, because in the year they have been in Guatemala they had never seen it open.  

We paid, parked on the sidewalk about half a block away, and then entered this beautiful church.  The people  of  Antigua were plagued with constant earthquakes.  The people promised God if he would stop the earthquakes, they would build this church.  Now it is only open for special occasions like weddings and for Saturday night and Sunday mass.  We went in the church and saw a few people sitting and the priest surrounded by candles and dressed in ceremonial robes.  That was when we realized there was going to be a wedding.  The priest gave us a glowering look that told us we were intruding so we tried to be respectful and left quickly and only took a few pictures as we left.  Outside we saw the bride arrive so we waited in the rain to take her picture.  She wasn't very cooperative,  but we were able to take a few through the fence.

     Our biggest adventure of our life in Guatemala to date was our 1st trip to Cemaco (Target).  We got out of the clinic at 4:00 and it was a dark, rainy day, but it was our turn in the car, so we decided to go.  We got instructions and headed out.  At one point we were told to turn right, but we could either go a shallow quick right or a gradual right, and we chose the wrong right.  We realized our mistake instantly, but too late.  It took us one hour to correct and get back to Cemaco.  WE WERE NEVER LOST, but just delayed.  To complicate things, we only had 1/8 tank of gas, and the rain was increasing and so was the rush hour traffic.  We finally made it and enjoyed a relaxed shopping trip.  Not only did we buy stuff, but we were on our own.  The Cemaco store is on one end of a large shopping mall, and so after our shopping, we decided to see what was there.  We discovered a food court and had our dinner.  All this time we were pushing our shopping cart, so when it was time to leave we needed to go down the elevator to the parking lot underground.  When we got off the elevator, we knew we were in the wrong place.  It didn't look the same and our car wasn't there.  We asked the security guard, and he sent us to a different level, (there were three levels).  Still it wasn't recognizable.  We asked again and were sent again to the wrong place.  Finally when we were frantically telling our tale, we mentioned the word Cemaco and were told we needed to go to the Cemaco parking lot at the other end of the mall.  Who knew there were separate parking lots?  Finally we found the car and drove directly home.  When we got off the elevator, we were met by the Calls, the Johnsons, The Spensers and many other people.  They were genuinely worried because we aren't supposed to be out after dark, (6:30), and it was 8:15.  We were sorry to have caused so much worry, but we needed that adventure, freedom and independence.  We definitely miss a quick trip to Hallmark or Ralphs or Target whenever we need to get something or just get away.

One more thing I have to tell you about.  The other day we had a new group of orphans come to the clinic.  They were of several different ages but mostly around 6 to 8.  We call them the A-5 orphans because we needed to use a name different than the Garbage Dump Kids.  You probably have heard of the inhabitants of dumps in other large cities like Rio, Tijuana, etc.  Well, we have an established population here in Guatemala City also.  They, the Association of Five (named for the nongovernmental groups that try to help them) came for the first time with their Director, a truly genteel man who shepherded the kids with genuine concern and kindness.  He watched us give the exams and begin with some elementary therapies; cleanings, fluorides, and occasional xrays.  We are just beginning.  The director took pictures and asked us questions, and encouraged the kids; we probably saw 15 or 17 that day.  He took us aside and thanked us saying that he could tell that we truly loved the children - that despite the help that they received from several different sources, that love was not shown to them that he saw in the clinic.

When they were ready to leave, he called the kids together and asked one, probably 7 or 8, to offer a prayer of thanks for the visit.  The child hesitated but then gave a sweet prayer that was likely memorized.  It was very much like one that my small children would have offered in our home.  I was touched, but then the director gave a 2nd prayer which was so gracious in asking for blessings on his little band and then thanking the Lord for us and asking blessings on the clinic and the doctors and nurses.  He asked that "the blood of Christ would cover us and save us"; I nearly burst into tears.  What a great contact for us to meet who appreciates spiritual values and work.  It's tough work but some days are great pay-days.  Love you all - Elder and Sister Wilcox

