December Days

As I finally begin my December blog, I remembered an important event from the month of November.  We treat the children from eight orphanages, three of them are sponsored by Guatemala City, or the municipalidad.  The mayor's wife, Patricia Arzu, has a special interest in the children in the city. She sponsored a recognition luncheon for people who help the children, and she invited the three dental couples.  It was held at the Children's Museum and began with a program featuring children.
A choral group from Zone 18, one of the poorest and toughest parts of the city, performed and sang Christmas songs without accompaniment but with  choreography. It was obvious those girls loved to sing and loved their director.
Next was a children's band made up of boys ranging in age from eight to eighteen.  Some of the kids were good musicians and they all played well, but the most entertaining was one little guy who played the big bass drum.  He couldn't even see over his drum and could hardly be seen either, so he stood sideways. Then the mayor's wife came on stage and gave an appreciation speech and handed out door prizes.  I was really impressed with her as she spoke of service to the children as service to God.  

After the program we went outside to the grounds of the museum where a marimba band played and a luncheon was served.  It was beautiful music, typico food, and a perfect day. The mayor's wife came and personaly thanked us and posed with us for a picture.  The landscaping around the museum was interesting with pathways winding around mounds of grass covering something possibly ruins.  They made navigation and table arrangement kind of tricky, but those hills are Mayan ruins that haven't been excavated or restored yet.


              Another important part of the month was a trip to Melchor de Mencos, located on the border of Guatemala and Belize.  Origanally we were going into Belize because there was a large group of young men and women who needed dental exams and treatment to prepare for their missions.  As we made contact with the Belize government to get visas and permission to enter the country and practice dentistry there, we finally decided not to go.  They required receipts for all the equipment and supplies that we took into the country, so they could tax it.  Then we were told that we would have to pay a fee to leave also.  Almost all our compressors, generators, chairs and X-ray equipment and supplies are donated, so we couldn't present the receipts even if we were willing to pay the fees to enter and leave.  We decided to stay in Guatemala in Melchor de Menco, on the border.  Patients from Belize just had to cross over a bridge to get there.  We were joined by three dentists who were member of a volunteer group called "Hershey Smiles."  On Sunday we went to church and had fun listening to the talks. Our group was very large with six dentist and wives and another couple for security. Since the chapel was overflowing,  the members insisted that we sit while they stood.  Afterward, we decided that their chapel wasn't large enough to be the clinic so we headed to another LDS church building a couple of blocks away and set up there.  We worked Monday through Wednesday.  Monday morning was supposed to be reserved for the Belize group of 16, but they were late and rather than sit around, we decided to treat anyone who came. People in the neighborhood trickled in at first, maybe a bit skeptical, but soon we had a line out the door waiting.  The next two days we were greeted by a large group of people when we got there in the morning.  On Wednesday afternoon we told those who were still waiting that we could only treat their two worst problems.  It is hard for me to see that, because they want to get rid of pain, so we pull a tooth in the back of the mouth and ignore the obvious cavities in the front.  But they don't care because it's free and they aren't hurting anymore.  That evening when we finished loading all the equipment, we were starving and headed to Pollo Express for chicken, coleslaw and French fries.  While we were eating, people came up to us and asked, "Are you the dentists?"  "Can you help my son?"  We told them we had just finished, but we would be back in six months or so.  They were disappointed, but said they would wait.

     We left there and went home by way of Tikal, the most famous Mayan archeological site in Guatemala located in the far Northeast of the country.  Tikal was the largest Mayan city of about 100,000 people and existed from about 300 to 900 AD.
No one knows what happened that this site was abandoned, but theories include drought, wars, disease and other guesses.  Now there are hundreds of the mysterious mounds covering ruins with only a small part restored including five temples and stellas and a central plaza area with altars for sacrifices and ceremonies.
We hired a tour guide to take us around and show us the sites and tell us about what we were seeing.  The highlight for me was when we were in the plaza, a Mayan family was there worshipping.  They layed their fire makings which took at least half an hour. They had corn, honey, candles of six different colors and other things that we couldn't see well enough to know what they were.

