The Coopers in Guatemala

Final Reflections / One-Way Tickets

2010-07-17T08:27:00.005-06:00

In terms of material possessions, Carey and I are leaving Guatemala tomorrow with less than when we arrived. In terms of lessons learned, however, we return to the States richer than we could have ever imagined.

Most Important Lessons Learned:
1. It's all about family, friends and faith. The rest is just details.
2. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
3. When you know your neighbors, it's a lot easier to love them.
4. When you learn another's language, you acknowledge their worth.
5. All the "things" you really need can fit into two suitcases and a carry-on.
6. There is great joy in giving.
7. God is SO much bigger than we realized.
8. If given the opportunity to drive a chicken bus, take it!
9. Personal hygeine is overrated ; )
10. As a good life rule, beware of foods that start with "ch..." (especially chicharron, which is pig skin)

What We'll Miss Most:
1. Those who have become our Guatemalan family, especially Lety
2. Playing with children at the preschool
3. Greeting neighbors in the street
4. The generosity of those who have so little
5. Inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables and inexpensive services (e.g., $2 haircuts and $15 computer repairs)
6. Joking around with the clinic staff (except the blank stares, of course, which usually followed Jay's attempts at humor in Spanish).

What We Won't Miss:
1. Roosters!
2. Bed bugs and mosquitoes
3. Fear of water (Did you disinfect that??!!)
4. Black beans and corn tortillas at every meal
5. Chicken bus fumes during the long commute to the clinic
6. "Fijase que..." (which always proceeded bad news)

U.S. To-Do List:
1. Hug our family and friends
2. Flush a whole roll of toilet paper (just because we can!)
3. Drink water straight from the faucet
4. Eat Tex-Mex until we're sick
5. Take a bath (Carey); continue to avoid bathing (Jay)
6. Go to Sonic between 2-4 p.m. to enjoy a happy hour Route 44 Cherry Limeade
7. Share our experiences with anyone who will listen

The Salud y Paz staff gave us a beautiful sendoff with hymns, heartfelt songs, and communion.
The "guardian" of the SYP clinic, Tomin, his wife, Micaela, and their son, Tomas

The preschool cook, Sebastiana, and teachers, Mary and Paulina

We both shared our appreciation for and love of those who make up Proyecto Salud y Paz

At the end of the service, Juan presented us with a beautiful, homemade wall hanging. And although they have so little, every single staff member gave us a gift. To say the least, their generosity was overwhelming.

One-Way Tickets

Every journey has to come to an end, and it now time for us to leave Guatemala. We fulfilled a life-long dream by learning Spanish and living and working in a developing country, leaving us with happy hearts and cherished memories. The lessons we learned here will forever influence the way we live our lives. It is for this reason that we have decided to make this country and its people the primary recipient of our giving for the rest of our lives.

To those of you who have supported us through your generous giving, encouraging words, and ongoing prayers, we are eternally grateful. We could not have done this work without you.

Dios les bendiga siempre (God bless you always).

Salud y Paz,

Jay & Carey

Mi Casa Es Su Casa

2010-07-11T07:48:00.004-06:00

Carey and I were recently invited into the home of our friend Sebastiana, who works as the cook at the preschool. She is one of the hardest-working and nicest people we have met here. If she lived in the States, we are convinced that she would be the C.E.O. of a major company. In order to support her family (husband and five kids) AND finish school (she went back to get her degree and is currently in the 4th grade), Sebastiana wakes up at 4:30 a.m. each day to travel an hour and a half to get to the school. And get this - she had us over for lunch last Saturday to thank US for our work with the project.

Carey and I were so impressed that Sebastiana was willing to invite us over despite her family's poverty. It was humbling to be in her house and receive such hospitality. I can't imagine how much it cost them to buy so many drinks and cook so much food for us. We initially tried to explain to her the week before that we are vegetarians - but I guess it was lost in translation. Carey wanted so much to make a good impression that she ate BEEF for the first time in 10 years! From here on she will be known as Carney.

Sebastiana also gave both of us purses (mine is more of a European carry-all). Her acts of generosity were extremely inspiring to us. How can someone with so little give so much? Hmmm....

Passing of the Torches:
It's official: Carey's replacement Janet has arrived and is the NEW Susana Wesley Preschool Director!
It's also clear that Jay is extremely happy to pass the sacred team folder (and all the duties that go with it) to his successor Wayne. Wayne is with his first team today and no doubt will learn the ropes fast.

The biggest reason it's easy for us to leave next week is because we know we have really incredible people filling our shoes here. Best of luck and vaya con Dios, Wayne and Janet!
Peace,
Jay

Going to the Chapel...

2010-06-27T10:13:00.002-06:00

We got to attend our first Guatemalan wedding recently and it was quite the marathon fiesta. An hour and a half civil ceremony was followed by an hour and a half religious ceremony which was followed by many, many hours of eating, speeches, dancing, and more eating.
The happy couple: Edwin (who works in the Salud y Paz clinic lab) and his beautiful bride Fabiola. The religious ceremony was actually pretty similar to the ones we're accustomed to in the States except they do this cool thing where they wrap the groom in the bride's veil.
Of 250+ people there were only 3 of us gringos. For the first time in my life I was the tallest person in the room (actually, our friend Heather is a little taller than me - OH, the injustice!)
Carey and I received a great honor from Edwin & Fabiola: they asked us to be the Padrinos del Pastel, meaning we bought the cake for the wedding. I told the Priest to refer to me as the Sugar Daddy, but he wouldn't go for it. Geez, talk about uptight. To any extent, it was a bigger deal than we expected b/c we processed in with the bride and groom and then sat by them throughout the ceremony. Here's one tradition I know most couples wish would fail to translate across cultures.
As Sugar Daddy & Mama we got to serve everyone cake. I saved a 1/2 pound piece for us then proceeded to go into a sugar-induced coma.
Congratulations Edwin & Fabiola!!
Peace,
Jay

If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy

2010-06-13T11:15:00.004-06:00

Like most non-profits in Guatemala and around the world, Project Salud y Paz has discovered that if you want to ensure the future success and development of a nation, you invest heavily in one group of people: the women. Sociologists and others could explain why this is better than I, but from what I've seen over the past two years its the women who are the most serious about growing healthy families, building solid economies, and establishing peaceful relationships with others. When loaned money, they pay back the loans with interest. When they learn new things, they pass this knowledge on to their children and families. When they're given big responsibilities, they know it is a rare opportunity that they must take advantage of.
Towards those ends, Salud y Paz has formed the Amigas group. The Amigas is an ever-growing group of local Mayan women who meet regularly to learn about health care, economic sustainability, education, and personal empowerment.
The Amigas are led by a Methodist pastor named Juan Ixtan (he's wearing the hat). Here he is teaching the women how to make basic home health care remedies with things they already use everyday. There is one man who is in the Amigas program, but we all know he's just there to pick up chicks.

The best thing about the Amigas is the confidence it gives those who participate. It has been amazing to me to see super-shy Mayan women join only to become vocal and confident leaders within the year. For the first time in their lives they are learning about the opportunities and rights they have within their families and their world.

This is Maria Xirom. She joined the Amigas over a year ago and has really come into her own. When I first met Maria she barely looked at me in the eyes and now she likes to joke around with us and even got a job with Salud y Paz working in the pharmacy. She wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning to take almost a 2-hour bus ride to get to work. It's her drive to give her children and herself a better life that motivate her. You go girl!

"Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, "She doesn't have what it takes." They will say, "Women don't have what it takes."

-Clare Boothe Luce

Peace,

Jay

THE END IS NEAR!!!

2010-05-30T10:03:00.005-06:00

Or so say the ancient Mayans, groups of extremely anxious doomsday sayers around the world, and of course, actor John Cusack. Unfortunately, you and I are going to be hearing a lot more about the END OF THE WORLD for two more years. That's right, folks, the world is going to end in December, 2012.

The ancient Mayans, of whom Guatemalans claim their ancestry, used a very unique and interesting way of counting days, and according to the cyclical Long Count Calendar, our days are up in 2012. Hollywood, in normal fashion, has

jumped all over the upcoming hysteria with the movie, '2012' (just as they did in the year 2000 - remember those duds?)
I'm not quite sure why human beings are so obsessed with the world ending, and especially why so many want it to end in such dramatic fashion (fireballs from space, flesh-eating locusts, etc. etc.). There seems to be, however, something in us that craves some sort of end or resolution to time - even the ancient Egyptians and more recently the ancient Maya had calendars that "ended."
Don't worry though, according to conversations I've had with people who read and understand the Popul Vuh (Mayan bible), the world isn't necessarily ending around Christmas 2012, it's just "starting over." Good luck to everyone! ; )

Or maybe it IS the end!? As you may have heard, 2012 started early in Guatemala. Several days ago Pacaya Volcana erupted, spewing inches of ash all over Guatemala City and the airport runway, killing 3 people (this is the volcano where Carey and I roasted marshmallows).

Then 3 days ago the rains started and haven't stopped yet (from Tropical Storm Agatha). In my village of Panjachel the lumber yard and a few homes couldn't withstand the force of the river. Mudslides and flooding have killed over 20.
The worst news came last night when I had to cancel the surgery team which was supposed to start work today. Now 80 people will not receive the operations they needed. I literally felt like crying as I made the calls to give them the bad news. Ugh - the poor just can't catch a break sometimes.

THE END IS NEAR!
Unfortunately for Carey and me the end really is near. With mixed emotions we leave Guatemala on July 18th. It has been an amazing and life-changing journey but the time has come to return to the States and jump back into our careers, bringing with us what we've learned and many cherished memories. It's not goodbye, though, just "see you later."

Peace,
Jay

How Do You Spell S-u-s-t-a-i-n-a-b-i-l-i-t-y?

2010-05-22T14:29:00.006-06:00

Carey and I want to make ourselves obsolete in Guatemala. Since we arrived here, an important aspect of our mission has been long-term sustainability. It goes back to the old saying, "Catch a fish for a man and you've fed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you've fed him for a lifetime." We've always known that Project Salud y Paz belonged in the hands of Guatemalans, not gringos, and so it is our hope that within a few years this will become a reality.

This is Jose. He has been with the project for several years now, first as a driver and registrar, then as a pharmacist, and now as the Team Host-in-Training. I have been training Jose to eventually take over the management of our mission teams, and so far he's done a great job. I guess it doesn't hurt that he's fluent in English, Spanish and K'iche.

This is Mary. She's one of the most natural teachers Carey and I have ever seen. She was the first teacher Carey hired and will eventually be the director of the preschool. Her love for the children and her community plus the speed at which she has learned English make her the perfect choice.

This is Janet and Wayne. When Carey and I leave in July they'll take over our positions. We are super lucky to have them and they're excited to get started. Wayne and Janet will continue training Jose and Mary in order that they'll be prepared to take over for them when they leave in a couple years. It's all about sustainability!

Salud y Paz,

Jay

Raising Arizona?

2010-05-05T13:49:00.003-06:00

Carey and I are moving to Arizona in August. It's unlikely we'll see any of our new friends from Guatemala there.
As you know, Arizona just passed the nation's toughest bill on illegal immigration with the purpose of identifying, prosecuting, and deporting more illegal immigrants. From my understanding, the bill will give law enforcement officers in the state the ability to request citizenship papers from civilians to verify their legal residency (however, apparently the bill was recently amended to say police could only request papers from "suspicious" individuals or individuals whom they've stopped for some other infraction of the law or crime). Many in the US and abroad have responded strongly to this new legislation. For Carey and me, it's become a personal issue as well.
During our time in Guatemala, we have met many wonderful people - some of whom will be our lifelong friends. As we've gotten closer to them, a few of them have revealed that they have either lived in the US or at some point been tempted to cross into the US illegally. These confessions have brought the issue closer to home for me.

Until I lived in a country south of the border, I guess I never thought much about the individual people and families who make up the estimated 12 million illegals currently in the US. They are guys my age without much education who go to find work. They are men desperate to provide for their families. And they are families looking to escape corrupt governments and militaries.
Now, I'm no fool. I also recognize that there are criminals, drug-dealers, and people who will take advantage of the welfare system among them too. And I also recognize that this is a very contentious issue, without any easy answers or solutions. However, I can't help but cringe when I hear lawmakers in Arizona call all illegal immigrants the "bad guys."
I say this only because I recently started thinking about what I would do if I were in their position. Admittedly, this was uncomfortable for me to do, because it made my morality a little less black and white. But Carey and I will have children one day (yes, mom, soon - we promise!), and we'll want to do everything we can to provide them with opportunities (education, health, jobs, safety) to live a happy and well-rounded life. With this thought in mind, the issue comes down to only one question for me: "If I happened to be born on the south side of a border instead of on the north side of a border and desperately wanted to provide these opportunities for my family, would I take the risk of crossing that border in order to ensure that happened - even if I my action would be considered illegal and I would be termed a 'bad guy?'"

Yes, I would.

Peace,
Jay

Children of the Corn

2010-04-22T17:48:00.005-06:00

In Guatemala, corn is king! Mayans have had a very special relationship and history with corn - even from the very beginning:
"In the beginning..." according to the Mayan creation story from the Popol Vuh (the Mayan bible), it took the gods three times to successfully create humans.
1. First try - they made us of dirt. We only spoke "nonsense" (dumb as dirt?), so they let us dissolve. Doh! (parallel this with the creation story from Genesis in the Bible).
2. Second try - they made us of wood. Nope. We just walked around and got nothing done. Wild animals chased us into the forest where we became monkeys (this is why monkeys kind of look like humans - interesting twist on evolution, huh?)
3. Third try - they make us of corn. Success!! "Our flesh is yellow and white ears of maize..." Finally, the perfect being.
The Maize God is the most sacred of deities - get this...it's because he gave his flesh so that humans may live. Is God BIG, or what?

The Maya refer to themselves as people born of a different flesh ("true people"), and I wouldn't doubt if it were actually true based on the amount of corn they consume daily. The average Mayan's diet consists of 50-60% corn (although there are apparently close to 400 different corn-related recipes they use to keep things exciting). Corn tortillas, the real thick, small kind, make an appearance at every meal (God, if I never see another corn tortilla again...), which is why you can't look in any direction this time of year without seeing a corn field.

Here it comes again! Farmers plant the corn during March and April, and then comes the rain (for 6 months), which produces some crazy-mutant-sized cornstalks. "We eat all we can and sell the rest."

Hope you're all well and received HUGE tax-refunds! (subliminal message ~ send a chunk of it to your favorite charity ~)

Love,

Jay

ps - a friend here just told me that she tried corn-flavored ice-cream last week. Yum?

It's All About the Kids

2010-04-09T11:48:00.006-06:00

Back in the day kids didn't spend their summers by attending camp after camp or vacation after vacation - they'd just be hanging out in their neighborhoods. Pastors of local churches would drive around in buses to pick-up these bored kids to bring them to what we call today Vacation Bible School. It was a week of fun, games, and bible songs and lessons for young children.
Well, as you can imagine, children in Guatemala, when they're not working or in school, have very limited options of fun things to do (there are no camps, playgrounds, pools or YMCAs).
So one of the best things our teams do when they visit us is offer a week-long bible school...

During the week, kids sing about God...

...meet new friends...

...and do art projects! This lesson was no doubt about God loving children even if they look like something from my nightmares.

On Monday we usually see around 30 or so kids, but once word gets out about the bible school we end up with over a 100 by Friday.

It's amazing to see how incredibly happy kids can get by simply receiving a .99 cent gift like these small boats that they constructed and painted in March.

VBS is also our chance to brainwash them by teaching them American sports like baseball and football. Any man who has ever watched America's Funniest Home Videos can see exactly where this ball is headed...

