I am Inés Neuweiler, a Guatemalan citizen who had the privilege to work as a volunteer-translator with HELPS International in its first annual medical mission. Destination? Nebaj - Quiche: the poorest of the poor, the forgotten ones. This one week experience changed my life forever. My awareness grew, and I learned many lessons from each person who attended this trip. I was very fortunate to serve with an organization that has so many programs designed to improve and save lives in Guatemala by partnering with their staff members, volunteers and the communities in need. HELPS' work is a testimony that together, everything is possible.
Our team was constituted of HELPS staff members from U.S. and Guatemala and a group of volunteers from Dallas and Minnesota, including the best doctors (general medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, surgery, plastic surgery and dentists), laboratory professionals, and nurses. There was also a stove construction team who worked to install ONIL stoves and purifying water filters in the communities we visited. The kitchen staff, the heart of our home for 7 days, was an indispensable part of our team who took care of our adequate nutrition so everybody could perform optimally.
It was a busy, non-stop working week. While surrounded by poverty, disease and a dramatic sight of misery from people of Quiche, everybody helped build the hospital, kitchen and a place to sleep almost from scratch. We all ended up extremely tired both physically and emotionally.
I knew there is immense poverty in my country, but I never imagined the extent of it, until I saw it. I served a few days in the medical field, where I had to translate between the doctor and the patient. Sometimes I was a nurse, cleaning medical instruments, accompanying the patient at all times, and administering their medicine. I learned many important lessons from the indigenous population of Guatemala. 2 fundamental ones are that they are role models of courage, family, love, gratitude, and generosity, and that they truly understand the most important values in life, which often tend to be lost by people who don´t know poverty. This made me think about where these values are in my own life. On the other hand, seeing poverty made me appreciate and realize how blessed I am to have everything I have, as well as how unimportant some of the things I value as necessities are. Taking a look at misery allowed me to recognize that the important and key things in life for any human being are few, simple, and free. Since this experience, for the first time in my life, I feel true happiness each day.
Something that touched my heart deeply was a cute 9 year old girl, accompanied by her father. She had a deformity in one finger of her left hand. The finger was so huge that it covered the rest of her hand, so she couldn't use it. I had to explain that her finger needed to be amputated and ask for her consent, as well as her father's. I felt broken-hearted and couldn't believe what I saw: her eyes shined with a spark of happiness, her face lit up with a sweet, big smile and she nodded… meaning YES. Her teary-eyed father, knowing what her daughter was going to lose, repeatedly thanked us. She was so happy because now she would have a hand she could USE, instead of feeling scared and sorry for loosing her finger forever. After I saw her in the recovery room and it was time for her go home, I gave her one last hug. She'll never know how much she touched my life. She taught me what is important in life.
There are many heart-breaking patient stories, each with impressive lessons I could tell you. However, what impacted me most was the human quality of the doctors and nurses towards the patients. Each patient was treated with more respect, dignity, consideration to their customs, and kindness that I have never seen in public or private medicine in Guatemala. In this world, where so many things are upside down, it is encouraging to see professionals who love what they do. These patients who have nothing in terms of wealth, are indeed rich in love and appreciation. I have no words to describe their joy and gratitude for being treated and cured by HELPS medical team of volunteers…and right now just remembering this is making me cry, tears of joy… again.
HELPS International gave me the greatest gift of my life through this trip. Through their products, work plan, and service attitude they taught me that Americans and Guatemalans, rich or poor, regardless of cultural or religious beliefs, together, each doing their part, can create wealth for everybody. HELPS planted a tradition in me, which I try to live daily with my children and the people around me. If each family does this, we will have a rich Guatemala for all, while growing in love.
Helps International
- copyright 2004 - All rights reserved
Our team was constituted of HELPS staff members from U.S. and Guatemala and a group of volunteers from Dallas and Minnesota, including the best doctors (general medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, surgery, plastic surgery and dentists), laboratory professionals, and nurses. There was also a stove construction team who worked to install ONIL stoves and purifying water filters in the communities we visited. The kitchen staff, the heart of our home for 7 days, was an indispensable part of our team who took care of our adequate nutrition so everybody could perform optimally.