When they finally finished, they lit the fire and a Mayan lady chanted prayers from a large book.  I think some or a lot of the liquid she poured on was alcoholic because it went up fast.    These are some of the pix I sneaked during the preparation; we were asked not to take any during the prayer.
     On one of the temples there are stairs going up to the top, but no one is allowed to go up there anymore sine someone fell and died.  But on one of the other temples they have built a scaffolding with stairs and rails to take people up safely.  I was impressed that only a small part of theis city has been restored, and our guide explained, that keeping the jungle from overgrowing the city again is a huge task.  So restoring and maintaining the Tikal site is expensive.  We stayed in a hotel with mosquito netting although we were there when the nets weren't necessary.  At night and in the early morning we heard the howling monkeys, but we never saw one.  The same with the quetzal birds, we heard them but only in the diatance.  I wonder if they have a recorded sound track they play.  We also did not see the famous jaguars.  In the afternoon a group of us decided to take a bus to another ruin, Yakha, about an hour's drive away on a lake.  Half way into the trip through the jungle we were stopped by road construction and we were told that we could pass in about 45 minutes.  This road was not the best and definately not safe to travel after dark which it would have been on our trip back if we waited, so we turned around and drove back.  They said they couldn't return our entrance fee because it had already been picked up, so they gave us a ticket to the small museum instead.
     When we left, we decided to go home by way
of Coban because Anna Lee had heard about an apron tienda there.  We got lost on the way and ended up making the trip longer.  We had to take a ferry across the river which was another part of the adventure, a long wait, but a short ride.  On the other side we were near Coban.  As always we see beautiful scenery along the way and drive through little towns along the way where people are selling or shopping on market days.  I love to see the children and the fruitstands.  In Coban we parked, jumped out of the cars and headed different directions to help Anna Lee on her quest for the mystical apron.  No one knows exactly what she's looking for, so not surprisingly, we didn't find one, and sadly, neither did she.  We headed back to the city empty handed.
     Dec 12
 





The Primary President asked me if I would teach her to make Christmas cookies.  I said I would and asked her where and when would be good. Of course, she doesn't speak very much English and I speak even less Spanish, so after a minute or two I realized she was asking me to teach the Primary children how to make Christmas cookies.  I decided to make the sugar cookie dough and different colored frosting at home so the kids could get started right away.  I also made peanut butter cookie dough so the kids could also make the chocolate kiss cookies while they were waiting for the rolling pins and the cookie cutters. We met on a Wednesday afternoon at the church and about 20 kids came along with about 8 moms.  We washed hands and got started.  Some of the kids were more interested in eating the dough than making cookies.  One problem that we had was that we only had one oven and so we got behind on the baking part.  Eventually everyone made about 6 cookies, and the moms baked the remaining dough and took home the extras.
 

 We kept up the Wilcox Christmas caroling tradition when we took the sister missionaries to five homes in their areas.  It is amazing to go into the homes and see the way they live.  The have simple furniture usually only a table and chairs in the kitchen and more wooden chairs in the living room if they have one.  One family was having abirthday party in their home/tienda. We visited one crippled old man and his grandsons.  He was very happy to see us.  He asked about some of his friends at church since he was no longer able to attend.  Everyone joined in the singing and we all felt a little Christmas spirit.

   We were invited to a Christmas Posada at the home of a family named Duran.  He is a church employee and his wife and he are from Chile.  They have four sons; three are married living in Japan, Chile and Florida, and the 4th is a student at BYU.  They live in a highrise in a beautiful apartment.  They collect nativity scenes from all over the world and I bet they had 50 in their home.  Bro. Duran had built a replica of Jerusalem and then had a huge nativity scene as part of it.  When everyone finally arrived, (we made the mistake of arriving on time and waited for over an hour for the rest of the people who follow Guatemalan Standard Time).  Sis. Duran brought out four large boxes of scarves, belts, hats and tunics and spread them out on tables.  Then Bro. Duran assigned a role from the nativity to each person.  Everyone went up and created beautiful costumes for themselves with the stuff gathered on the table.  Then as Bro. Duran read the scriptures, everyone acted out  his part in the Christmas story.  Another way to remember the Savior and the true meaning of Christmas.