We play a few games with our parachute that the kids go crazy for. We usually try to bring games and arts/crafts with us to rural locations also so the children can play while their parents are in seeing the doctor.

The New Playground!

For over a year we've been dreaming of building a playground at our clinic in Camanchaj and now it's finally done!! We went from a bare dirt field...

...to THIS in only 3 days! Thanks so much to the team from The Turning Point UMC in Evansville, IN!

Christening the new slide - whoa! This kid needs practice! (fortunately for us liability forms don't exist in Guatemala : )

Tell me this smile isn't worth a week of hard work and sweat. Giving kids the chance to actually be kids is easily worth its weight in gold.

Carey and I hope you're all well and had a great Easter!

Peace to you,

Jay

How Many Children Is Too Many?

2010-03-22T20:40:00.005-06:00

You are a 29 year-old Mayan woman with 7 children. You and your husband don't use birth control because 1) according to your church it's sinful to do so, 2) your culture tells you that a woman's job is to have children, and 3) if you walk into a local pharmacy and buy condoms word will get out that you're a tramp and sleeping around.
Today is Sunday and you've come to the Salud y Paz clinic to see a surgeon in hopes of having your tubes tied. The decision to have this surgery was a difficult one but there simply doesn't seem to be any other option - there's no way your family can afford to feed another mouth. Despite this, you haven't told your husband or friends what you're doing because you know this news would harm your marriage and perhaps your standing in the community. As you nervously wait outside the operating room the surgeon walks up to you with the news, "I'm sorry, we can't do the operation. You're pregnant."

This very scene played out two weeks ago before my eyes as we hosted a surgery team from California. It was heartbreaking. I felt for this poor woman and her desperate circumstances. It made me think a lot about birth control and how we respond to it as people of faith and as people dealing with situations that are far from black and white.
On one hand, I greatly respect and generally hold the belief that all children are a blessing from God. And I also understand why many Christians (mostly Catholics) choose to not use "artificial" forms of birth control, such as the pill or condoms. In many ways it is a great step of faith to say that each time you have sex you are trusting God's will over your own.
On the other hand, I also believe that sex can be a sacred gift from God and was created for our enjoyment. In our world today, it's also easy to understand why most Christians and non-Christians (in America, at least) choose to use various forms of birth control to "choose" when they become pregnant - affording them greater control over their career choices and family planning.
Whatever your beliefs, the issue raises many difficult questions. If you're against the use of birth control, is the woman in the above example "sinful" for what she was choosing to do? If so, however, which is the greater sin: using birth control or bringing a child into the world that you can't afford to feed? If you support the use of birth control, do you underestimate the blessing that unexpected children can be or have you allowed the ability to control birth turn you into a controlling person? There doesn't seem to be any easy answer - which unfortunately many of us are unwilling or unable to accept. We choose a side and dig in our heels.
In situations like these, perhaps there is another option - doing our best to understand the "other," and choosing to leave the judgment to the only One who is worthy of doing so.

We had patients come from as far away as Tikal (12 hours by bus) for surgery.

Surgery weeks when we operate on children are especially exciting, but also a little nerve-wracking for everyone due to the increased risk of having children under anesthesia.

We were able to repair 5 cleft lips...

...which left us with some very happy and proud parents.

This is why we did 20 hernia surgeries and already have 17 signed up for the surgery team in May.

I honestly thought this thing was gonna jump out of his back and start tap-dancing. Dude had lived with this large mass for 30 years...

...but no longer! Wow, our surgeons kick butt. My boss made me get a new little fridge to keep biopsies b/c last time I just double-bagged the "specimens" in zip-lock bags and put them in the fridge with the food. The staff got a little upset with me. Geez, let's loosen up people : )

As always - peace to you.

Jay

Cloak & Dagger - Guate Style

2010-03-06T12:01:00.004-06:00

I spend many of my Saturdays (including later tonight) at the Guatemala City Airport - palms sweating, heart racing, and with a large wad of cash in my pocket. Why? Because the Guatemalan government wreaks of corruption.
If you have no qualms about screwing your own fellow countrymen, want to know how to make a quick buck? Tax the heck out of incoming medical mission teams, of course. Or worse, take ALL of their meds away. The government here (the Haitian government is now doing this also), after seeing "rich" (read: generous) gringos come into their country with thousands of dollars of medicines every week, finally decided last year that these teams needed to share the wealth, so to speak. So now, every single time I go to pick-up a team, I have to go in to baggage claim and beg, plead, and yes, bribe the officials to allow us to pass. The worst one was late last year when the team leader started crying after customs said they were confiscating every medical suitcase (around 20). God bless the almighty dollar, though, which apparently can change even the hardest of hearts, and the ingenuity of our volunteers, which have taken to hiding medicines in their socks and underwear.
Part of me hopes there is a special place reserved in hell for those who would try to rob the poor of medicines and other necessities just so they can get rich off of it, but another part of me is trying to understand. I guess when you've struggled your whole life to get by financially, you do things you may not do in other situations.
Once, a janitor at a church I worked at was caught stealing money from the church office. I said to my Senior Pastor, "What kind of person steals from a church?" He said something that helped me put it in better perspective, "A desperate one."

Let's all pray for the desperate ones, and keep battling the injustices that put them there.
Peace,
Jay

ps. Please help me pray that all goes well tonight with customs - about 70 Mayans that need surgery certainly are.
UPDATE: ALL of our meds made it through customs!!!

Just the Fax, Ma'am

2010-03-01T20:35:00.003-06:00

The project Carey and I work for continues to grow and bless the people of Guatemala.
2009 by the numbers...
5,800 Medical patients seen by rural mission teams
5,773 Number of lab tests done in our two clinics (3 of these were for Jay's jacked-up stomach)
5,315 Medical patients seen at our two clinics by Dr. Fredy
3,753 Dental patients seen at our two clinics by Dr. Luis (37% were extractions)
1,800 Dental patients seen by rural mission teams
600 Vision patients seen by rural mission teams
240 Surgeries completed by surgical teams (the sawed-off toe was the coolest)
67 Percent of patients that are female
33 Percent of patients that are male
21 Mission teams led by Jay
19 Women trained by the Amigas program in Camanchaj
19 Preschool children graduated in Carey's first class
13 Percent of our patients with respiratory-related complaints
13 Percent of our patients with diabetes or hypertension
11 Percent of our patients with diarrhea-related complaints
10 States represented by mission teams
9 Percent of patients with urinary infections
9 Percent of patients 5 years old or younger
2 Countries represented by mission teams (if you count Canada as a real country)
2 Gringos named Jay & Carey who had the most amazing experience last year

Thanks for checking in, but most of all thanks for supporting us last year. Much of this work could not have been done without your incredible generosity and prayers.
Paz,
Jay

The Eyes Have It

2010-02-21T09:00:00.003-06:00

We do a ton of eye surgeries each year at the clinic for two reasons: 1) older men have worked out in the fields most of their lives without proper eye protection, and 2) older women have been in the kitchen most of their lives without a chimney on their open-flame stoves, causing the smoke to pour into their eyes. This past week, University UMC in San Antonio, TX successfully operated on 50 patients, allowing many of them to see clearly for the first time in many, many years...

We removed cataracts from these three gentlemen. I'm no doctor, but even I can spot a cataract - the eye is completely clouded over...

This is a cataract after being removed. Good thing it didn't have an "M" printed on it or I may have accidently eaten it. Yum!
The surgeons bring new lenses to surgically implant in place of the old, clouded one.

We were also able to operate on 5 children this week. This is Nery and his mom, Esther. Nery attends the preschool and the teachers noticed that because his eyes are crossed he can't properly read or write.

Nery's mom said he was so excited about surgery that he woke up at 1 a.m. for the big day. Esther said that night he prayed, "Please God give me good eyes, and please help the surgeons operate on me." His mom was super nervous.

This is kind of intense, but here's what they did: the surgeons shortened the muscles on one side of his eye in order to stop it from "wandering" to the other side...

...and after just one short hour, both of Nery's eyes are fixed! He loved that we were calling him Spider Man. He came in the next day with a huge smile and his mom, with tears in her eyes, thanked the surgeons.

Here's another little guy we operated on, named Elvis. Before the anesthesia wore off Elvis was like a drunken sailor.

A huge thanks to University UMC for the great work they did in Guatemala last week!

Next up...surgery team from California March 7th (cleft lips, gynecological, and hernia removal). Yee-haw!

Peace,

Jay

Go North Young Woman

2010-02-07T14:53:00.004-06:00

Late last year Salud y Paz received another big gift from above in the form of a 26 year-old nurse named Heather from Minnesota. Heather was working at the Mayo Clinic when she felt God call her to share her talents to help the people of Guatemala. Carey and I and the rest of the SyP staff have really enjoyed getting to know her and are so thankful for all she's already done and plans to do in the coming years...

Heather performed her first miracle by helping me get our operating rooms and surgical storage room ready for our 5 upcoming surgery teams this year...

...you wouldn't believe some of the stuff we found while cleaning up. Holy Pampers! Can you imagine changing this diaper!?

In January Heather coordinated getting Bartola, a 27 year-old disabled woman from Zacualpa, a brand-new and specially-designed wheel chair. Bartola was so happy she couldn't stop smiling (and what a smile it is!)

The really big news is that Heather will be opening our new clinic in Cunen (about 3 hours from the clinic Carey and I work out of). She'll travel up to this isolated town twice a month for 2-3 days at a time. The people of Cunen are SO excited about finally received regular medical care and medication.

It may not look like much from the outside, but inside it's our nicest and best-designed clinic. Please pray for Heather as she makes this long journey each month and gets to know the people of Cunen. You can follow her adventures at http://nowthatihaveseen.spaces.live.com

Vaya con Dios, Heather!

In other news...

I've been with teams now for 16 straight days and am pretty whooped, but in that time Carey and the team from Florida opened the preschool for year two, Jay and the two construction teams built new patient bathrooms and nearly finished the new office space for the preschool workers, and the Bible school teams had a great time with hundreds of local children over the past two weeks.

Prayers are appreciated for: the new clinic opening, the surgery team coming on Saturday from San Antonio, Carey's interviews in the States, and the children of Guatemala as they begin another school year.

Through His Eyes

2010-01-20T19:12:00.003-06:00

I just spent about an hour hanging out with a local man, Adolfo, who is also the gardener for the grounds where Carey and I live. We've become friends recently, and tonight the subject of God came up. He asked me if I believed in God and I said I did, and he went on to say that so many people in the world don't anymore. He then told me a little about his story: his father had committed suicide when he was 5, and then his mom died of cancer when he was 7. His four sisters were placed with friends around town, but when he was 13 he rescued two of them out of the home they were living in because he heard they were being mistreated. He was working full-time then and had saved enough money to get a small place for him and his two sisters. He's worked full-time ever since, and is about to complete his high school (diversificado) degree (he takes classes on the weekends). He's now 25 years old, with a wife and 3 children of his own. He just barely scrapes by every month.
After telling me all this, something he said caught me a little off guard; he said, "So many poor people here in Guatemala believe in God and say 'Thank you for this food,' 'Thank you God for this job,' and 'Thank you Lord for my health.' What I don't understand is, why don't more people in the United States believe in God? Wouldn't they be the most thankful of all?"

I've always struggled to understand how people, like those in Guatemala and especially those in Haiti now, can seemingly have so little to be thankful for and to believe in and yet, often times seem to be the most thankful and have the most steadfast belief? It makes me wonder... why is it that the things that you and I so desire to have, once attained, turn out to be the things that end up distracting us most from what we really need?

Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." While living in Guatemala, I've learned that true treasure is rarely shiny, and there is one thing that I must never, ever forget: always be in need - it's good for the soul.

Peace friends,

Jay

Methodist Leaders Die from Quake

2010-01-17T13:32:00.002-06:00

More sad news from Haiti...the man who trained Carey and me for our mission in Guatemala, Clinton Rabb, Director of Volunteers in Mission, died this morning from wounds sustained when his hotel collapsed during the earthquake. We hadn't heard anything from Clinton, or Sam Dixon, the Executive Director of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), until two days ago when a report was issued that they had both survived the quake, despite being trapped under rubble for 55 hours. The reports, however, turned out to be premature.
We're sad to lose our Methodist brothers, who have worked tirelessly to share the love of God by reaching out to and providing for the neediest in our world. Please pray for the families they leave behind, and especially for those Sam and Clinton so desired to help - the people of Haiti.
Peace,
Jay

ps - perhaps the most effective prayer is the one that's followed up with a generous donation to one of the many relief organizations in Haiti (Red Cross, World Vision, Salvation Army, UNICEF, International Relief Teams, among many others). Research charities before donating at www.charitynavigator.org. The best charities give around 90% or more of your donation directly to those in need (instead of towards administration, etc.)

Reverse Culture Shock

2009-12-13T11:48:00.004-06:00

Carey and I are back in the States for the holidays and it's been a weird adjustment. I must say that, as great as it's been to be with our families and friends here, at times I find myself really missing our life in Guatemala. In the short time we've been back, I've made a few observations about myself and being an American:
1. We are way too busy.
You know something's wrong when half the people in church leave before the last song is over so they can beat the traffic out of the parking lot. I nearly got knocked over by some old lady!
2. Being able to flush your toilet paper is soooo underrated!
3. Being expected to take a shower everyday is soooo overrated!
4. Many of us have a ridiculous sense of entitlement.
I would say the biggest difference between an American and a Guatemalan is that the American expects he is entitled to certain things (money, job, health care, safety, happiness, etc.) and the Guatemalan would count each of these things as blessings, not rights.
5. Can you say, "sticker shock!?"
Carey went to get a haircut recently and I found myself literally angry at the stylist when she told us what it would cost. I guess what someone once said is true, "It's expensive to be alive" (especially in the U.S.).
6. Football is a far superior sport to futbol. (can I get an "Amen!?")
7. Dear fellow Americans: is it really that hard to look someone else in the eye and say hello every once in a while?
8. PTCS: Post Traumatic Chickenbus Syndrome - it takes a while to remember that not all drivers are not out to kill you.
9. Where is everyone?
I think the thing I miss most about Guatemala is the people - there are literally people everywhere...all the time. They're outside my casita, at the market, in the streets, stuffed in vehicles, and on the mountainside working...and I miss seeing them.
10. I feel funny.
Since being back I've sort of felt like a small town boy making his first visit to the big city. I went into a mall recently and felt like I was on crack from the overstimulation.
11. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.
You just can't beat being with family and friends around the holidays : )

Carey and I hope you're all doing well and also able to spend some good, quality time with those you love most this season.
Peace,
Jay & Carey

On to Bigger and Better Things (like 1st Grade)

2009-11-26T08:52:00.007-06:00

Carey's preschool just celebrated their first ever graduation! Eighteen students from the Susanna Wesley Preschool graduated at a very special ceremony held recently in Camanchaj. Decked out in robes and homemade construction paper hats with tassels, the students received their "diplomas" from a very proud Directora.

One of our honor students, Jennifer Karina, looking ready for first grade, which she'll start in February at the Camanchaj public school.

The parents presented a special gift to the preschool, which will hang outside of the classroom for years to come as a reminder of our first graduating class.

Karla Alessandra and mother, Kristina, one of our lab techs, pose for a picture after graduation. Carey printed family photos on the spot with a printer donated by one of our medical teams. The families were thrilled!

Our last day of school! Carey and preschool teachers, Mary and Paulina, will miss this great group of students dearly, but they are so proud of all they have accomplished this past year...

Happy Thanksgiving!
May each of you continue to be blessed with health, peace, and most importantly, friends and family that love and care for you.
Dios Les Bengida,
Jay & Carey

Stick a Fork in Me...