JULY 8

     Two things we weren't able to find in the three markets where we looked  were rosemary and basil:  key ingredients in two of my favorite dishes.  We decided to just go to a nursery and buy the plants, but we found that nurseries in town carry only ornamental plants, no vegetables or spices.  I was fixing salmon for company dinner, and I needed rosemary!  I couldn't find it in time for dinner, so we changed the recipe.  The next day we went to another nursery and found both plants, so I bought them and now will always have them.  The basil I found was a little different than the kind I have at home, so I took a leaf off the plant and chewed it to see if it was good.  As I was chewing, I realized I had just eaten food without washing it.  I held it in my mouth and spit it out as soon as the nurseryman turned away.  Then I quickly went to the car to wash my mouth with Aqua Pura.  It is important to make sure vegetables are washed in Biocyde to disinfect and clean vegetables.  The policy is:  If you peel or boil you don't have to disinfect, but everything else you have to disinfect with special soap, rinse and dry before you eat it.  I think that's why it is hard to find vegetables in the stores and why everyone eats rice and beans at every meal.  The best part is that I now have a the beginnings of a vegetable garden.  This weekend we went to four other "viveros" outside of the City looking for tomato plants.  None sells them.  Several people said, "Why do you want to grow your own when they are so cheap in the market."  I just do, and I want to plant them in several empty planters at the orphanage that houses our clinic.  I think the children could learn something valuable and expand their diet slightly.  I have decided that I want some vegetable seeds in the Christmas box.

     In the last couple of weeks we have gone out to lunch or dinner a couple of times.  Once at Taco Bell and another time at a Chinese restaurant.  It is possible to find most any American fast food restaurant and many of the restaurant chains here.  In fact the Mission home President owns 42 Taco Bells.  Most days we pack a lunch to take to the clinic which we scarf down between the morning and afternoon patients.  Some days we don't get a break.

Hector, quiet for the moment.

     We had some interesting patients this week. Two of the orphanages that we see children from are really daycare government centers.  These children are street children whose parents work all day and so they would either be with their parents on the street or be at home alone.  In any case the children had not been to the dentist.  Judging from their reactions to the toothbrushes they received in the clinic, I think it was the first they had ever had.  We show a cute little film staring the tooth fairy which teaches about brushing and eating good food.  One little boy who we treated had a mouthful of problems.  He was really hyper and we thought to ourselves this is going to be tough.  We sat him in the chair and got everything ready, but he was totally intrigued by the chair and wanted to go up and down.  He loved the vacuum so he wanted to have me use that about every minute.  He wanted to see what Wayne was doing so we let him hold a mouth mirror.  He caught a glimpse of the needle and he was very concerned, but when he watched in the mirror he was fine.  I rested his hands under my hand on his chest and rubbed his forehead with my other hand.  When the injection was over, he wanted me to continue rubbbing his head.  He was so good and such a lucky draw for us, because we treated him while we listened to crying and screaming from the other two chairs.  They weren't hurt, just afraid.  We completed all the work on the upper teeth and will see Hector again in two weeks.  I am excited to see him again.

     Another exceptional patient was Oscar from Belize.  He has been a member of the church for one year and is the only member in his family.  He is 21 and works on a banana plantation.  He wants to go on a mission, but when he went to the dentist in Belize he was told he would have to pay $1500.00 which would have prevented him from ever being able to go.  He traveled 9 hours on a bus to Guatemala City to be treated in our clinic for free, spent the night at the CCM, (MTC in Spanish) spent the entire afternoon in the chair in order to get everything done and then spent the night at the CCM again and then traveled the 9 hours on the bus again.  He really, really wants to go on a mission.  I really admire his faith and determination.

     One last interesting incident.  We worked on these kids who were Indians from some remote place in Guatemala where they don't speak Spanish or English.  They speak Quiche (key chay).  They also like to wear gold in their mouth; it is a sign of status in their society.  We had one kid who had stars on his two upper centrals.  Another boy had a gold bridge that went from eyetooth to eyetooth and purely decoration.  His problem was that he had decay at the gumline all along the bridge.  Dr. Call took the bridge off and then advised him not to put it back on because it wouldn't fit right after Dr. Call fixed the teeth.  Then the kid came to us for Wayne to do some fillings.  The plan was that Wayne was going to do the work in the front too, but we could tell he didn't want to give up wearing the bridge.  He looked like he was going to cry.  Finally Wayne and I had to leave early for some reason, so we passed the kid back to Dr. Call, hurriedly cleaned up and left the clinic.  An hour or so later we got a call from the clinic wanting to know what I had done with the bridge.  I think the boy thought we had stolen it.  (It was probably worth $1800.00 not to mention the emotional value he placed on it.  I could only guess that I had thrown it away when I cleaned up and now it would have been out in the garbage bin along with all the orphanage trash.  Fortunately they were able to find it wrapped in a bloody gauze in the trash.  Thank goodness! 