   At home, we bought an artificial Christmas tree and decorated it with ornaments and bows.  But the favorite part of our Christmas decoration was the chartruse green tinsel tree that Dave and Jenny (our son and daughter-in-law) sent us.  It was about the size of a pizza pan on the bottom, but then spirialed up three feet to the top where it hooked on a pole that ran up the middle.  All our visitors thought it was fantastic.
     During the month of December, we saw firework stands along the streets, and heard fireworks in the evenings and early mornings. But on Christmas Eve we had a fireworks show extraordinaire! We had been told about the fireworks by many people, but we were surprised and amazed.  It started at midnight and lasted until 2:00am with steady, constant fireworks.  Some were small and on the ground like our family 4th of July fireworks, but most were Disneyland-like.  They would rocket to a height above our building and then burst into sparkling, multi-colored stars.  They weren't just one after another, but five or ten at a time in every direction and as far as we could see on the distant surrounding hills.
     We invited the sister missionaries over for Christmas dinner.  Sis, Perez is from Mexico and had

never had dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes or pumpkin pie, so she was really excited and pleased with her first U.S. Christmas dinner.  Her family would have been eating tamales. Sis. Bates is from Wyoming so for her it was tradition and I think she was pleased.  As we talked about gifts we learned that Sis. Bates had received a package from home, but Sis. Perez had nothing.  I went scrounging and found several items which I was happy to donate as gifts to her.   Later that night we had another Christmas dinner of the leftovers from all who live in our apartments.  We had tons to eat just from food that wouldn't fit into people's refrigerators.

Remember November?

Remember November
     I started a post a month ago and have been trying to get on line to finish it ever since, but now, with the stars alligned, I am blogging again, and my November is gone.  I guess I didn't save it.  So I'll begin again.  On November 1, All Saints Day, we celebrated along with everyone in the country.  In Guatemala it's a national holiday and people flock to the cemetery to remember deceased loved ones.  They put flowers on the graves like we do in the States, but times 50.  The other part of the celebration is kite flying.  Mayans believe they can communicate with their departed loved ones using the kites which represent the floating spirits of the dead living in the heavenly realm.  Although people decorate graves with flowers and fly kites all throughout the country, we went on a bus with other senior missionaries to a kite festival in Sumpango, the largest festival in Guatemala.  The festival is held on top of a windy hill in    a large field where teams of people are displaying their 30-50 feet kites   These huge kites are built like the floats in the Rose Parade.
The kites don't fly, but are judged and awarded prizes and receive the honor of having the best kite that year.  School kids fly kites they have made at school, others buy kites at the festival.  The cemetery is down the hill reached by a steep road lined on both sides with vendors selling everything: kites, flowers, clothing, souveners, food, DVD's, shoes, etc.  At the bottom of the hill is the entrance to the cemetery decorated with garlands, wreaths and bouquets of colors.  The crypts are already painted in bright colors, so with all the colorful flowers there, it is spectacular.  The children run around playing and flying kites, but the older people are seriously honoring their dead with prayers and reverence.  We saw one old man who was kneeling near a small stone with a painted name on it.  He didn't put flowers there, but he was cleaning away weeds and dirt.  The experience was beautiful in many ways.

     November was the climax of an interesting presidential campaign in the U.S. and we watched CNN and FOX News to try to know what was going on.  Jenny sent us stickers and buttons. and we wore them and waved them as we watched the conventions together in the James' apartment.  I think all the senior missionaries who live in Victoria Suites were Romney supporters;  if someone wasn't, he didn't let anyone know.  Finally election night came, and again everyone gathered to watch the results.
By 8:00 I could see things weren't going well for Romney, so I went down stairs to our apratment.  As I left some of the people were still holding on to hope, especially Dr. Call.  His son in Colorado is the State Republican Chairman and was confident that Colorado would go for Romney.  Dr. Call was surprised and disappointed more than most.

At about 4:00 am, I woke up and turned on TV just long enough to hear a short excerpt of Romney.s concession followed by Obama's acceptance.  I was a bit gloomy all day, but by evening I'd adjusted and I support our President, our country, and the voice of the people.
     That morning we picked up Carmina, one of our volunteer dental assistants, and I suggested that she be especially nice to Dr. Call because he took the election results hard especially because of Colorado and the fact that the state legalized marajuana.  She was surprised that we were talking freely about who we voted for because in Guatemala people are encouraged not to discuss who they voted for.  There are bulletins on TV informing people that they could not be forced to tell.  She explained that people might suffer consequences like losing their job or even suffer violence if they voted for the wrong person.  I explained that in the U.S. that doesn't happen, and people have freedom of speech to express their views.  It made me realize how blessed we are to live in the United States.