2009-11-19T09:21:00.004-06:00

I just finished hosting our 22nd and last mission team for 2009, and although I'm super tired I also feel super fulfilled.
22 Teams
320 Volunteers
Thousands of patients (medical and dental)
Hundreds of surgeries
7 Construction projects completed
2 Tired but very blessed gringos living in Guatemala

Our vision teams hand out a standard-sized round frame to all vision patients. If you look closely you can see that the glasses look exactly like Harry Potter's glasses. The week after clinics half the town has turned into wizards : )

I had hundreds of pairs of old-school sunglasses to hand out in San Jorge La Laguna. You would have thought I was handing out pieces of gold. I got swarmed handing out relics from Michael Jackson's closet.

Our docs made a home visit and pulled a MacGyver: they made a leg splint for a man with a fractured leg out of Maxi-Pads and an old cardboard box. Sweeeet.

The kids at El Barranco performed a traditional Mayan dance for us to thank our volunteers for their service. It kind of looks like they're making an offering to my backpack, which sits in the window behind them.

How can we say thanks?
Carey and I will be in the States (Texas) this December to visit family and friends for Christmas and make several presentations at local churches for Salud y Paz. It will be a great time of rest for us before we return in January for six more months of service.
As we approach Thanksgiving, Carey and I feel eternally grateful for all of your love and support. We hope to see many of you soon and give you a big hug from the people of Guatemala!
Peace to you!
Love,
Jay & Carey

You Are What You Wear

2009-11-11T11:34:00.003-06:00

Imagine if everyone in the city of Houston wore red shirts and everyone in Austin wore blue shirts. That's what Guatemala is like. When the Spanish came to Guatemala in the 16th century they had each village wear a different color "traje," a traditional dress/suit, so they could identify where someone was from. That tradition has managed to survive through today, making Guatemala one of the most colorful and tradition-rich countries in the world.

These women are from Santa Catarina, a village about 5 km up the road from Carey and me. They are easily identified by their turquoise traje and blue or purple head dress. Most all indigenous Mayan women and their daughters continue to wear traditional traje today.

It's becoming less common for Mayan men to wear traje, mainly because the suits are relatively expensive and they are worn out too fast while working in the fields. This man is likely from Solola, 20 minutes from Pana. It's a pretty cool look, despite the fact that the length of his pants make him look like he's waiting for a flood : )

The traje is made using two very old methods: 1) backstrap and 2) wooden loom. Mayan women are responsible for the huipil, the blouse, or top part of the traje, and the Mayan men (usually younger boys) work to create the dress, or bottom part of the traje.

Here you can see a woman making the huipil using the backstrap weaving. It appears to be a pain-staking, uncomfortable way to weave, but the end product is beautiful and can sell for about Q800, or $100. Women wear the huipil of their village everyday and it will last them several years.

The looming process that the men use to create the corte (dress) is very different. They start with these foot long threads......next they use this old-school method to spin the thread onto small spools...

...finally the young men take the spools and toss them back and forth through the loom for the final product...
Check out this video to see how it's done. These guys work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. It takes them 3 full days, 30 hours, to make one corte/dress. For this work they'll receive around $3-$4/day, assuming they can sell two cortes a week. Believe it or not this is pretty good pay.

This little cutie was kind enough to pose for me to show the finished product. The corte comes out of the loom in one 10-15 foot piece. You can see how this corte has been sewn together from two different pieces (top and bottom). These cortes cost around $50 each.

A quick word on donating clothes as an American: Chances are if you've ever donated clothes into one of those big metal bins in a parking lot they're ending up in Guatemala or other developing nation. These American castoffs are sold to the locals here for super cheap. The beneift is that they provide people with a good, cheap option for clothes. The downside is that the clothes are so cheap that less and less people are wearing their traditional traje, thus losing an important aspect of their culture. It seems that no issue today is as black and white as we would like it to be.

Thanks for checking in! We look forward to seeing many of you in December when we're home in Texas!

Love, J & C

Goofy Gringos & Machismo Men

2009-10-17T15:58:00.002-06:00

If you ever visit Guatemala you will likely notice 3 things about the people:
1. Machismo Men
I have heard this exact story on at least twenty different occasions from women: "I've got to work so hard because my husband drinks too much and can't find work. Also, I can't care for my 7 kids alone since my husband left me for another woman." Stereotypes aside, it's clear that machismo is alive and well in Guatemala. Machismo is basically when men act like they're better than women and entitled to do whatever they wish, including sleeping around once they're married and drinking away the family's income. It's really despicable to see - fortunately not many men leer at Carey since she's usually with me (we've found that the Mayan men exhibit less machismo than the Ladino's - Mayan/Spanish mix).
2. Wonderful Women
When you've got so many men dropping the ball on their responsibilities - you've also got a lot of women really stepping up and impressing. I have met some of the most incredible, strong-willed, family-focused, hard-working women of my life in Guatemala. It's really something to see a woman walking with one infant strapped to the front of her body and probably 30 pounds of wood or goods for sale balancing on her head as she heads to the market each day. It's almost sad that many of them don't complain more - I guess they know what they've got to do and they do it. The real heads of the household.
3. Goofy Gringos
It's official, any white person who lives in Guatemala for several years loses all of their social skills and becomes like one of those people who've watched too many Star-Trek episodes. This country seems to be a magnet for second-generation hippies and social misfits. It's difficult to say whether they were like this when they moved here or if they became this way after too much time here. At first I thought we were the only ones noticing it, but then a few Guatemalans confirmed it for us.
So, if Carey and I come back goofy and socially awkward, please smack us. Just in case we were already infected though...I'm working on an antidote ; )

Hook 'em Horns!
Jay

God Loves You...now MOVE IT!

2009-10-09T12:40:00.006-06:00

I am not a good driver, which means that I fit in very well in Guatemala. In fact, being unsafe and overly aggressive actually has served me well while driving here in this country. When I first took to the roads over one year ago, I was petrified. Now, however, I'm convinced that anyone can drive here - all you have to do is follow a few simple rules...

Respect the Hierarchy!

You will survive the mean-streets of Guatemala if you yield to vehicles in the following order:

1. School Bus (known as a "Chicken Bus" by most) - Hi, Satan taught me to drive. Don't ever look me directly in the grill. Don't ever try to pass me. Don't think I won't run you off the road to pick-up one more 10-cent fare. I rule these roads - the sooner you learn that the better. Watch for me in your nightmares.

Most of my friends paint "God Loves You" on the front of their windows. And I'll help get you to God sooner than you expected!

2. Dump Truck - Hi, I'm bigger than the Bus but I know my place. Beware of me backing up into you and creating huge traffic jams in small towns!

3. Toyota Pick-up - Hi, I may be stuffed with 22 Mayans, but my mighty V-6 engine won't quit. Remember, on the 8th day God created the Toyota. Don't get too comfortable - I'll be swinging wide around that tight corner right ahead of you!

A light load for me.

4. Gringo in early 1980's Car - Hi, I really have no idea what I'm doing, but I've got the Embassy on my side! I will blind you with the glare bouncing off of my white forehead. Watch for me going the wrong-way on a one-way street.

5. Tuc-tuc - Hi, I may be small and run on a lawn-mower engine, but we swarm pueblos like angry bees. And yes, my 13 year-old driver will take that turn on two wheels! Don't step out into that street too fast - I'll be there!

There are 150 Tuc-tuc's (named after a small animal) in Pana - many of us are super "pimped" out with lights and flashy painting.

Remember: You have NO rights as a pedestrian.

As American's we assume crossing a busy intersection is our God-given right. If you follow that logic here you'll be road kill quick. In Guatemala, you have zero rights when crossing a street. A chicken bus driver will run you down without a second thought, stop to urinate on the side of the road, and then go home and put another notch in his bedframe.

When stopped by the police, play DUMB!

Works everytime. Tell them you didn't know you needed a Guatemala drivers-license. Tell them you're lost. Tell them you're here to de-worm orphans. Just don't tell them anything in Spanish!

Congratulations! You're now "road-ready" for Guatemala.

Oh yeah, one last thing before getting on those roads...pray!

Peace ; )

Jay

Pray for Rain

2009-09-30T14:32:00.006-06:00

When 50% of your country's children already suffer from malnutrition and there's a drought during what is supposed to be the rainy season, you've got a disaster on your hands. And that's exactly what's happening now in Guatemala.
The United Nations is reporting that Guatemala is suffering from their worst drought in 30 years, with up to 70% of their crops destroyed. This has led Guatemala's President to request international aid to help the 2.5 million affected indigenous Mayans.

Carey and I had been told that it would pretty much rain here every day May through October, so we knew something was up when it didn't rain hardly at all for the past three months. It's finally started raining periodically, but it may be too little too late (the "rainy" season ends in one month). If it is, Guatemala may be in serious trouble.

The Ugly Facts:
- 75% of Guatemalans live below the poverty line (World Bank)
- 58% of them in extreme poverty (meaning they can't buy basic foods day-to-day)
- Guatemala has the 4th highest rate of malnutrition in the world (and highest in Latin America)
- 200,000 Guatemalans were killed during their 36 year Civil War (1960-1996)
- 30% of pregnant women are malnourished
- Poverty level in Quiche (where Carey and I work) is 80%

The extreme malnutrition in Guatemala is being blamed on: 1) price of eggs and beans has risen over the last few years (best source of protein for the indigenous), 2) no clean water = severe diarrhea, 3) lasting effects of the civil war, 4) the government can't help due to low tax revenue, and 5) cycle of poverty within families with too many children to feed.

How to Help:
1. Pray for people to respond to tragedies like this with generous hearts.
2. Read the book, "The Life You Can Save," by Peter Singer. I've read it twice and I promise it will rock your world. I'll never spend my money the same or feel apathetic again toward world issues. $15 on Amazon.
3. Donate. You and I are very powerful people. All we have to do is take a piece of plastic out of our wallet and type on a keyboard. It feels good to save a life.
Some charities that are highly rated and helping with the crisis in Guatemala: http://www.unicef.com/; http://www.savethechildren.com/; http://www.oxfam.org/; http://www.wfp.org/countries/guatemala (United Nations). *Note: not all of these organizations guarantee that the money goes directly to those in Guatemala, but generally "where most needed," which in part will be Guatemala. Go to http://www.charitynavigator.org/ to research your favorite charities or those listed above.

Have a blessed week and thanks for checking in.
Love,
Jay & Carey

Feliz Dia de Independencia!

2009-09-16T16:13:00.007-06:00

I think Guatemaltecos may cherish their freedom even more than Americans. September 15th is Independence Day in Guatemala, and it is a BIG deal. The party starts the night before with fireworks (the kind of bombs that are illegal in the States), streets packed with "torch-runners," and bratty little kids (and some adults) throwing water on said torch-runners. The celebratory atmosphere carries over into early Independence Day where all schools close to participate in the village parades.
Carey's school got to walk in the parade with the local Camanchaj school, and it was certainly a sight to see...

Each grade gets to have a "float." Think Rose Parade without roses and a very limited budget. And of course in Guatemala a TOYOTA truck is always there to help out.

The preschool's theme this year was Payasos (clowns!)

The dad's stepped up big-time to help with the float and the face-painting.

This is either super-cute or super-scary. KISS rocks!

I've heard of clown cars, but...

Each grade elects a "princess." Our princess was Jade and she got the first-class Toyota treatment for the parade.

In all their glory!

The proud Director with her minions ; )

In other news... "I really shouldn't have gone in there!"

I'm hosting a big surgery team from Colorado this week, and I've learned and seen things that few people should see. I saw a tubal ligation performed - very cool. But I also saw something called a prolapsed uterus - disturbing. In short, and I had no idea this was possible with the human body, it's when a woman's uterus comes outside of her body. I immediately regretted going into the operating room, but maybe it will make for interesting sermon material one day!

Peace,

Jay

Spending Your Money

2009-09-11T11:55:00.005-06:00

Chances are if you're reading this, you may have donated some money to Carey and me. For this, we will be forever grateful.

I must admit, however, though we've gladly accepted your money, it hasn't always been easy for us to spend it. The first few months we were here in Guatemala were sheer torture. And it wasn't due to the culture shock or the upset stomachs, it was because of the guilt Carey and I felt for spending your money.

Here's the deal: when you're a 34 year-old man the last thing you want to be doing is mooching off of others (or worse yet, living with your parents while mooching off others, which we did for 2 months before coming here - geez!) You want to feel financially independent! You want to feel like your career and earnings trajectory is headed upward, not come to an abrupt halt! Yet here we were - no paychecks - reduced to sending out letters to ask for money.

When we first arrived in Guatemala, we were hyper-sensitive to how we spent your money. For example, it was three months before I would even buy a snack (something I considered a "non-essential" to our mission here). Over time, however, we've lightened up a bit, which we hope is okay with you. We're still pretty cheap when it comes to handing over our Quetzales, but we've recently discovered an unexpected blessing from spending someone else's money: it's made us extremely generous people.

What I mean by that is before, when I considered it "my" money, I was slower to give it away to people who needed it more than I did. Now, I find myself looking for opportunities to use "your" money to help others. And here in Guatemala, you don't have to look far. When one of my neighbors tells me they need medicine, I walk to the pharmacy with them and buy it for them. When we see a child with a need (milk, lunch) we but it for them. When we hear of a worthy cause to donate to (shoes for children, water purification systems), we give money towards the project.

By giving us your money, you have changed me. You give us your hard-earned money in order that that money would bless others. And it has. Thanks to your faith in us, I now see money differently. When I return to the States next year, and am receiving paychecks once again, I will see "my" money differently. In fact, I will no longer see it as "my" money. It's money given to me (I believe by God) to bless others. I will continue to be generous with money, because, in reality, it never really was mine in the first place.

So thank you for your trust, and thank you most of all for changing me.

Guatemaltecos use Quetzales for currency. A quetzal is the national bird here (see it in the upper left corner of the bill?) Q100 is the largest bill here, and is worth only $12 USD. When I go into a bank to get money for our teams (usually around $2-3,000 USD, I emerge looking like a drug dealer b/c of the huge pile of quetzales they give me. Nothing screams, "rob me!" quite like a gringo carrying Q24,000!

The Relative Cost of Things:

Here's how much we spend on common things here in Guatemala:

Rent: $230 (includes bills)

5-gallon jug of pure water: $2

Gas: approx. $2.70/gallon

Breakfast at a restaurant: $2.50

Head of broccoli, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 4 squash, avocado & bag of rice: $2 total!

Jar of peanut-butter: $9 !!! (we have teams bring it to us)

Dozen roses: $2

New pair of tennis shoes: $22

1-hour Spanish lesson (one-on-one): $5

"New" shirt: $1.50

Bus ride to nearest town: $.75

Each of these prices is about 30% higher for gringos - we get a "special" price! ; )

Have a blessed week!

Peace,

Jay

Websitemala

2009-09-04T07:40:00.002-06:00

We just upgraded our old Salud y Paz website and had a professional video done to promote the work we do here in Guatemala.

*Check out the 8 minute video on YouTube (Carey's a star in it): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfm8T-41bBQ.

*Check out the new website at www.saludypaz.org.
Click on the 'About' tab and 'Meet our Staff' to see pics of the people we work with.

