Hospitalito Atitlán Blog

The Centro de Salud gave a talk on family planning during the monthly Maternal Infant Sponsorship meeting.  During the meeting, volunteer obstetrician Dra. Sharan Abdul Rahman answered questions with the help of Dra Maggie Jolley. It was a slow process as all questions and answers had to be translated from Tz’utujil to Spanish by Hospitalito Atitlán’s social worker Chenta Chavajay, and then from Spanish to English by Dra. Maggie, and then back again.  The class went very well and was enjoyed by all. Please consider sponsoring a pregnant mother…   for just $25 a month, you can really make a difference and a healthy outcome. http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html

Today the fire hoses were tested on the back side of the Hospitalito.

 Staff at Hospitalito Atitlán received a day of training in the new education room. Topics included vaccinations, the incidence of maternal death in Sololá and family planning. The presentations were lead Public Health lecturer Lic. Mariflora Castro M. and by Dr. Francisco Mendez. In the photo above, Dr. Mendez uses a tool developed by the Japanese to explain the female anatomy to the father and pregnant woman. Tono is wearing the apron, which has a pouch where medical personnel can insert drawings that show the development of the baby.

Today was a thank you and goodbye lunch for the construction workers at the new hospital. The crew number is less than at its peak of 37 workers, but all have been employed to build the hospital for three years. An old wheelbarrow was used to grill steak and everyone enjoyed avocado, rice, vegetables, tortillas and hot sauce. None in the group had ever had three years of continuous work.  They did a beautiful and fantastic job.

Thanks to David and his crew at the Posada de Santiago for the successful Hospitalito Atitlán Halloween FUNdraiser! $445 was raised and a great time was had by all ages. Thanks to the restaurants, hotels and shops in Santiago Atitlán and Panajachel that donated items for the auction and especially to everyone who so generously supported the bar. 

These three wonderful people are some of the first to volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán. In 2005, just weeks before the grand opening of Hospitalito Atitlán in Panabaj they came to volunteer with members of their churches, the Cranesville and West Springfield United Methodist in Pennsylvania.  Cyndi Howland, Debbie and Denny Hills painted, waxed floors, installed sheetrock, built a darkroom, hung curtains, built shelving and more at the old hospital. In 2008, many of the same group returned to dig giant holes for the foundation of the new hospital, and add a kitchen to the temporary hospital in Tzanchicham.

Imagine their surprise when they arrived this weekend. It was great to see them.  They brought baby blankets, clothing and hats made by the women in their church. We look forward to when more of the group visits again. 

Robert S. Carlsen published, “The War for the Heart and Soul of a Highland Maya Town” in 1997, after 15 years of research into the religious society of Santiago Atitlán.   A revised edition out this year looks at how SA has fared since the end of the civil war. Carlsen has generously donated royalties from the new book to Hospitalito Atitlán. Santiago Atitlán artist Angelika Bauer created the cover art. Thank you Prof Carlsen. To learn more and to purchase your copy- http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/carw2p.html