          About this time I received a calling in church.  I was feeling pretty useless and really wanted to have a job.    When the bishop asked me to come to his office, I was excited.  He asked me to be the Primary chorister meaning I would teach the children songs and lead the singing.   I said I'd do it , of course, but I thought, "How?"  I don't know the kids; I don't know how to lead music; I don't sing;  and most of all - I can't speak Spanish.  And the other problem was that the very next Sunday was the Primary Sacrament Meeting program where the kids give talks and sing all the songs they have been practicing for a whole year, and the ones I knew very well in ENGLISH!  That week we had three practices in the afternoon and I left work early to attend.  I made posters and helps mainly for me because the kids knew the songs well and sang beautifully.

Beautiful Cuilapa

    The most serious part was the we were supposed to go on a remote site trip along with a visit to a place called Monte Rico on the coast.  We ended up not going on the fun part and going to the program in our ward, and then heading to Cuilapa, where we set up the chapel as a dental clinic and got things ready for the next three days.   We treated lots of grateful people.  We handed out doll and cars to the kids.  You wouldn't believe the effect those small toys have on the kids.   They calm them down, comfort them, distract them and reward them.  We see the tears and fears disappear instantly.  We worked at break-neck speed until we finished a group of people who had had traveled by bus from a remote village and arrived when we felt like we in the home stretch.  We treated them all and they were grateful.
We treated some twin boys and then their mother, who were not excited excited about going to the dentist, but posed  for a picture when it was all over and they survived.  It sometimes   surprizes me to think how the patients are so happy just to get a filling or a tooth pulled.  They are still smiling and shaking our hands as  they leave with gauze in their mouths.
     We met a guy at our hotel who came up and introduced himself as a member of the church.  He was from Mexico and was a scientist who eradiated medflies so they could not breed.  He said that the medfly is no longer a problem in Mexico because of his work, and he was in Guatemala to eliminate medflies here.  Doesn't that sound a bit like science fiction?  We also saw a young boy who was wearing a Dodger shirt.  I wanted to take his picture, but he went into his room before I could say anything to him.  Wayne wouldn't let me knock on his door for fear he would be scared to death of crazy people.  He probably bought his shirt at Mega Paca, the Deseret Industries of Guatemala.  They are all over the country, and recieve shipments of donated, used clothing from Salt Lake.  We have seen many kids wearing BYU sweatshirs, who just like the warmth or the color, but have no idea what BYU is.
     One day at the clinic we were waiting for the orphans to show up and took a short walk around the neighborhood.  Our clinic is on a road that circles around a Relief Map.  This relief map shows the topography of Guatemala with all the mountains, valleys, rivers and bordering oceans and seas.  It covers at least half a block and has a path built around it so you can see from different angles.  We went to it when we had been here about a month and I really didn't appreciate it then, but now having traveled through the country, I realize how amazingly accurate it is.

The map was constructed in 1905 and is still is considered to be fairly correct especially considering the creator, Francisco Irrisario, didn't have the benefit of Google Earth.  With the weekly earthquakes here and since it was built more than 100 years ago, it's a miracle it is still standing.  On one edge of the map is platform about two stories high that you can climb to get an aerial perspective of the map.  We went there with Pres. Nicolaysen, the President of the Mission Training Center, who was up there with a group  on North American missionaries orienting them to the size and shape of Guatemala.  He was also pointing out the possble sites of the events of the Book of Mormon.  It is a popular tourist attraction and a landmark in the city.  When we tell people how to get to the clinic, we say we are near the Relief Map and they know where we are.

     As we walk on around the circle road, we come to the huge baseball stadium.  It is beautiful with covered seating, a snack booth, manicured field, dougouts and even locker/dressing rooms under the seats.  We walked in and talked to an older man who was the custodian.   We could tell that he was really proud of the facility.  He invited us to attend a game, but most of their games are evening games, and we aren't allowed to be out in the public after dark.  They also have Saturday and Sunday games, and we will probably go to a Saturday game when the weather warms and we aren't working, or traveling, or the stars align, etc.  We miss baseball games.  We developed a strong affinity while we went to baseball games every Saturday for years, and years, and years.  Not to mention the weekday games in the fog and the cold.