Have a great Labor Day weekend (and Hook 'em Horns!)
Peace,
Jay

What It Means To Be A Missionary

2009-08-30T07:56:00.002-06:00

I am a missionary. I haven't always claimed that title/role, though. That's because Christian missionaries from America have had a dubious history, to say the least. I believe that now, however, all that is changing.
What is a missionary? A missionary is:
1. someone who attempts to convert others to a particular doctrine or program.
2. someone sent on a mission--especially a religious or charitable mission to a foreign country.
For most of the 19th century it seems, Christian missionaries were mostly (solely?) interested in definition #1. Their mission was to "save" Africans, Latinos, Asians and Europeans by pressing them to convert to the Christian faith. They believed that these foreign peoples spiritual needs (salvation) were greater than their physical needs (food, shelter, etc.). At their best, they lovingly shared the good news of Jesus Christ with people who had never heard of him, and in fact, many people did come to faith in God because of their work. But at their worst, oh boy, where do I even begin? How about a list:
1. Missionaries made the foolish assumption that spiritual needs are more important than physical needs. "Feed their soul, THEN feed their stomachs," we said. Google: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to see otherwise.
2. Missionaries naively assumed that African villager X, even though he was raised his entire life to believe (fill in the blank), that he would/should promptly change all of his beliefs and accept Jesus as his personal savior. Oh yeah, and if he didn't he was a heathen destined for hell. Not cool.
3. Missionaries (again, not all, but many) believed that the "rest of the world" (read: uncivilized cultures) should be LIKE US (read: Americans). This one for me is the most unfortunate. Instead of learning from foreign cultures and peoples and being changed by them, we tried to change them to be like us. Que Lastima.

Let me be clear about one thing though: I am living in Guatemala because of Jesus. I'm crazy about the guy and I want to share his love and teachings with others. He's my life and my reason for being. I believe he has sent me (and all of us who choose to follow him) on a mission. My mission in Guatemala is to serve the people of Guatemala by helping to provide for some of their most basic needs (health care, nutrition, education), pray for patients and share my faith in Christ (when appropriate), and be utterly changed and shaped by this beautiful country and people - a country and people that God loves just as much as he loves the United States and the American people. That is my mission. I am a missionary.
And believe it or not, so are you.

Peace,
Jay

Welcome to the Jungle

2009-08-12T10:21:00.005-06:00

In many ways I'm not very well-suited for this job. I'm a people-pleaser, which doesn't exactly work when you have 100 patient forms to give to 250 patients.
This happened practically every day last week while I was hosting our ninth and last team of the summer in Cunen, our most remote clinic. Here's the deal: it's my job to run the clinic. By the time our team of docs, nurses, pharmacists, and helpers arrives at our rural sites by 8 a.m., we've got a line of around 50 people. No problem, I think. On many occasions, however, that number swells to 150 people before lunch. Just to keep everyone's adrenaline flowing, after school gets out and I've already handed out all of our patient forms for the day, we're faced with around 50-100 more "late-comers." This is when the negotiating starts.
I have to protect my doctors and team, who have told me they can see around 100 patients max/day. So it's basically my job to turn-away 50-100 sick Mayans (including children). But they don't leave without a fight. And I don't blame them. This is their only chance for maybe a year to get some adequate health care and meds. So I tell them as nicely as I can that I am SOOOOO sorry, but we simply don't have time to see them. Some take the news in stride, others aren't so kind. I try not to take it personally. They're desperate. This is what breaks my heart and makes me feel like a big jerk.
Ugh. It's like a kick in the stomach.

Chiul - one of the rural communities around Cunen. It was a zoo. One of my doctors called me a "slave-driver." Lesson learned: we need reinforcements.

We just completed the construction on our newest clinic here in Cunen (about 5 hours north of where we live in Pana). We don't have a doctor yet, but once we've got the money we hope to start getting some regular care to this remote village.

One of the highlights of the trip was that my friend and our team driver, Pedro, let me drive his "chicken-bus." It's a 15-gear monster, and it defeated me handily. I think a few of my passengers lost their bowels when I hit a speed-bump going way too fast. They found the transmission somewhere in Albuquerque.

Muchas Gracias Steffie!
A big "thanks" to our good friend Steffie, who was kind enough to spend 5-weeks with Carey and me in Guatemala. Her work/vacation visit really lifted our spirits. We also got to celebrate Steffie's new job while she was in town. Thanks chica!

Introducing...Sabrina
Carey got another gift recently when her new preschool assistant teacher, Sabrina, arrived from Germany. Sabrina will be working with Carey and the kids for one year!

Carey and I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your summers!
Love,
Jay

Time to Get Earthy

2009-07-29T15:21:00.007-06:00

What do you get when you combine an 8 foot deep hole, 20 Texas teenagers, and an "earthy" smell? A new septic system for our clinic in Camanchaj, of course.
Up until last week, our old "septic system" consisted of about 6 very deep holes scattered around the clinic. Well, as you may remember, we finally ran out of space in those holes a week after the preschool opened last January (picture this: "Yeah kids!!! Welcome to preschool. Just a quick note before we start learning, please don't play in the human waste. Not pretty). Anyway, with lots of hard work and generous donations from churches in the States, we've now installed a brand-new Water/Waste Treatment System (they don't like for me to call it a septic system, which of course it is.)
What started as nothing more than another hole on clinic grounds...

...became a fully-functioning Water/Waste Treatment System!

Now somebody go flush a toilet and let's see if this thing works.

While the youth did all the grunt work (yes, we did bust one of the septic lines while digging - dinner's on!), the adult chaperones got freaky with the preschool kids.

The thing that got us in this mess (pun intended) in the first place, was the fact that not many of our Mayan patients at the clinic know how to properly use a toilet. How would you if you didn't grow up using one or have one at home? Needless to say, a lot of "foreign objects," including newspaper and other items get flushed down our commodes. Thanks to some artsy Texas teens, we tried to educate the public (see above.)

Here's the proud artist next to her "community education" paintings. Beware, #2 is kind of graphic.

I never thought I'd say this, but it's a huge blessing to be able to flush a toilet without fear.

God Bless Texas!

Peace,

Jay

Vigilante Justice

2009-07-17T14:15:00.004-06:00

We had some big news in our little town early this week when a "mob" of people torched the car of some suspected kidnappers. As I was walking to the market yesterday I saw a burned up car sitting in the middle of the road. I thought nothing of it (hey, this IS Guatemala), until I saw that same car on the front page of one of our national newspapers the following day (I use "news" loosely when referring to the Diario, which is more like the National Enquirer than the New York Times).

Here's the scoop as far as I can tell: 4 young men tried to rob and kidnap a local chicken vendor. Fortunately for them, they were caught doing this by the Panajachel police and not the locals of Panajachel. I say fortunately because if the locals would have caught the men, what's left of them would likely be sitting charred in their car, which was set on fire soon after the police left the scene. Quite a lot of drama for Pana in one day!

I don't want to make any broad generalizations here, but there are times in Guatemala when locals, especially in the smaller villages, choose to take justice into their own hands. It seems that many Guatemalans do not trust that the authorities will handle matters properly when it comes to crime. On this day, the bad-guys car was just torched, but earlier this year, in the village where we work (Camanchaj), a couple of thieves were caught, beaten, and burned to death. On the upside, there's not much crime in the smaller villages, as you can imagine. However, one could also raise a pretty strong argument against such swift justice, especially when the suspects turn out to be innocent, as I'm sure has been the case on more than one occasion.

Not that I think any of this matters to the Diario, who I think is just happy to put another burning car or bloody body on the front of their paper...

UPDATE...

I just found out today (Saturday) from my friend in town that the car the locals burned up was actually the car of the man who was kidnapped! Doh! Talk about a goof-up in vigilante "justice." Oh well, we in Pana never claimed to be the brightest people, we just live in the most beautiful place. : )

Peace,

Jay

The Widowmaker

2009-07-08T07:54:00.005-06:00

In honor of the late, great pitchman Billy Mays, let me introduce you to a product even he would have a hard time selling...
It's an absolute breakthrough of modern technology and ingenuity! You won't find it in your local Bed, Bath and Beyond, no sir, this baby can only be purchased in the finest developing nations. It's the electric showerhead!! Now I know what you're thinking, "Billy, why would someone mix electricity and water? Didn't mom always say to not bring a toaster with us into the tub?" Yes, but this little water-warming friend is different! As long as you very carefully avoid touching any of the exposed wires or metal parts, electricity won't pass through your body as you stand in 2" of water! It's genius! And what's best is if you call now, I'll throw in our newest product, the diesel-powered toilet! You'll never be constipated again! You get all of this for only 5 easy payments of $19.95!!!

The gringos here call it the "widowmaker." Carey and I just moved into a smaller place to save money, and we're lucky enough to have one. Notice the exposed wires and strange antenna on the side (what the heck is that thing for?) Day one in shower: I reach up to change the setting and get the shock of my life. Needless to say, I let slip a few non-approved words for missionaries.

In other news...
As medical team coordinator, I'm often put in the situation of having to ask dumb questions of my team leaders like, "What's the difference between a vaginal speculum and a vaginal specula?" (one is just the plural of the other. Duh, Jay). One thing I love about this job though is the creativity of the doctors we bring down. Last week I told one of our docs that we don't have any ring forceps for him to use when he is giving gynecological exams to our female patients. He says, in true rural clinic fashion, "Don't worry, I'll just use disposable chopsticks and rubber bands."
I'll let your imagination take it from there... ; )
Peace,
Jay

MINORITY REPORT

2009-06-26T15:37:00.003-06:00

As a white, middle/upper-middle class American man, there have been very few times in my life when I have not been in the majority or in a position of "power." I first started to realize this when a college professor of mine did a little experiment in class one day to help us understand what it felt like to be the minority. She asked everyone who wasn't white, conservative, heterosexual or male to go stand on one side of the room. Moments later, I realized I was the only one left at their desk. Although it was an uncomfortable feeling, it only lasted until the class ended.

Today I live in Guatemala, where I am, for the first time in my life, truly "the minority." It's a strange feeling to walk through a village and be the only white person, the only one in Western clothing, the only one with a high school degree. The reaction has been mixed. In some places, Guatemaltecos are used to foreigners and think nothing of my presence, but at other times, in smaller, more remote areas of the country, the people have stared at me like I'm an alien. I guess it's possible that they've never seen a white man before, at least not one in person.

Despite being the minority wherever I go, I don't believe I'll ever truly know what it means to be a minority. I say this because most minorities in the world share one thing in common: they have little to no power. As an educated American man, however, that's not true for me. Even though I am often frustrated by my inability to fluently speak or understand the Spanish language, I am STILL in a position of power here:
- People often assume I'm a doctor even though I don't know the first thing about medicine.
- I have more money than just about everyone I've ever met here.
- I'm assumed to be a "boss" because of my color, education, and position.
Contrast my experience here in Guatemala to a Mexican immigrant (legal or illegal) in the United States. He or she has little to no power, they are rarely assumed to be the boss, and they are publicly disrespected if they can't speak English fluently (whereas I'm patted on the back for being able to speak Spanish at the level of a 1st grader). I have felt great embarrassment on several occasions when one of our volunteer teams from the States come into this country like they "own the place." This doesn't happen very often, but I can't imagine a Latin immigrant coming into the U.S. and acting like that! Only the "powerful" can act in such a way.

I think it's important to experience being "the minority" at some point in our lives, if only in some small way. This experience has helped me understand the great responsibilty I have as an American citizen in a foreign country, and also to be more aware of the minority and those without power in my midst. In many ways I think the best measure of a society/person is how it/we treat the powerless minorities in our midst.

GRINGO?
I have been called a "gringo" many times in Guatemala. I don't take offense to it. It's nothing like the "n..." word for African-Americans. It's basically come to mean any person from the United States (or an European who is mistaken for an American.)
I always was told that the term developed during the Mexican-American War, when the Mexicans would cry out to the uniformed American soldiers, "green go," meaning "leave our country." But it turns out that the Americans actually wore blue uniforms during this war, so it probably came from the Spanish word, "griego," which means "greek." Or I could be wrong. It's all greek to me.

Peace,
Jay

Street Life is Ruff

2009-06-19T18:03:00.007-06:00

Panajachel has a perro problem. There are wild dogs everywhere in Guatemala. Most people here do not consider dogs pets, nor are there resources available to prevent strays from multiplying rapidly. Sadly, the only thing that has prevented them from multiplying faster is that many of them starve to death.
Until now, Carey and I have resisted the urge to adopt one of these pups. Recently, however, we found an organization (Mayan Families) in the town where we live that gives out free, already spayed/neutered and vaccinated dogs to good homes. So...we brought home a very rare breed called the Panajachel Street Terrier (as my father-in-law calls her, without the slightest hint of sarcasm) on Monday. This came about because a) I am away from home a lot traveling with teams, b) Carey doesn't like being home alone (I don't blame her), c) Carey is very convincing, and d) Carey's mom, Linda, and stepdad, Tom (who's like the Dog Whisperer), are visiting and can help train her.
She was found a few months ago on the streets looking starved and scared. We have her right now on a "trial basis," but are hopeful that it will work out. Her name is Ati, after the lake we live on, Lake Atitlan.

By the way, the director of Mayan Families says that they are in desperate need of donations for spaying/neutering (the procedure costs about $20). If you are interested, you can make an online donation through their website (http://www.mayanfamilies.org/) or search for them on Facebook. Be sure to designate the donation for animal welfare. And even if you don't make a donation, check out all the incredible work this organization is doing for Guatemalan families (both human and canine)! Salud y Paz often collaborates with them to find patients and rural towns in need of doctors/dentists.

Be Happy You've Got Yours
I blame Coke. Many rural Guatemalans have lost quite a few of their teeth. When they come into one of our dental clinics for some work, you can see where the soda has literally eaten a whole through the front 2 teeth. Our dentists do what they can for them, which usually means pulling 2-4 teeth. The Salud y Paz record so far for teeth pulled on one patient is 11. Ouch.This denture is called a "placa." They are very common in Guatemala. Once your front 4 teeth have rotted out, you go to a little store to get your placa made. It's popular to get fake gold teeth and stars on the false teeth. It's very strange to see a 16 year-old girl take out her dentures, but I see it a lot. In the picture above, a woman came in with severe ulcers in her mouth b/c her placa was rubbing her gumline. In true rural clinic fashion, we took a metal file and filed down the placa to make it fit. Another happy customer!

Carey and I hope you and your families are well.
Love,
Jay

Bad Religion?

2009-06-14T19:48:00.005-06:00

Last year I read a couple of the top-selling, so-called "Atheist Manifesto" books: The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins, and Letter to a Christian Nation, by Sam Harris. I read them because I'm interested in why someone would choose to be an Atheist, and also because I want to know what the current arguments are against Christianity and belief in general so I can see how my faith stands up.
Atheists used to argue that belief in (a) God/god was simply irrational, but today their argument has changed somewhat. Now many Atheists such as Dawkins, Harris, and Christopher Hitchens (god is NOT Great) are taking a new approach. The argument today goes something like this: not only is belief in God irrational, religion in general is downright harmful to humankind and "poisonous" to society. They site obvious examples from the past, such as the Conquests and witch-hunts, and more recent examples such as Islamic extremism in the world and Christian Pro-Lifers who murder abortion doctors.
For some reason I had these books on my mind this past week as I was with a mission group from West Texas. As I watched them work in the scalding heat and humidity in coastal Guatemala I could only think about one thing: THE reason 20 people, young and old, have come all this way and spent all this money to bring much-needed medications and health care to the poorest people in Central America is because they love God and desire to serve in the Way of Jesus. Watching them work simply made the argument that religion is "poisonous" seem suddenly really lacking. Even though I'm sure religious people (read: human beings) will continue to do really dumb and even evil things at times, believe me when I say that there are those in our world today that will continue to be the hands and feet of Christ. They won't be highlighted in best-selling books or even make the footnotes. They'll simply continue to try their best to be "religious" in the best sense of the word, the way God defined it, "Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."
20 West Texans made me proud to be religious this week.
Peace,
Jay

Back to School

2009-05-21T11:02:00.006-06:00

My favorite part of the day is seeing all the children walking to school in the morning. More than any other thing I experience each day, this is the one that seems to represent the hopeful future of Guatemala. I recently brought a team of college students from the Univ. of Alabama-Birmingham to several local schools for the week. It was quite eye-opening to see the state of the public primary schools in Guatemala.
I would describe the schools we visited as "bare-bones." There are basic tables, chairs and very limited supplies. The teachers I spoke with seemed a little overwhelmed by the size of their classes and the lack of resources available to them. The kids, however, for the most part still seemed very eager to learn.
Our job at the schools was to apply fluoride to the kids teeth and teach the students how to properly brush their teeth and maintain good hygiene. We gave them all toothbrushes and toothpaste. The water in Guatemala does not have fluoride in it like our water does in the States, and so cavities, etc. are a big problem. Of course it doesn't help that the water isn't safe to drink; most Mayans prefer to drink sodas.
We went to each classroom to teach basic brushing and flossing skills. The children in this picture have now officially flossed their teeth more than I have in my life.
The fluoride we apply (imagine cherry-flavored clear, super-glue) helps strengthen and protect the kids teeth. In total, we applied fluoride to over 1200 students teeth this week. The south will rise again!