    

  

  

I am writing today to catch up on the past couple of weeks.  After three days of work in the clinic, we loaded up all the equipment including portable X-ray equipment, generators, instruments, chairs, portable operatories, supplies and educational materials, toothbrushes and toothpaste, etc.  Then on Friday we added to the load our person bags for the seven days we would be gone.  We headed through the city out into the country.  
     Looking out the windows we were awed by the green hills, mountains and valleys.  The land never seems to flatten out, but just falls and rises as far as the eye can see.  Most of the vegetation is tropical looking with broad green leaves on trees and bushes.  In some places the hills have been planted with corn.  We didn't see any farm equipment and we couldn't imagine machinery able to climb and cling to the steep hillsides.

Never ending hills

     We traveled through these hills along with hundreds of trucks, cars, and motor scooters.  Everyone seemed to know how to pass, and they timed it to the split second tucking safely in just ahead of the oncoming semi.  I tried not to pay attention because I was scared to death.  If I had been driving the trip would have taken hours more time because I would never have passed anyone.  We drove past little villages where we saw men carrying bundles of wood necessary for the fires they use to cook their meals.  Many children were selling fruits: grapes, nuts papayas, bananas and avocados along the roads.  Road crews were trimming the grass and weeds along the highway with machetes.  We even saw one woman washing clothes in a stream.                                        

     We stopped at an interesting site along the way, Quirigua.  It is a Mayan ruin dated back to 300-900AD.  There were many stellas like the ones in the Easter Islands, standing on the perimeter of a flat area like a plaza.  At one end was a huge staircase with buildings on top.  One was the King's dwelling and another was a temple.  Of course, all these are explained on signs at the site, because we couldn't tell what they were.  There was an athletic field a little distance away.  This is considered a minor ruin, but it was amazing to see the carvings and to realize they are 2000 years old.  All this trip made me think of the Book of Mormon and the battles, the temples and the travels through the wilderness.

     It was pointed out to us that the fence posts along the roadside were actually growing trees.  Turns out that they cut fresh branches and stick them in the ground, stringing wire between them and then "tropical" Mother Nature takes over and the cut pieces begin to grow.  Soon you have shade lined highways.
     We arrived at the town of Puerto Barrios in the afternoon.  The streets were busy with rush hour traffic.  Hundreds of scooter and motorcycles, some carrying three or four people zipped in and out and through the roads.  We saw a lady nursing a baby while she was driving her scooter.  Dr. Call has a record setting picture of a family of seven on a scooter.

A common sight.

     One way streets are common and many of them are not marked; you don't know they are one way until you're heading down the wrong way.
     We arrived at our hotel in the afternoon and discovered it was a resort called Amatique Bay.  It was themed like a pirates' cove on the Caribbean Sea.  When we asked about the history of the place, we were told that it was created 20 years ago and had no history of pirates.  It did have a beautiful restaurant, a pool, water slides and a harbor area where you could rent boats, go fishing or go on tours. Our room was a duplex and not really that special,  Just a bed, desk and a chair in the sleeping area, and a bathroom with a shower.  The shower worked and the room was clean.  The grounds of the hotel were the strong point.  There were beautiful flowering trees and fragrant flowers.  In the early morning geese and a peacock came up to our door; at night the lawns sparkled with fire flies.
     We stayed there 3 days and then felt guilty spending so much money so we changed to a smaller hotel in town.  It was cheaper but had a continental breakfast and was right across the street from McDonalds and a Dominos Pizza.
     It was eye opening to go into the fast food places.  You enter a controlled gate and they give you a little tag which you are going to need to get your car out. (anti-theft)  Then you enter a door which may have an armed guard.  See the picture at McDonalds!
     Working in the makeshift clinic of the converted chapel (we took out all the chairs and brought in our gear) was an experience.  We all had headlamps strapped to our heads and we took only xrays we deemed necessary.  Then we filled, extracted, cleaned and taught hygeine to all comers.  Mostly it was the upcoming missionaries and indigent members who the Branch Presidents had referred.  We had a centrally located sterilization and instrument set-up table; members of the local ward were trained to take care of this.  The compressors were humming and the vacuums sucking and we did pretty well till the afternoon strorms knocked out the power and we had to finish while there was still a little compressed air.  This is interesting in the pitch black with only the headlamps cutting the dark.
As we drove into town looking for our hotel, we passed the volunteer fire department.  Later we saw another station and decided to go back and take a picture, because we knew Q would be interested.  The firemen were thrilled to have us take their pictures, and we were surprised to read the city name Huntington Beach Fire Department on one of the trucks.  It's a small world after all!  


 After three days of pretty steady work, we told the patients good-bye and reloaded everything for the long trek back; about 7 hours.  So now we have seen and even swam in the Caribbean Sea, and we have roughed it with some marginal equipment, and we are all exhausted, and all blessed.  We hope that our efforts make a difference in Heavenly Father's family.  We truly are no more strangers and foreigners in His kingdom.