Then next door to our clinic on the same road in an amazing Little League field.  Little kids are there almost every afternoon practicing.  Some of the girls from Mi Casa, the orphanage the clinic is part of, play on teams there.  They have invited us to their games, but again they play at times we can't attend.  Part of the problem is that after we have worked there five days aq week we don't feel like going back on Saturday.  But the field and the stadium is better than any I've ever seen except on television at the Little League National Championship.  I like to go over on my lunch break and watch the little kids play.  There are soccer fields every where, but these two fields are the only ones I've seen in Guatemala.
     Our Thanksgiving was fun with all the Senior missionaries gathering together for a feast.  These women know how to cook.  We had about 20 pies, one real turkey and 6 turkey roasts.  Several people made homemade rolls.  We had green bean casseroles, green salads and, of course, I made Jan's pineapple cream cheese salad.  It was a good yime to reflect on our blessings.
We are grateful to be here on this mission.  We are grateful for our health and safety.  We are grateful to have good friends and a wonderful family.  We are so thankful for the opportunity we have to serve this mission.  Everyday we are able to help people feel better, look better, and improve their lives, and at the same time serve God.  We are truly blessed.
   

   

Five Months Today

     I can hardly believe we have been in Guatemala for five months.  We are adjusting still.  Everyone asks me how my Spanish is coming and I have to say I am better.  When I go to church, I understand what is being said about 80% of the time.  If I ask Wayne about what was said, I can get back on course.  Speaking is a different story.  In the clinic I try to make conversation with the patients.  The problem is that I ask my questions and then they answer with a rapid and lengthy response.  I'm often not sure exactly what they said, so we look at each other blankly, and I pray that Wayne will get back to the chair to rescue me.
      The clinic where we work in the city is located on the grounds of the orphanage called Mi Casa.  This orphanage is only for girls age 7 through 25.  Most of the kids leave when they are 18, but they are allowed to stay as long as they are going to school.  These girls have families and they go home sometimes for holidays and vacations.  Right now it is vacation so most of the girls are gone until January.  Sadly there are still many still here and I'm not sure why they didn't go home.  They are bored because they don't have school.  When we drive into the orphanage, the girls all wave and greet us.  Several run along beside the cars and help carry our lunch pails and backpacks.  They help set the chairs up in the waiting room and would stay there the whole day if they were allowed.  When the kids from the other orphanages come, they first watch an educational video and then they get to choose from the movies we have (mostly Disney).  The Mi Casa girls love to come in or climb into the windows to watch too.  I thought you might like to see these darling girls.

     We had some boys for Los Cedros, ages 7 through 15, come in the other day.  We saw three boys who just reminded me of grandsons.  They are handsome, bright, athletic, and funny.  These three boys were 11 and 12 years old, and they are best friends.  They live together and go to school together and play futbol together; more like brothers than friends.  Two of the boys had perfect teeth and we just cleaned and fluorided them.  The third kid, David, had several cavities and an extraction.  His friends came in to watch and cheer him and we told them about our son David, whose nickname was "Dave the Brave."  We told them that they should call their friend "Dave the Brave," because he was so courageous while he was having his tooth pulled.

     This little boy was so cute.  He loved playing with my "Five Little Monkeys."  These monkeys have stiff tails so they can hang from the light, and they have velcro patches on their hands so they can dance and hug and hold hands.  All the little kids love them.  At first I was afraid that they would think that I was giving the monkeys to them, but they knew that they were mine and that I was just lettings them play with them.  They really are a valuable distraction for the kids.