We also tested students vision. This is the kind of eye chart we use at our clinics. Since many of the people we see can't read, we use this rotating "E" chart. You just have to tell us what direction the "E" is pointing.

We tested all of Carey's students at the preschool too. Mary, here in this photo, is one of Carey's 19-year old teachers. She is one of the most natural teachers I have ever met.

Stickers are like gold in Guatemala. I think the current President actually won by just handing out stickers to the people.

Here is Carey's class covered in stickers, with several of the Alabama team members.

Back to Jersey:

Carey and I are in the States right now for a wedding and to do some fund-raising for our project. It's weird being back, but has been so great to see our friends and have a Dr. Pepper (and pseudo Tex-Mex in Jersey).

In other news, Carey and I have decided to stay another year in Guatemala. There is still a lot of work to be done with Salud y Paz and we like the changes that are happening in our lives.

More later...

Love you guys,

Jay

Twenty-Two Tongues

2009-05-07T17:09:00.003-06:00

Guatemala is roughly the size of the state of Louisiana, but that's where the similarities end. In Guatemala, there are 21 recognized indigenous languages spoken by the people. Last I heard, people in Louisiana speak just 1 language, something resembling English, but this hasn't been verified.
Carey and I work in a region where most of the people speak K'iche (gringos spell it Quiche, but that makes me think more of breakfast). In Panajachel where we live, however, the people all speak Kakchiquel. And just across the lake from us they speak at least two completely different dialects.
This is the craziest thing. There are literally places here where there are 2-3 different dialects within a mile or two of each other. But a mountain divides the communities and back in the day there was no reason to go to the other side of the mountain....so presto...the people developed two very different languages.
Spanish, of course, is the one language that seems to unite the whole country. It's ironic that the language of the conquerors (the Spanish) is now the thing that unites Guatemala as one. Carey and I find that it's much easier to speak Spanish with a native K'iche speaker than a native Spanish speaker, because it's their second language too.
I try to speak the few words I know in K'iche with our Guatemalan staff when I can. My name, "Jay" means house, which would be cooler if I were a football player and not a skinny white kid.
If you want to hear what K'iche sounds like, listen to this short video below...(you'll notice some Spanish words thrown in there too)...

Pretty cool, huh?

Offensive Driving Update:
Things Jay has hit so far with the car in Guatemala:
1. a tienda
2. a chicken bus (jerk-face ran me off the road)
3. a man on a motorcycle (yesterday). I promise the man wasn't hurt, probably just needs therapy for a while.
Things Jay is aiming to hit:
1. roosters

Have a great week.
Peace,
Jay

Honey, I Blew Up the Kitchen

2009-04-28T18:22:00.005-06:00

When Carey and I moved into our apartment about 7 months ago, the first words out of our landlord's mouth were, "Don't leave the gas on too long before lighting the gas oven."
Oops.
A few days ago my life literally flashed before my eyes as I clicked the fire starter and was blown back onto the counter in our kitchen. The sweet smell of the cinnamon toast I had just prepared and was putting into the oven was quickly replaced by the stink of my arm hair smoldering. Carey screamed. I stared blankly. Neighbors searched for the source of the explosion.

It was kind of cool, actually. The force of the explosion literally blew off the cabinet doors and split the wood in half.
After I came out of my daze, all I could think was, "That could have been a lot worse."
Perhaps men shouldn't be in the kitchen : )

Proud Husband Note: If you read Carey's blog below this one you'll understand why I'm so proud of her. She really modeled to me how to truly help someone. Typically it's easier for me, when confronted with someone who needs help, to either a) throw money at them, b) offer to just "pray for them," or c) ignore their needs, or d) try to avoid them. But Carey did none of these things with Lety. She entered into a friendship with her, has come to understand Lety's dreams and needs, and has offered to help in ways that empower her to take steps toward achieving those dreams. And as a result of spending a lot of time on the computer researching different grants and scholarships, Carey has opened an amazing new door for Lety to walk through. Lety called Carey her "angel." (Note: Carey will try to delete this but I will continue to post it.)

Bad Driver Note: Last week I paid off my first Guatemalan policeman after making an illegal U-Turn. He asked for Q500 and I drove off after slipping him Q100! Bo & Luke Duke got nothin' on me!

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2009-04-24T17:47:00.003-06:00

The rain is here again, but my mood couldn't be sunnier! Some of you may remember our Spanish teacher and friend, Lety, from earlier blogs. Lety is a remarkable woman, and I'd like to share a bit of her story with you... When Lety was nine years old, she was forced by her father to drop out of school and work at home with her mother. Fifteen years later, at the age of 24, she made the difficult decision to leave home so that she could finish school. For the next six years, she worked days and attended night school to finish her high school degree. Lety now has the desire to continue her education by studying social work at the university level. Her goal is to become a licensed social worker so that she can help children and women in her community. For the past few months, I have been helping Lety apply for scholarships, and we just got word that she received a full scholarship to study at a local university! She is thrilled, and so are we! Happy days!

"Un dia mas, un dia menos"

2009-04-17T16:37:00.005-06:00

Occasionally I'll hear an American from one of our work teams say with a deep sigh, "One...more...day." The implication, of course, is that the work they're about to do is considered somewhat of a burden, even if they did fly thousands of miles to do it, and they're looking forward to it being completed and the day over.
I love when I hear someone from the States say this, because I instantly look around to see if there is a Guatemalan standing nearby. If there is, without fail the Guatemalan will reply, "Un dia mas, un dia menos," which means "One more day, one less day."
This reply underscores an interesting difference in the way Guatemalans perceive life. As an American, I usually assume that I've got countless days left to live - at least until I'm well into my 70's or 80's. I know I've got plenty of food, a permanent place to live, and many opportunities (even if I never take advantage of them) to live my life to the fullest. I can say with a sigh, "one more day," because I know I probably do have many more days ahead of me. Today just doesn't feel like that much of a gift.
The Guatemalan, however, doesn't appear to understand life this way. His society is set up in such a way to support life just for today, and that's it. Every town here has a local market twice a week where people buy only what they need for the next few days. The markets are held so often because, besides the fact that there's no Sam's Club to buy a 5-gallon jar of mayonnaise and no refrigeration to preserve things, the people here simply live day-to-day. Why would I buy groceries for more than 3 days? Who knows if I'll have income in 3 days? Who knows what will happen in 3 days?
The upside of this way of thinking, despite the daily difficulties associated with it, is that it gives one quite a different appreciation for the word, "today." The American knows he's promised 40 more years, and so is capable of sighing at the mere thought of "today." The Mayan, however, sees "today" differently. It's one of her few promises, in fact. Perhaps that's why she can smile at the visitor and reply, "...yes, it may be one more day for you, but never forget, it's one less day, too."
One of my most important goals while here is to leave this country with that same mentality. Today may not be just what I want it to be, but it's also all I have. I wonder how different my life would be if, instead of counting my days forward, I started counting them backwards? What would today become, if I actually were able to wake up each morning and say, "...one less day...?"
Peace,
Jay

"Praising All Alike, Is Praising None"

2009-04-07T09:47:00.009-06:00

"Our greatest strength as a human race is our ability to acknowledge our differences. Our greatest weakness is our failure to embrace them."

Peace,

Jay

A Day in Prison

2009-04-02T15:38:00.010-06:00

While hosting a team in Zacapa last week (Zacapa is Spanish for "hot as !%@*"), I spent a day in a Guatemalan prison. If men serving time in American prisons thought they had it bad, they need to check this place out.
Anyway, we ran out of patients one day at a local church, so I naively asked a local, "Hey, where else can we go to pull some rotten teeth?" An hour later I'm sitting in a room surrounded by steel bars waiting for our first patient, moments after being told by the guards, "Don't let the prisoners anywhere near your dental tools" (I can laugh now at the thought of my eyes being plucked out with a pair of forceps).
So, the first patient lays down on our "dental chair" and our gutsy dentist decides to ask him what he did to get in here. The dude says, "I killed two guys. On accident."
Classic!

Waiting for the guards to give us gringos the okay to enter the Zacapa funitentiary.

Highlights of the week in Zacapa:
- While inside the prison, a prisoner took the time to pray for us (he's praying for us?)
- The family who hosted our medical/dental team very lovingly prepared meals for all 15 of us everyday, not to mention invited us into their home and made us part of their extended family.
- Getting to know Israel, the kind-hearted man who arranged our stay in Zacapa. It deeply touched me when he described the plight of some of his poorer neighbors. His tears were as authentic as I've ever seen.
- Israel took me into one of the poorer neighborhoods around Zacapa, called La Plancha, and there I was able to pray for a woman who was absolutely overcome with joy that doctors from the States had come to help her and those she knew. Afterwards, she gave me a huge melon as a gift. Only the poor can be this generous.

Later in the week at one of our rural clincs this little guy beat me in a game of tic-tac-toe. He was feeling pretty proud of himself until I took him out back and gave him an atomic-wedgie.
Is this not the cutest little chica you've ever seen in your life? Having so many kids hanging around playing while we're with the patients is one of the perks of the job.

Lowlight of the week:
- Witnessing the extreme poverty in La Plancha. That may be the poorest place I've ever been. Most people had some sort of infection around their mouths because they drink out of the same canal where they bathe and use the restroom.
A "home" in La Plancha. It's just not freakin' fair.

Some of the community leaders in the meeting hall where we saw patients led the kids of the community in songs each day. It's just a thought, but how is it that very poor people can sing with more joy than people with so much? Hmmm...

In other news...
Our good friends Chris & Tausha came down for a week to visit us. We all took an overnight bus (10 hours - yee-haw!) to Tikal (super cool site of Mayan ruins in far north Guatemala.) Tikal was like the New York City of its day - skyscrapers and all...
See what I mean. Not too shabby for people without cranes.
We made a great climb to overlook Lago Atitlan to finish our week together.

We're 6 months into our journey today and are feeling extremely grateful to each of you for supporting us. We are so thankful to be a part of some amazing work here in this beautiful country.
Thanks for checking in!
Peace to you,
Jay

Prayer Concern: Our Guatemalan staff and American administrator were in a bad accident this week. They drive 2 hours to Camanchaj (where Carey and I are based) every Monday and Tuesday and on the way home Tuesday they were hit by a truck and their van flipped. I honestly do not know how none of them were seriously injured. Beside bruises and a possible fractured arm, they're all okay. I would ask that you please pray for our travel to and from the clinics and for the "psychological" recovery of those involved in this accident.

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2009-03-24T18:14:00.013-06:00

Fighting FEAR in Guatemala

I'm a scaredy cat. A really big scaredy cat truth be told. Oh sure, I may look brave moving to Guatemala, but it's just an act. I thought I would be able to leave at least some of my fears in the States, but no, those pesky fears must have snuck into my luggage because here they are. And oh boy, are they showing their ugly faces this week. From smallest to biggest, here are my top three:

1. Fear of getting lost

I know, this sounds a bit silly... But if you've ever been in a car with me and I had to make more than one turn, then you probably know what I'm talking about. I have a bad sense of direction. I mean really bad. When we moved to NJ, and I had to commute from Toms River to Princeton, I got lost at least a dozen times before Dad and Donna gave me an early birthday present. Some people call it a GPS system, but I call it a gift from God. :)

Well, today, I had to drive from Panajachel where we live to Camanchaj where we work BY MYSELF. Jay is out of town with another medical team. The drive is long (at least 45 minutes), and detours are common on market days and during the dry season because it's the only time road work can be done. Having a GPS here would be pointless, but a map would be helpful, or how about street signs? And I'm pretty sure I haven't seen a 7-Eleven where I can stop and ask for directions. If I got lost, I could call Jay or someone at the clinic, but the conversation would probably go something like this -- "I'm not sure... I see corn, and umm, more corn... Can you come get me?"

2. Fear of the dark

Maybe I watched too many scary movies or read too many scary books when I was a kid, but I've always been afraid of the dark, or better put, the stalker lurking in the dark. For the past several years, when Jay was working as a youth minister, I would dread the long nights when he was away on youth retreats. I'd put a chair under my bedroom doorknob, keep mace under the bed, take tylenol p.m., and pray to make it through the night. I know. You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm really not.

Well, Jay is gone this week, which means... I'M BY MYSELF. In GUATEMALA. And umm, no one told us that traveling was going to be part of Jay's job when we agreed to come here. Granted, our boss, Phil, lives in the apartment downstairs. But hey, I can't think rationally at 3 a.m. Especially in Guatemala.

3. Fear of disappointing others

My first two fears affect me every now and then, but this one... Well, it runs my life. In the States, I was terrified of disappointing my bosses, my friends, my family, God. I felt that I was never a good enough student, employee, friend, wife, sister, daughter, etc... And I spent a lot of nights worrying about this. When I wasn't worrying about the stalker that is. :)

More than any of my other fears, I had hoped to leave this one behind. But unfortunately, it followed me to Guatemala, and it has been harrassing me ever since the preschool opened. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we had a rough start with the septic system problems, but it's not just that. Several children have dropped out, and one of our teachers quit last week. Now, I'll readily admit that most of what has happened is not under my control, but the truth is that I can't help but feel like a failure at times. I can't help but worry that I'm disappointing my boss and the preschool sponsors, not to mention the students and their families....

So, in summary, this week is tough. And yet, here I am, getting up every morning and fighting my fears. If I can do it here, I can do it anywhere, right? But I couldn't do it without the love and support of my friends and family. So thanks to you all for your encouraging words and prayers.

Love, cc

Things I Did NOT Learn in Seminary

2009-03-12T17:12:00.008-06:00

The clog in our blog over the last few weeks is due to lots of long work days preparing for and working with one of our biggest and most important teams this year - a surgery team from Canada. I'm totally drained, but it's been an awesome experience seeing them in action. In the past 6 days they have completed 25 or so plastic surgeries (cleft lips, finger/toe repair, amputations) and 20ish gynecological surgeries (hysterectomies, tubal ligations, ovarian cyst removals).
I've learned so much while coordinating the trip for this team, but it has also exposed just how ill-trained I am for certain aspects of this job. I seem to find myself in unfamiliar situations daily, and as I do, one thought continues to come to mind: I definitely did NOT learn how to do this in seminary!

IN SEMINARY, THEY DIDN'T TEACH ME HOW TO...
1. ...answer the question, "My baby hasn't fed in over a day and my breasts are full of milk. Can you help me relieve the pressure?" Ummm...a little help over here please!
2. ...speak Ixil, K'iche, Kakchiquel, Mam or Tz'utuil - just 5 of the indigenous languages spoken by our surgical patients this week. Somebody find me a translator.
3. ...watch a big toe be amputated without feeling a little woozy. Totally worth it : )
4. ...drive 3 hours to an unfamiliar, dangerous city with said toe sitting in the passenger seat next to me bouncing around in a jar full of formaldehyde so it can be biopsied. Don't worry though, sucking in fumes from chicken buses over the past 6 months has killed my sense of smell.
5. ...speak in Spanish with patients about their irregular menstral cycles and other "female problems" without blushing.

Fortunately, however, somewhere along the way I did learn how to comfort a woman who had just been informed that she had cancer, hold the hand of a man who was having his toe amputated, and spend some time listening to and encouraging a friend whose husband is an alcoholic. I guess when it comes down to it I'm really just a pastor at heart - a pastor posing as a volunteer coordinator/pseudo-nurse guy/wanna-be translator in Guatemala.

The first group of patients arrive at the clinic. I don't think they understood a word I said, so I just kept smiling.

I'm in there about 6" from the big toe. I didn't touch it, but kind of wanted to.

Team Canada at work. I've found a whole new respect for our neighbors up north. Can you believe they can do something like this in what used to be an abandoned building?

Shout-out to our friend, Dr. Candice, from Austin who came down to help Carey with the preschool. They spent the week brainstorming ways to improve the school...and were able to work a little free-time into the visit too.

Carey with the kiddos one day at school. They're watching several of their classmates act out "The Three Little Pigs" as the teachers read the story. So cute.

Just to leave you with a unique cultural experience, check out this 70-second video I took of the Sunday market in Chichicastenango (the biggest market in Central America). Note the local's traditional dress, the incense coming from the church, and the indigenous language (K'iche) being spoken by the man near me...

Peace, Jay

ps. Carey and I feel so thankful for your love and support. How can we ever repay you for supporting us in this work?

Hell, Revisited

2009-02-24T17:15:00.007-06:00

I have once before referred to Guatemala as "hell" for those with Type-A personalities. After a week of having my own Type-A buttons not just pushed but jammed, it's clear that I was right. However, I feel that things are starting to happen in me that just may end up changing the type of person I am.
Last week I hosted a large and "complex" team here from San Antonio, TX. By complex I mean 2 eye surgeons (they performed around 35 cataract surgeries), 4 doctors (they saw 500 patients), 1 dentist (100 patients - around 200 teeth pulled), and a vision group (200 patients with new glasses). To say I was in hyper Type-A controlling mode would be an understatement (I was even scaring myself!)
One morning before I left with the team for Cunen (about 4 hours north of here), I woke up, and realizing that something in me needed to change, said a very simple prayer: "God, please remind me that I...am...not...in...control." Although I don't want this to be true, I now recognize that it is. I am not in control. And it's time to start being okay with it. I've been reminding myself of this very simple truth every morning since, and to be honest, I think there may be something to it.
Here's what I mean: my job is basically to help keep the teams safe, happy, and busy while they're here. The most important aspect of my work is to ensure that those with a need (surgical, dental, medical, or vision need) get hooked-up with our doctors while they're in the area. So, of course the worst thing that can happen, after months of advertising in rural areas that American doctors will be in town on a certain day, is that no patients show up. When this happens, manic Jay comes out to play.
Well, this happened. We show up to a town called Los Trigales with 2 doctors and a dentist ready to do some great work, and there is literally not one patient there. I instantly feel every team member's eyes on me, thinking, "I just spent how much money to come to Guatemala to visit a desolate rural community?" I freak. But then remember my stupid little morning prayer, "Jay, you are not in control," and start saying it to myself. See what I mean by "hell?"
Faith, Revisited
So we're all sitting there in our gringo-mobile, at a desolate rural community in the middle of nowhere, staring at each other (mostly at me, wandering, "now what, leader-boy?") And then one of our doctors says something I'll never forget. He says, "I can't wait to see what God does next." What!? This dude (a dude with Harvard education, by the way) and I couldn't be more different. He must be like, Type-Z personality. And apparently, he's the master of this "I am not in control" thing.
This is him (the smart dude) pointing at numbers with our vision team at a clinic. Oh by the way, we ended up leaving Los Trigales after waiting 45 minutes for patients to show up and went to a town named Chiul for what turned out to be a great day (with tons of patients). Later that night, the doc pulled me aside and said, "No offense, but I sure am glad that we ended up following God's plan and not Jay's plan."
Now I'm not really on-board with those who believe that "everything happens for a reason," but there just might be a reason why it's not very healthy (mentally or spiritally) to continue trying to force our own plan and control every situation in life. Instead, what if I learned, like the wise Harvard doc, to just do my best in every situation and kinow with full confidence that "I am not in control...and I sure can't wait to see what God ends up doing next."

This is Bob. He's the man. I worked with him and his wife Barbara all week as their translator. I hope I heard all the patients right when they told me which tooth they wanted pulled. Oh well, having one less tooth never hurt anyone, right?

Peace to you,
Jay

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2009-02-22T18:32:00.003-06:00

Guat happens.

Yes, I'm thinking of another four-letter word, but it's probably not appropriate for the director of the Susanna Wesley Preschool to use that word. I'm pretty sure Susie wouldn't approve. :) So, Guat happens. And it covered our school playground/clinic waiting room the first week of school. I won't pretend to understand our septic system and can only say that it wasn't sufficient for 24 preschoolers who use the bathroom...well...a LOT. And so, we were forced to close the school eight days after we opened and have been scrambling to find a solution ever since (all while hosting two volunteer medical teams from the States). Again, I won't pretend to understand what's being done, but I'm pretty sure it involves digging a very big hole until $7,000 can be raised for a new system.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers this week. We're reopening the school (Tuesday/Thursday only for now), and I really hope I won't be telling the students, parents, and teachers that we have to close the school again.

Yes, Guat happens. But it sure seems to happen over and over again to the people of Guatemala.

The Honeymoon is Over

2009-02-06T08:49:00.003-06:00

They warned us this would happen. One of the final stages of culture shock, the one right before acceptance, is rejection. I am so there. We're 4 months into our mission here in Guatemala and I find myself in the proverbial valley.
- Things I once found exotic are now just annoying or weird.
- The Moshito I eat on most morning is starting to taste like part of its name.
- The original relief I felt upon realizing that I wouldn't be sweating 24/7 while living here has been replaced by the harsh reality that it is just really, really cold here (how is it possible to feel colder inside a building than outside one!?)
- I find myself humming the tune "It's a hard-knock life" from Annie more and more (Note: Yes, I recognize how strange it is for a grown man with a receeding hair-line to be projecting his life onto that of a young, orphan girl with a red afro.)
- I'm secretly angry at Carey for somehow managing to escape meeting my new pet friend, the amoeba.
- Eating home-made Guatemalan food is no longer a life-enhancing, cultural experience. It just brings lots and lots of pain (especially the ones that start with "Ch-," such as Chicharrones, Churrascos, or Chuchitos.)
- I've become more fearful of water than the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz.
- Is it wrong to put an elderly Mayan woman in a head-lock if she persists on trying to sell me a rubber chicken on a string? (I promise I haven't done this...yet)

On the bright side, I find it somewhat comforting that I'm so predictable that I seem to be following the expected order of the stages of culture shock. I've got one prayer right now: "C'mon Acceptance Stage!" Oh, actually two: "...and protect me from the evils of the Chicharrone!"
Paz,
Jay

Susanna Wesley Preschool, Camanchaj

2009-02-03T20:56:00.008-06:00

Yesterday was our first day of school, and it was so much fun! We started our day with a warm breakfast of scrambled eggs, black beans, tortillas, and oranges made by the Salud y Paz Amigas. Afterwards, Seño Mary (one of our teachers) helped us brush our teeth, and this took quite some time because we have 24 students and one sink! Next, we had morning circle, where we sang songs and learned that the day is Monday, February 2nd. We also looked outside to check the weather and decided that it was a sunny day in Camanchaj. Then we played a game to learn everyone’s names and even got to draw a picture of a new friend. After snack, Seño Josephina (our other teacher) read us a story about school and asked us lots of questions along the way. Next, we talked about the rules of our classroom and then played outside with our teachers. After a delicious lunch of spaghetti, green beans, tortillas, and milk, we brushed our teeth, and then Seño Mary told us a story about her first day of school. We were really tired by then and glad that it was time to go home. But we couldn't wait to come back tomorrow!

Morning Circle with our teachers

Shelvin, the doctor, taking care of a "sick baby"

Karenlin and Jhoselyne

Astrid

Story Time

Brushing our teeth after lunch

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2009-01-30T20:58:00.010-06:00

I can't remember the last time I felt so tired and so fulfilled at the same time. It was probably a mission trip. :) And now my life is one big mission trip. And sometimes it's hard. Some mornings, I dread the long drive on Guatemala's windy, treacherous roads to the COLD mountains of Camanchaj. (Remember last year when I was complaining about my commute to Princeton? Ahh, those were the days...) And some nights, when I'm especially tired and frustrated, I wonder if I'm really strong enough to do this work long term. But other mornings, I wake up thinking about the children of Camanchaj and am filled with a deep sense of purpose. The feeling is new and sometimes I don't recognize it for what it is. I just know that I feel happy and at peace. And when that sense of purpose stays with me 'til night, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for my life with Jay in Guatemala.

As most of you know, since we arrived in October, I've been preparing for the opening of Camanchaj's first preschool -- meeting with parents, buying materials, planning a school menu, hiring teachers and cooks, recruiting sponsors from the US, and hundreds of other little things that a graduate degree in education didn't prepare me for! Well, the first day of school is finally here (Monday, February 2nd), and it wouldn't have been possible without the support of a lot of people (including you)! Above all, I am grateful for the help of a team of 21 volunteers who worked tirelessly the week before our community-wide celebration last Saturday. Jay has posted some photos and videos of the big week below. And I'll blog again soon about the first week of school. Wish us luck!

La Directora in front of the school - obviously still a work in progress at this point...

...but a few days later, with the help of countless volunteers, it all came together.

Setting up for the big opening celebration on Saturday morning.

Check out this 100-second video of the opening day celebration and school classrooms. It's not a party until the mariachi band arrives.

With our two teachers, Mary and Josefa. Carey and I are giants in Guatemala (I love it here).

Carey's speech on video - 2 1/2 minutes of dominating in Espanol!

It's all about the ribbon-cutting. Carey doing the honors with Salud y Paz director and founder, Dr. Phil Plunk.

One of our students, Diego, wearing his new school hoodie, his mother, Candelaria, who works as a receptionist in our Camanchaj clinic, and Inge, who is sponsoring Diego's education. This was Inge's last day in Camanchaj, and she was honored at our celebration for the work she's done at Salud y Paz the past two years.

Ready or not...24 eager five and six-year-old Mayan children are showing up at the school at 8 a.m. Monday morning. Dios mio!

GO TIME!

2009-01-20T18:06:00.008-06:00

It's time to get our game-faces on. Carey and I hosted the first of our 20+ teams in 2009 (a dental team from Oregon), and now we're hosting a team from Florida to help us get ready for the big preschool opening celebration this Saturday (the school officially opens on Feb. 2). Some pics from the action...
Represent! Dr. Black and Tina from Oregon! (they're Beavers, not Ducks)
Open wide! At the clinic we do both fillings and extractions, but in remote rural locations (like here in Lacama), we just YANK (2-3 per patient). Unfortunately, many of the people don't brush and for a comfort food/cheap treat, drink too many sodas and eat a lot of sweets.
Favorite moment: an elderly Mayan woman comes in complaining of a tooth ache. I try to ask in broken Spanish which tooth she needs pulled. She opens wide, the dentist and I peer in...and she only has one tooth left! ; )
The team took photos of kids and families and printed them on photo printers they brought. It was a huge hit b/c the people don't have the opportunity to take photos (for obvious reasons). The frame above was pain-stakingly decorated by one gentleman. He was SO proud of this photo of his family.
Each little village has a "Committee" that gathers occasionally to make decisions affecting the community. A very important meeting was taking place when we arrived in Lacama b/c another nearby town had just taken justice into their own hands and killed several men who were kidnapping and ransoming locals. Unfortunately, with slow police/government response, this kind of vigilante justice is not that uncommon.U.S.A.! Dr. Black's son teaching 4 locals life's most important lesson: how to play american football.
Jay with one of our translators, Fernando. Nice guy - too bad that ugly jacket will make this his last time working with us.

Members of the Florida team teaching Jose, one of our other translators, the Hokey-Pokey. Guatemaltecos agree: this is clearly NOT what it is all about.

Floridians making up for their election year gaffes in 2000 by building the second level of the preschool and preparing the classrooms.

If you're the praying sort we could use a couple... I'm sure Carey has a lot on her mind trying to train her two teachers and get everything ready for the daily growing number of students signing up for the school, and I have now graduated from amoebic dysentery to the wonderful world of some yet-to-be-determined stomach bacteria. We both need to be at our best during this important time. Thanks!

Love you,

Jay

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2009-01-14T16:28:00.002-06:00

Reflections at three months:

I miss some silly things like bubble baths and girly stuff that’s expensive here (although a team from Utah brought me face soap – wahoo!). I also miss some things that we take for granted in the States like drinking water straight from the tap and yes, flushing toilet paper. Mostly I miss my family and friends from Texas and New Jersey. And Molly.

But there are also a lot of things I don’t miss. Like my cell phone. Or my car. Or those knots in my back from working on a computer all day.

It would take all day to describe all that I’ve learned about myself, others, and our world over the past three months, but I will say one thing. Learning a new language is kicking my butt! One month of school wasn’t even close to being enough, and we’re doing our best to speak Spanish at home, but it’s so frustrating. I’ll leave you with an example of a typical conversation between the two of us (translated into English from Spanish).

Carey: I go to store now. You want go to store?
Jay: No, I no need things from store.
Carey: No, I ask you want to go?
Jay: What?
Carey: (now yelling) You want go to store with me, or no?
Jay: I can hear. I no… What is word?
Carey: What word?
Jay: (in English) deaf
Carey: I don’t know. Look in dictionary.
Jay: Where is dictionary?
Carey: I don’t know, but I need go before light.
Jay: What?
Carey: I make error. I need go before dark. You go?
Jay: Where?

Mexican Math (aka The Grapes of Wrath)

2009-01-05T15:21:00.013-06:00

90 # of days foreigners have in Guatemala before they have to renew their Visa by jumping the border to Mexico
30 # of hours we spent in a microbus traveling to/from/around Mexico this last week
14 # of pesos you get for 1 US Dollar (it's a good time to visit Mexico!)
13 # of combined ways there are to say the word "vomit" in English and Dutch
12 # of grapes you're supposed to stuff in your mouth as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve in Mexico
6 # of people we crammed into 1 room for 5 nights at a hostel in San Cristobal de las Casas
4 # of Dutch friends Carey and I went with to Mexico to celebrate the New Year
3 # of people who vomited in the microbus during one of our stomach-churning drives
1 # of grapes it took for Jay to contract an intestinal amoeba and then pray for a quick death

Since our 90 days in Guatemala were up, Carey and I planned a trip with several Dutch friends to a very cool town in Mexico called San Cristobal de las Casas to renew our Visas (even people who have lived here for 10+ years do this every 3 months - great system, huh!?) San Cristobal may be the "hippest" town in Mexico, and was a side of Mexico I didn't know existed. Picture Vishnu-worshipping Mexicans with dreadlocks selling anti-war t-shirts. Very interesting place. If you really want to stretch your vacation dollar and visit a beautiful, colonial town with lots of things to do, you may want to visit one day.

C & J with Lenny & Marija trying to look "hard" before we boarded a boat for one of our day-tours. We may need some practice.

On our boat in the Canon del Sumidero. Gorgeous place with up to 1000 meter cliffs hanging over head on both sides.

We got so close I could have pet the thing. Yeah, this would be allowed in the States.
Agua Azul. Wow.