     We went back to Teleman on another remote site visit.  This time we took a different route to get there and went to a town called Rio Dulce.  We stayed at a beautiful hotel on the river called Vinas del Lago and enjoyed relaxing and eating our meals at their outdoor, poolside  restaurant.  They had a small zoo there with some beautiful parrots, two monkeys, several pizotes, two raccoons, and some turtles.  I spent quite awhile trying to get a picture of the monkeys.  The blond monkey was shy and went into its little house the minute it noticed anyone near.  The other monkey ran around the cage so fast that I could get one end or the other. but not a good shot of him.  I think he enjoyed performing for spectators and would take a slightly different route every time around the cage.  Once, when I went to look at the animals, the caretaker was cleaning the cages and feeding the animals.
      On Friday afternoon after we checked in to our hotel and drove out through this beautiful area with rolling hills and valleys.  Brahma cattle grazed in the fields and all the houses had gardens and some were on the edge of large plantations.  Everything was green and the whole area reminded me of Oregon except that the temperature was around 80 degrees.
We drove through this beautiful area to a small farm called Finca El Paraiso.  After a short hike along a stream where kids were playing and their moms did the washing we reached our destination:  a wide waterfall falling about 30 feet from a hot springs and into a pond.  We swam across the pond, stood on the rocks, and enjoyed a warm and strong shower.  Afterwards we went back to the hotel, showered, ate dinner and then played Mexican Train until the mosquitoes arrived.
     The next morning we got up early and headed to the dock just down the hill and headed out on Lake Izabel where our boat and our tour guide was waiting for us.  In a few minutes we were on the Rio Dulce and saw the Castillo do San Felipe de Lara which was built as a fortress to guard the entrance to the river. At one time it was used as a prison and now is just a tourist attraction in a park.

     We traveled along the river headed to the Caribbean Sea and saw some interesting sites along the way.  As we traveled under the bridge in Rio Dulce we saw many huge beautiful yachts bearing names and locations from many of the states back home.  We were surprised how few boaters, skiers and sailors we saw, but we saw beautiful birds and flowers along the way.  We went into a small lagoon where we saw three small canoes paddled by children approaching us.
Their boats were filled with hand made wood carvings, spoon, bowls, key chains, etc.  They were firm on their slightly high prices and would not barter.  We bought a couple of things, but as soon as they saw we were not going to pay their prices, they took off to surround the next boat.  Why weren't those children in school?

     Next we went to a place called Ak-tenekmet, a school for local children.  We didn't see any kids there because we came on a Saturday.  We did go into their camp and saw the school and the place where they eat.  It's very old, dirty and primitive, but if the children learn it's a blessing.  It is staffed by a director and volunteers from all over the world who come to Guatemala to work for months or years.

The interesting part of the camp was a dental boat which belonged to Rotary.  It is manned by volunteer dentists who come down to work for weeks.  The boat goes to villages along the river and treats people who can't get to or afford dental care.  No dentists were there when we came to check it out, but we went into the treatment area to see what was there.
     Next we went to the mouth of the river as it flowed into the Caribbean Sea to a town called Livingston on the north side of the river.  This town, only accessible by boat, is very small with the people there as the main attraction.  They are of the Garifuna culture, only found in Livingston and in Honduras.  They are a mix of Black survivors of a wrecked Spanish slave ship from Nigeria, Arawakan Indians from Brazil, and Mayans. They called themselves "Black Caribs" and lived in a small remote area during the 1700's.  There are about 4,000 Garifuna still living in Livingston.  We ate lunch at a small restaurant called the The Happy Fish and walked through the village.  We didn't hear their music or chanting or see anyone dancing in their West African style.  Maybe that's only part of the night life.  We did see several pelicans and saw a couple of dock workers wearing reggae hats, but nothing that made us suspect voodoo or cannibalism, two of the legends associated with Livingston.
     After the recreation was over then it's was time for work.  On Sunday morning we loaded up and headed to Teleman.  This time we traveled a different route to get there, and the road was bumpy. curvy, and narrow, but not scary or dangerous.  We drove through beautiful country and stopped for church at a small branch along the way. We all took our Spanish hymn books, but were surprised when they sang in Kekchi.  Everyone was very friendly, and they made an announcement inviting them to come to Teleman for dental work, and many made the hour-long bus trip the next day.  We continued on through the Polochic Valley and arrived at the Teleman Branch just about the time their meetings were ending so we had lots of help setting up all the chairs, sterilization, education, etc. so we would be ready early Monday morning.
     We had a visiting dentist and his wife helping on this trip, Brent and Janet Harris from Ohio.  They had been in the clinic for about three days before our trip and had stayed in our building, so we got to know them pretty well, and  they were delightful.  We were hoping they would come on a mission and serve with us in Guatemala, but they are already committed to a mission call in Ohio at the Bishop's Storehouse and felt they needed to stay there.  Janet and I were friends instantly and I hope we'll see them again someday.