The sign said "No Swimming" in Spanish. It's a good thing I don't know the language : )

Misol-ha. Just another beautiful waterfall in Mexico.
Palenque Mayan Ruins. Coolest place ever. Was it worth spending 6 hours in a microbus smelling of vomit? Yes. Well, maybe.

My theory is that the little house on the right was the "love shack" of Palenque. Of course it's just a theory.
At 5 p.m. on Dec. 31st the Dutch celebrated Holland ringing in 2009.

Later that night. It was comforting to learn that white people are universally bad dancers.
The fateful moment at midnight.

I've never read the book, "The Grapes of Wrath," but I can only assume that the author visited Mexico on New Year's Eve one year, stuffed 12 grapes into his mouth at midnight, then 2 days later realized that he had been outwitted by a single-cell organism. Dote!

Carey and I hope you all had a wonderfully peaceful holiday season and wish each of you all the best in 2009.

Love,

J & C

Honey, Jesus is at the Door Again...

2008-12-22T18:29:00.004-06:00

Jesus keeps showing up at our back door unannounced in the form of a 4'9" Mayan woman with no front teeth. He's going by the name Isabel and has a deviously-cute baby named Norma slung over his back. You wouldn't believe how loud he knocks and how persistent he can be with his knocking. The man will simply not go away! In fact, he just left a few minutes ago. Let me be perfectly honest with you...Jesus is really starting to tick me off!
His visits always frustrate me and leave me feeling taken advantage of. He started coming around in October. At first he only wanted money and seemed upset with me when I would instead hand him eggs, bread and milk. But now that's it's Christmas time and all he's been hanging around town more, so we seem to see him everywhere we go. He wants me to buy his baby groceries and take him to the health clinic. That cleverly-disguised Jew sure does have a way of getting under my skin...he asks for more than I want to give, he makes me feel guilty about the money I have, and pulls me away from important things I need to do just so I'll notice him everytime he comes around. Errrrgggg!
Even though I talk about Jesus a lot as a pastor, for some reason there is something in me that is simply rebelling against him barging into my life like this. His mere presence in Isabel is forcing me to re-examine my relationship with the poor I see day-to-day and what my responsibility is to them as someone with money, resources and education. Not to mention the lesson he's trying to teach me about the mysterious joy of being taken advantage of. I'm probably just mad because Jesus is making me put my money where my mouth is. Maybe I'll learn one day, but until then I'd better get to bed because tomorrow I'm taking that annoying carpenter from Bethlehem to the pharmacy early in the morning to get him some meds...
Peace,
Jay

An Open Letter to All Roosters

2008-12-16T10:13:00.002-06:00

Dear Roosters,

I hate you.

Sincerely,
Jay (that gringo in Guatemala you have chosen to torture with your incessant, 24/7 crowing)

p.s. Watch your back. If I see one of you wandering the streets alone...it's on!

Reflections at 2 Months...

2008-12-09T19:08:00.004-06:00

Things I Miss:
-Route 44 Cherry-Limeades from Sonic (FYI Happy Hour drinks are ½ price 2-4 p.m. daily!)
-Drivers who stop at stop signs
-Hugs and holidays with my family in Texas
-The Jersey shore
-Flushing toilet paper
-Town Lake in Austin
-Ice
-Having dinner at some great local restaurant with close friends
-Preaching on Sunday mornings (mostly)
-Creamy Jalapeno sauce at Chuy’s ~ I could bathe in that stuff (and would if I had the chance)
-Snowy days in New Jersey
-My partners in ministry
-Our dog Molly
-Playing with my cute nieces
-The feeling of college football Saturdays
-You

Things I Don’t Miss:
-The insane consumerism around Christmas
-Being inundated with advertising and media
-Being part of the majority (it’s good to experience being the "different" one for a change)
-Having a car
-Feeling driven to be productive 24/7
-The concrete jungle
-The sense of entitlement I felt in the States
-Bathing everyday (overrated)

Things I’m Learning:
-It’s a lot more fun to drive when everyone else on the road is crazy too!
-It may be easier to see God when you’re in unfamiliar environments.
-It really feels good to say “hola” and smile at people I walk by everyday.
-Where your treasure is your heart will be also (I think some famous Jew said that once).
-The United Methodist Church may be “dying” by some standards in the States, but it sure is full of life down here!
-A small Toyota pick-up actually can hold upwards of 20 people in the rear bed.
-Unfamiliar situations or people are rarely as scary as we make them out to be.
-No matter where I live from here on out I will own a hammock.
-Even though motorcycles clearly are the best and most economical means of transportation, if your spouse doesn’t want you to drive one it just ain’t gonna happen!
-If you smile and nod a lot when listening to someone speak Spanish they'll think you understand them.
-A machete really does make the perfect gift for a 6-year-old boy.
-Mayans must be among the hardest working, yet most family-oriented people I have ever met.
-I should take more time to slow down and enjoy life (even while working)
-If you can't pronounce the name of a particular type of food it's no more likely to make you sick.
-If you look directly into the big, brown eyes of a Mayan child you will feel more hopeful about life. (Remember that verse, “in the twinkling of an eye you will be changed?" Well, it seems to make more sense now.)
-It’s really easy and cost-effective to reuse zip-lock bags, plastic bottles, paper towels, and many other things I used to throw away after only one use (note: reusing toilet paper = bad idea).
-It’s a big world out there, and it is clearly not all about me!

Happy Festivus!
Paz,
Jay

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2008-11-30T18:38:00.005-06:00

I don't know about you, but I am still trying to make my parents proud. This gets a little tiring after 33 years, but I still keep at it. For example, I'll always remember the day I told my Dad that I got a job at Princeton. I've never seen him so excited! For some reason, he was less excited when I told him I got a volunteer job in Guatemala. Go figure. :) But I'm still trying to make him proud, and I thought of something today that he would appreciate...

About 20 years ago, my Dad walked into my room while I was fixing my hair. Chicas, you remember what an ordeal this was in the late 80s, right? So he watched me blow drying, curling, and teasing for a while and then asked, "How long does this usually take?" I remember saying, "Oh, about 30 minutes." (It was more like 45 but I could see where he was going...) After a quick calculation (he's an engineer so it didn't take long), he reported how many hours over the next year and then days over my life I would waste on my hair. I'm sure I only laughed at the time and went on with my teasing. But this morning, when I ran a comb through my wet hair and ran out the door for church, I thought of our conversation. I'll overestimate this time and say that I usually spend about 1 minute a day on my hair. Over the next year, that adds up to about six hours. Not bad, eh Dad?

Carey's Birthday!

2008-11-28T19:05:00.006-06:00

Carey's b-day started out with a BANG last Saturday. It's tradition around here for a man to set-off a bunch of firecrackers outside his wife's window on her birthday. So when in Rome...good times : )
We spent the day in a lake town called San Marcos La Laguna, and then I had a couple of new friends here help me surprise Carey back at our apartment when we returned ~ complete with decorations, cake, dinner and a pinata! A truly Guatemalan "cumpleanos."

The birthday chica out on the lake in San Marcos. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather.

A local enjoying the day in a typical home-made wooden boat.

A great reaction after realizing that the shadowy figures in our apartment were there for a surprise party, and not her impending death.
As you can see, gringos are considerably worse at pinata than Guatemalteco's are. Daniel and Lety are our spanish instructors and friends. They were so kind to offer to set-up this big surprise for Carey.
Since I didn't get to shove Carey's face in cake on our wedding day, Lety did the honors for me on Saturday.
Lety and Daniel taught us how to do meringue dance, and we taught them how to 2-step! Note: Jay is white.
Lety is becoming a good friend of Carey. Unfortunately, it is physically impossible for Lety to keep her eyes open during a photograph.

Keep eating those turkey sandwiches ~ it will be gone soon!

J & C

Happy El Dia de Accion Gracias! Gobble, Gobble

2008-11-27T22:23:00.002-06:00

During this time of year I usually find myself thanking God for all the “things” I have. This year, however, I’m feeling blessed for the things I don’t have. Carey and I just recently spent a week in a little town here in Guatemala hosting a Methodist work team from the States. In that time, we witnessed around 628 miracles: 271 medical patients treated, 355 teeth pulled, and two new rooms constructed at the John Wesley Medical Clinic where we served. It was there, among some of the poorest people of Guatemala, that I began to realize just how thankful I was to have “less” this year.
I no longer have disposable income, but now I’ve been given the gift of learning to rely on God and others. I no longer enjoy the safety I had in the States, but now I’ve been given the chance to trust God in unfamiliar situations. I no longer have many of the comforts I’d become accustomed to, but now I’ve been given the opportunity to learn about the cost of following Jesus. So this year, as I lead mission teams on various projects throughout Guatemala and Carey prepares to open the new Susanna Wesley Preschool in January, we both find ourselves thankful, not only for all that we do have, but especially for all that we don’t.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
Jay & Carey

ps - we spent our most unique Thanksgiving ever today with 1 Italian, 2 Guatemalans, 1 Woman from Switzerland, another from Sweden, and a handful of gringos. The only thing that connected us was our ability to speak Spanish (mas o menos)...it was a beautiful thing ; )

Clinic Video

2008-11-23T20:22:00.003-06:00

If you're interested in what a "typical" clinic day looks like, check out this 80-second video that I took at one of our off-site clinics...

The woman in the blue scrubs in the video is the one I'm taking over for in February. Of course she's much better looking, taller, and smarter than me and speaks three languages fluently, but I still hope to somehow carry on the great work she's done over the years hosting teams and administrating clinic operations. I think I'm going to love this job...

Pics of Carey's b-day coming tomorrow. Jay

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2008-11-21T19:27:00.003-06:00

"Dead Man's Clothes"

Guatemala receives a lot of donated clothes from the U.S. I was told the other day that Guatemaltecas assume they are "dead man's clothes" because they can't imagine any other reason we would give away clothes in such good condition. Ouch. I'll remember that the next time I think I need a new outfit. :)

Warm Days, Hotter Lava

2008-11-18T19:32:00.010-06:00

We finally got a real taste of the kind of work that Salud y Paz does this past week, and we loved it! Carey and I spent 8 days helping host a work team from Utah in "southern" Guatemala in a town called San Antonio Suchi...name continues for about 7 more syllables. Once again earning my man-card, I drove us about 3 hours through the mean streets of Guate. After meeting the team, which consisted of 2 doctors, 1 dentist, lots of nurses, and several construction grunts, we all attended a local Methodist Church (Guatemalan Methodists have "slightly" more exciting worship services than American Methodists do - when Guatemaltecos sing...they really sing!) That week we worked three days at the Salud y Paz clinic and 2 days at off-site/make-shift clinics (at local churches, road sides, etc). It was such a blast seeing the team in action. Despite the extreme heat, they worked long days and inspired me with their compassion. Here's the final tally of big and small miracles they performed: 271 patients seen and given medication, 355 rotten teeth pulled, and two new rooms added on to clinic! I think God decided to show-off a bit.

Here are some more pics and a video of our big adventure...

Outside the John Wesley Clinic in San Antonio Suchi. It's one of our newer clinics and is only open on Fridays and when teams come into town now, but in the near future we hope to see patients several days a week. Carey was a huge hit at the clinic reading to the kids while their parents were with the doctors. The children here are crazy cute. A view from the future patio/waiting area for patients looking into the two new dental rooms. The new rooms are just to the right of the existing clinic. My job was to lay the bricks you see in the background - they're "mostly" straight.

After the week was over, we stayed a night in Antigua with the team and got to climb Volcan Pacaya. It's very active, as you can see in the background of this pic and in this video...

Our guide Felix was kind enough to roast some marshmallows ("angelitos" in Spanish) that I brought with us in case we were able to get close enough to the lava. I know what you're thinking, but he actually looked better without eyebrows.

Have a great week and thanks for checking in! We'll post some pics of Carey's b-day this Saturday and hopefully a short video I made of a "typical" day at the clinic. Love, J & C

A Week in Pics...

2008-11-08T20:28:00.005-06:00

Carey and I have had a busy week, working at two of our clinics (Camanchaj and Quetzaltenango), but also took some time to do some sight-seeing after work. I am also glad to announce that I am now officially a MAN! I drove us all over Guatemala and only got lost twice! Yes, I did have to ask directions four times in total, but did NOT drive us over a cliff or run over any roosters, dogs, cows, or children ~ thank God! It's all down-hill from here baby!
Enough talk. Here are some pics from our past week...

The cemetary in Panajachel on El Dia de los Muertos in preparation for All Saints Day. All burial plots were ornately painted and decorated with flowers in memory of lost loved ones.

Ummm...it's kind of windy here. The rainy season ends at the end of October and you know it's over when the wind starts. Imagine Hurrican Ike minus the rain. We lost a tree that crushed our gate. It hasn't rained since (and may not throughout the dry season!) Note: this is not true. I'm just being dramatic ; )

Top of a volcano on our drive to Fuentes Georginas (hot springs) near Quetzaltenango.

This, my friends, is a "chicken" bus! God created it on the 8th day. It can always fit "uno mas" and take you anywhere you want to go for pennies. Chances are good that the one pictured here was the same one you rode to school in 3rd grade. There are no atheists on chicken buses.

The central park in Quetzaltenango (thankfully it's also called Xela). It's the second biggest city in Guat. One of our 4 clinics is right outside of Xela in the same building where the U. Methodist Church has their volunteer office.

Ahhh!! Believe it or not, this store, named Despensa Familiar, is owned by Wal-Mart! They also own a huge store in Xela called Hiper Mart. The end is near...

Now that's a church! This is one of the most unique, colorful churches in Central America. It's in San Andreas outside of Xela and can be spotted from outer space (again, not true). The top of the dome is painted like a circus tent, and over the altar is a neon blue sign that says "Pescadores do Hombres" (fishers of men). Definitely worth the visit.

Fuentes Georginas (Hot Springs) outside of Zunil. A quick dip helped melt away all the stress from driving in Guatemala.

You can never take enough pics of Lake Atitlan. It truly is one of the most beautiful places on earth and is like steroids for your faith.

Prayer Request: Carey and I will help lead a team about 3-4 hours south of here this week in Mazatenango (near one of our clinics in San Antonio Suchi) starting Sunday. We'll be doing some construction work on the existing clinic and offer health care to the locals everyday. Please pray for safe travel, success in our mission, opened eyes, and changed hearts. Thanks!

Love,

Jay and Carey

Guatemala: Type-A "Hell"

2008-11-04T17:34:00.004-06:00

I would consider myself to have a Type-A personality. I walk fast, I'm anxious, I need structure, I base my self-worth on my productivity, and I like to be in control. Yep, you guessed it...living in Guatemala is kicking my butt.
Carey and I started work this week, and I feel like I've just entered a treatment center to detox from all I learned about work and self-worth in the States. I know most of us would kill to slow down for a bit and take a break from our hectic lives in the U.S., but it's become clear that if I'm going to make it here I'm going to have to change my expectations. Things here are just slower. People are less stressed, or at least seem to be. Which is ironic because they arguably have more to be stressed about than I do (for example, having enough money to survive this month!) Although the people here are some of the hardest working I have ever seen (bending over for 8+ hours picking onions does not look easy), I don't see them scurrying about like rats. I see them talking with their neighbors at length every day and spending time playing with their children (and it takes a lot of time to play with 7 children!)
I don't want to make Guatemala sound like some sort of Eden, because it's not, but there is something very attractive and natural about this way of life. But I still feel myself resisting it - resisting the slower lifestyle and the society that seems to define me more by my 'being' and less by my 'doing.' I know, however, that this is why I need to be here. I recongize how unhealthy it has been for me to define myself by what I do and not who I am. As I detox from my Type-A addiction, I hope to emerge from treatment as less of human doing, and more of a human being.
Peace friends,
Jay

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2008-10-28T20:01:00.002-06:00

Sometimes learning a new language is like going to therapy. For example, as Jay already pointed out, we frequently rely on about ten verbs when communicating with our Spanish-speaking neighbors and practicing with one another. Well, I realized this past week that I may know ten verbs, but I use the same three over and over again. They are necesitar, deber, and tener que, and here's how I used them today.