     We also had the Spradlins and their daughter Natalie helping.  The Spradlins are missionaries in the area and Natalie was visiting them from the states.  Natalie took over the job of sterilization which makes a tremendous difference in our efficiency.  We just take her all the dirty instruments and then pick up a new tray with clean ones.  That is amazingly helpful and helped us treat more patients. We also had two darling girls from Utah, Ashley and Cassara, who were just on a humanitarian trip by themselves in Guatemala and heard about our clinic and offered their help.  They took over the job of giving fluoride treatments to all the children and again sped up the process allowing us to treat more patients.  Stace and Jacque Kirk, senior missionaries over safety joined us and spent their time adjusting and repairing the compressors and entertaining and controlling the people waiting to be seen. Together we were able to treat 189 people.

     We made a special trip to the hotel where we stayed the last time to invite the owner to come.  She came the last time and got there at noon and we already had 50 people at the door so they turned he away.  This time she came with her four boys and they had plenty of work to be done.  We treated the youngest boy and the mom, but the three boys who needed it the most refused to open their mouths out of fear of the injection.  They agreed to have their teeth fluorided and that's all.  On the other hand we have little kids who jump in the chair and just cooperate to the fullest.  Dr. Johnson had one patient, an old lady, who had 27 teeth pulled.  I wanted to tell those cowardly boys to go check out what will surely happen to them, but we didn't.  It would have embarrassed the lady, and it probably would have scared the boys more.

     On the way home we traveled out of the valley the shorter way, but along the dangerous road.  It winds through the heights over the river far below.  It is so narrow that when cars and huge trucks meet someone has to yield.  The views are beautiful, but the ride is hair raising.  We hit one bump that made the car dramatically and suddenly list, making me bump my head on the window.  I actually had a knot there for a day or two.  I doubt if the shorter route saves time because we have to drive so slowly.  I will strongly advise against that route again.
     One of the major events of the last month was a traffic accident we were involved in.  Wayne wasn't driving, but we were passengers in the back seat.  We were stopped at a light, the light changed to green and as we entered the intersection, we saw a motorcycle come flying from the right.  We stopped, but the motorcycle's handlebar clipped the front headlight and caused the motorcycle to go down.  A passenger on the bike went flying and was taken to the hospital.
The rest of us waited at that intersection for over an hour while the police took information and we waited for the lawyer from the insurance company to come.  Dr Johnson was taken to the police station where the drivers of the motorcycle and our car were arrested. Then we went to the hospital to see the condition of the motorcycle passenger, and then we went to the courthouse for a judge to determine what should be done.  Bond was set and both drivers were released, but forbidden to drive, or leave the country, and told that a trial date would be sent to them.  Meanwhile both the motorcycle and the car were impounded and kept as evidence in the case.  We we told by Jorge, who is in charge of the mission cars, that when and if we ever get the car back, it will probably be stripped.   The accident happened at about 6:15 and we finally got home 1:00 AM.
     We got back in the routine when we returned and treated the orphans trying to get their work done before they go home for the months of  November and December.  School's out for those months
so we have fewer patients then.  Some of the children who are true orphans stay, but most are gone.  The ones left at Mi Casa love to come to the clinic and "help" us, and they do to a certain point.  They carry our things from the car, or take out the trash, and open the gates for us, but they also love to dance, play games on my phone, watch movies, blow up patient gloves, etc.  At some point, we have to send them outside until the next day.  They are really bored when school is not in session.
 
     Halloween is not a big deal in Guatemala.  We started a "Boo Activity" in our building that was about the only celebration we saw at all.  We filled a small bag with stickers, candy and a small pumpkin and left it with instructions to hang a notice on their door stating that they had been booed and then they should pass it on.  Everyone quickly played the game and within a week every door had a "Boo" sign hanging on their door.  Jenny sent us all the stuff including a small ghost cookie cutter, so on Halloween, I made sugar cookies with mini chocolate chips for the eyes and put some at every door.

     So long til next post.  Don't forget us - we remember those we left behind every day.  Elder and Sister Wilcox

Note:  I believe we forgot to post a blog that we had written in mid-September.  I am re-posting it just in case.  Look at the previous ones to see.  Thanks