Necesito estudiar mas. (I need to study more.)
Debo ir a la iglesia esta semana. (I should go to church this week.)
Tengo que terminar este articulo. (I have to finish this article.)

Now I recognize that these verbs will always be part of my vocabulary, but I would like them to be a bit more balanced with another verb: querer (to want). And perhaps more importantly, I should -- drat! Let me start over. I want to better balance my use of first person ("I") with other personal pronouns (you, she, they). :)

Press "2" for English? Por Favor!

2008-10-21T19:50:00.011-06:00

Carey and I have been attending Spanish classes here in Pana just about everyday now since we arrived in Guatemala. During that time we've experienced quite a range of emotions about our ability. On some days, we feel supremely confident - speaking nothing but Spanish to each other and those we meet in the market and in our neighborhood, and on other days I feel like crying because I couldn't explain to the guy on the phone in Spanish that 1) I wanted my pizza delivered because it was raining, and 2) no, I don't have a street address for you because I live on a street without a name! (Proof that God exists: the pizza somehow arrived, much to our surprise, later that night).

Being immersed in a new language has me thinking about the ways in which we help our "neighbors" today. We finally got a cell phone yesterday, and I can't tell you how difficult it was to figure out if I had voicemail on it or not (let alone how to access it if I did). I called the cell company's "Servicio" line to see if I could get some help, and to be perfectly honest I was (naively) expecting there to be a "Push 2 for English" prompt during the call. But there wasn't! I listened to the Spanish-speaking computer lady about 5-6 times before hanging up. Hmmm. It was obvious I was on my own.

Without getting into a political discussion...it seems that different countries try to reach-out to their neighbors in different ways. Most U.S. companies include a "Empuje 2 para Espanol" prompt during customer service calls, and I've found that most Guatemaltecans are happy to go out of their way to help me learn their language and manage in their country day-to-day, even though I do only have about 10 or so verbs - mostly conjugated incorrectly - at my disposal. Maybe a big part of being neighborly in our world today has to do with finding patience for and doing our best to understand those who are trying to make it in our "neck of the woods."

I probably could have made this blog about one sentence, because what I really wanted to say is...this is a really good experience for us and we're learning lots about our neighbors and, in the process, ourselves.

Thus is the life of two Spanglish-speaking gringos in Latin America : )

Peace,

Jay

ps. Carey and I have a little TV in our apartment and can pick-up a station that plays old American sitcoms and comedies - all dubbed in Spanish! Needless to say, we watch 'Alf' in Espanol most week nights and our language-skills have improved vastly!

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2008-10-17T18:43:00.003-06:00

Why is it so difficult to step outside our comfort zone? I've been to the mercado (where we buy a lot of our food, and all our fruits and vegetables) twice in the past week, and although I find it a beautiful and exciting place, I can't help but feel the need to flee the scene! What exactly am I afraid of? I'm not sure, but probably something like this... I walk up to a woman in the market and intend to ask, "Cuanta cuesta?" to inquire about the cost of a vegetable. But instead, I ask something really offensive. And suddenly, the entire market goes quiet and everyone turns to stare at me. Then, one of two things happens. Either all the Mayan women become enraged and attack me OR they fall on the floor laughing. Ridiculous? Definitely. But I'm pretty sure these are the things I fear -- danger and humiliation. And possibly, these are things that kept me from living outside my comfort zone in the US.

P.S. The absense of photos of me on the previous blog has nothing to do with face soap. (This time anyway.)

Introducing...the Clinic & School!

2008-10-16T17:28:00.006-06:00

On Tuesday Carey and I were able to make our first visit to the village of Camanchaj and what will be our new place of work for the next 1-2 years. The brand-spanking-new preschool looked ready to go for lots of five and six year-old kids come January and the clinic was full of patients!
Salud y Paz by the Numbers:
1 Preschool (in Camanchaj)
Will open in January 2009
First class of children will be around 20
Students provided 3 meals a day, 5 days a week
4 Clinics (one in Camanchaj, the other 3 spread throughout the lower half of Guatemala)
Each with:
2 Operating Rooms
1 fully-stocked pharmacy and lab
Approximately 75 patients (indigenous Mayans) a day receive medical and/or dental care
2 More "hopeful" clinics to be built in the near future

Here's the clinic in Camanchaj (nearest "big" city is Chichicastenango)

Here's the new Susanna Wesley Preschool (that's our boss Phil in front of it).
If everything goes well, we'll be adding a second story to it in 2009!

One of the patient rooms inside the clinic.

The clinic is stocked with medical supplies and a kitchen to feed the staff.

One of two operating rooms for visiting surgical teams.

A very impressive pharmacy!

The dental room (LOTS of tooth extractions take place here).

Of course the most exciting part of the visit was the fact that I was able to drive us home! If you thought I was a "gifted" (i.e. bad) driver in the States, you should have seen me in Guatemala! I've never dodged such a wide variety of animals before on one trip : )
We'll be posting photos soon of Carey's students and give you information about how you can sponsor them each month.
Thanks for checking in!
Peace,
Jay (and Carey)

Deep Thoughts by Carey Cooper

2008-10-13T18:26:00.003-06:00

A special memory I hold is watching SNL with my Dad in high school. (Yes, this means that I was often at home and not out with friends or on a date.) Oh, and I should mention that my stepmom, Donna, was there too, but she was always asleep. :) One of our favorite skits was "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey." In case some of you aren't familiar with the skit (e.g., my young friends like Lindsay who make me feel really old at times), here are a few examples.

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

During the Middle Ages, probably one of the biggest mistakes was not putting on your armor because you were "just going down to the corner."

If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like I am now.

I don't have a lot of discipline when it comes to journaling (and wouldn't want to bore you with the boring stuff I'd put in a journal anyway), so I've decided to post short "deep (or not so deep) thoughts" as my contribution to the Cooper blog.

For example, the past few days I have been thinking a lot about the difference between want and need. When I was a kid, I would often say to my mom "I need..." (often a new shirt or pair of jeans because I was really into clothes). And my mom would usually reply, "You don't need it. You want it." Well, I'm not sure that I learned the lesson. As one example, today I realized that I was out of my travel face soap. I thought to myself, "Yikes, I need more face soap. Am I going to be able to find it here? And if so, is it going to cost a fortune?" Now, do I NEED face soap? I'm not sure. But I'm an American woman, and Neutrogena has been telling me for years that I do. Well, we'll see. Because starting tomorrow, it's plain old Guatemalan soap for this girl. If you notice a drop in photos of me on this blog, I guess you'll know why...

Jay's Birthday

2008-10-12T14:13:00.005-06:00

After a great week of studying Spanish everyday and making several afternoon trips to the market (to learn how to haggle) and to neighboring towns (to learn the culture, etc), Carey and I celebrated my 34th Birthday on Saturday. Note: the Spanish word for old is viejo.

We fixed some kick-butt omelettes (notice a trend with eggs?), and then headed out for our big adventure at one of the lake towns called San Pedro La Laguna.

Carey with the avocado-filled omelettes (avocados here are dirt cheap ~ hallelujah!)

Sodas are 1/2 price if you have them put the soda in a baggie instead of taking the bottle : )

The dock in Pana where we departed for San Pedro (we got done like suckers trying to negotiate the price of the boat ride).

A photo taken while we were waiting for a "rescue" boat to get us because ours ran out of gas. Carey says I look too "shiny" and touristy. I happen to think I blend in with the locals like a highly-skilled ninja.

Enjoying some down-time at a very cool local place in San Pedro called 'Zoola' (means "a place to relax" in Hebrew). San Pedro seems to attract the hippie refugee crowd.
While exploring some trails near the beach, we ran into a large group of children flying kites (look closely and you can see them in the pic above). It was so amazing and reminded me of a scene from 'The Kite Runner.' Kites are inexpensive and are popular past time for kids here.

We spent most of the day exploring the town. San Pedro's economy is highly dependent upon exporting coffee beans and entire families (even very young children) take part in collecting and drying the beans during the months of November and December once school ends (school just ended this week for children across the country - "summer" vacation lasts until Jan. 1st, but the majority of the children and teens here must spend that time working for their parents.

Carey and I went out to a local restaurant in Pana to end our night. It was our first time to venture out at night and we felt perfectly safe (wow, that sounded very American, didn't it?)

We'll be in Spanish school again all this week, with the exception of Tuesday, when we're going to visit the preschool and one of the clinics in Camanchaj where we'll be working come November 1st.

Thanks for checking in on us. I recognize that blogs can be nothing more than a celebration of our narcissism, so I'll try to give you as much info. on the culture, people, country, etc. as possible to make it worth your while.

Peace,

Jay (and Carey)

Mail

2008-10-09T20:09:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,

Phil was kind enough to let us use his P.O. box, so here's our address.

Apartado Postal #20
Panajachel, Solala 07210
Guatemala

We had hoped to be able to receive packages (you know, like camp!) but unfortunately, Phil says that packages have to go through customs and often either never arrive or end up in Guatemala City, which is several hours away. So unless we hear otherwise, it's probably best that you don't send them. We love cards and postcards though. :)

Where the Streets Have No Name

2008-10-07T21:05:00.025-06:00

I may not know the difference between Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, but I know my U2!
Carey and I live at the corner of ? and ? (see pictures below - we're on the second floor). It's said that our street has a name, it's just that no one knows what it is anymore : )

The best way to break down the past 3 days is like this...
The Good:
- Praying in the Cathedral in Antigua.
- Getting to know our new boss Phil (great guy, big heart, kind soul).
- We haven't gotten sick (yet!)
- Resting in the natural sunlight that pours into our new place.
- Thinking about the awesome work we have the opportunity to do come November.
- The scenery and view of Lake Atitlan (picture the most breath-taking view of volcanoes and a lake ever)
- The city - quaint (only 15,000 people), great places to see, eat, and hang-out.
- Black beans, eggs, and homemade tortillas at most meals.
- Being students again while brushing up on our Spanish.
- The indigenous people and children - they're everywhere and I love their smiles and way of being.

The Bad:
- The crazy-high cost of all gringo foods (peanut butter, cereal, granola bars).
- Feeling a little queezy during our first ride on one of the local "Chicken" buses.
- Black beans, eggs, and tortillas at most meals : )

- Feeling a little overwhelmed while shopping and trying to do basic, everyday things in a new culture.
- A little disappointment after our first visit to church (you thought I couldn't sing!)
- The sound of bone-rattling "fireworks" (more like bombs) going off all weekend for La Feria (the annual fair for the Patron Saint of Pana).
- Feeling SO guilty at not being able to give the poor, begging Mayan children money : (

The ugly:
- Witnessing our first decapitated pig head in a basket balancing on a Mayan woman's head!

Overall, our first several days here have been a mix of successes and struggles, but so far things are going as well as can be expected. Thanks for your prayers and NOTE: it will take us 4-6 weeks to receive your donations, but please know that we WILL send you all thank-you notes as soon as we can!

Peace to you,
Jay (and Carey)

p.s. - here are a few pics from the last several days...

Overlooking Panajachel and Lake Atitlan.

Pink Floyd in Guatemala?

2008-10-03T20:53:00.002-06:00

Estamos aqui!
We arrived this afternoon and were greeted at the airport in Guatemala City by the Director/Founder of Salud y Paz, Dr. Phil Plunk. Since then our heads have been spinning as we try to take in everything from our new world, but so far it seems like we're off to a great start (good flight, luggage made it, weren't run off the road by any of the crazy bus drivers, etc.) We're staying the night in nearby Antigua because the drive is too long to Panajachel where we'll be living for the next several months. Apparently Antigua is the "Disneyland" of Guatemala (very touristy), but it will make for a good first night transition into the country. After checking into our hotel Phil took us out to dinner - we ended up at a local place that was blaring Barry White music : ) We spent the next couple hours asking Phil about every question you could imagine about the country, culture, etc., etc. Near the end of dinner they killed the '80's soundtrack they had going on the speakers and a man with a guitar came out to entertain. I was expecting some "local" music, but about 30 seconds into it I realized that he was playing Pink Floyd's "Stairway to Heaven." Carey and I couldn't help but smile. Antigua will likely not be our typical Guatemalan experience!

Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and support to get us here. We are absolutely thrilled and feel so thankful to be here. This adventure has been a long time in the making, and we both feel like we're exactly where we need to be in life, and that's a good feeling.

Memorable quote for the day (for Jay at least): In the midst of our conversation with Phil we were talking about how most individuals and teams come to Salud y Paz expecting to give so much to the Mayans and Guatemalan people, and how they always end up receiving more than they gave. To this fact, Phil said, "You can never out-give God." I think he's right.

Peace friends and we'll post some pictures this weekend if possible when we arrive in Pana.
Jay

ONE-WAY Tickets!

2008-08-31T12:32:00.006-06:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Carey and I have decided to take an important step in our desire to put our faith and beliefs into action. On October 3rd, we depart for Guatemala for a one to two-year commitment with an organization called Salud y Paz (Health and Peace). Salud y Paz was created through a joint effort of the Methodist Church in Guatemala and the United Methodist Church in America to offer health and education services for the local Mayan population. Over the past seven years, Salud y Paz has provided free health care and other vital services to more than 100,000 patients, the majority of whom earn less than $1 a day and live in extreme poverty.
During our time in Guatemala, Carey will be directing a newly constructed preschool that will offer weekday classes and meals to approximately 40 children, with plans to double enrollment in its second year. On average, children in the region, who speak the Mayan language K’iche, drop out after less than two years of formal schooling. The preschool is designed to help children learn Spanish and develop academic and social skills that promote school readiness. Salud y Paz has asked me to help administrate two existing health clinics, oversee the development of four new clinics, and coordinate and recruit volunteer teams. Once I develop a working knowledge of Spanish, I will also have opportunities to provide pastoral care in surrounding areas.
As we prepare for our service at Salud y Paz, we are beginning to recognize all the ways in which our time in Guatemala is going to challenge us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In fact, one of our biggest challenges is already underway. You guessed it…raising financial support for our mission. Carey and I plan to live on a very tight budget (picture lots of rice and beans!), but we still need approximately $11,000 for our first year (which includes airfare, language classes, housing, health care and all other living expenses). Trust us when we say that any amount you are able to donate will be appreciated. Whether it is a one-time offering of $20 or a recurring gift of $20 a month, Carey and I will give thanks for every penny received.

If you are able and willing to support us financially, you can do one of two things:
1. If you prefer to write a check, make it payable to General Board of Global Ministries. Please be sure to write “Advance #982465-6, for Jay & Carey Cooper” in the memo line, or we will not receive your donation. Mail checks to: Mission Volunteers Office, Attention: Michael DeBorja, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, NY 10115.
2. If you prefer to donate on-line or make a recurring donation, go to http://www.saludypaz.org/.
Click on the “Donations” tab. When you reach the JustGive.org site, follow the instructions to make a donation. Please be sure to write “Jay & Carey Cooper” in the “Designate my Donation” box, or we will not receive your donation.
All donations are tax deductible.

There are other important ways that you can support us while we are in Guatemala. For example, you can send encouraging e-mails to jaycoop1@gmail.com and cejcooper@gmail.com, you can mail letters and/or packages to us (mailing address to come), and you can track our progress and see photos by visiting our blog. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you can pray for us, the people of Guatemala, and Salud y Paz.
Thanks in advance for your love, friendship, and support. Carey and I consider ourselves blessed to have you in our lives.

Peace,
Jay & Carey Cooper