NUTRITION CENTER

Guatemala​

 

A Center for underweight children was completed at the town of Jacaltenango, Department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala for an amount of $30,000 from 1999 to 2002.

The Center is annexed to the Regional Hospital administered by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and of the Poor, a Mexican-Guatemalan community. The idea for the project originated at meetings that the Tepeyac Mission had with several members of the community in Jupiter Florida who came from that city. The question that the Mission planted in their minds and hearts was: “what can you do for your town of origin? You send money to your family, what about a community project?” The group of “Jacaltecos” began activities to collect money through a tournament of “Papi Futbol” which means a Small Soccer tournament. The product of this tournament gave $3,500 plus over $1,500 from food sales to the project. Members of Tepeyac Mission at Saint Ignatius Loyola began some community gatherings to also collect some money to this project; over $1,000 were given toward the Nutrition Center. Finally, we had the blessing of many donors who allowed us to achieve a final donation of $30,000 for the project. With this money, the Mission rebuilt an old one-story house, added a second floor, and made an extension of the back yard to build a playground for children; the first in this town. We also adapted a little house for the Mayan families who walked several miles to bring their children to the hospital and needed where to stay for some days or weeks. The Nutrition Center presently has a capacity of 20 beds. Some of the children stay in the Center for several months. Other children are orphans who live permanently in the Center administered by the Community of Sisters. Before the construction of the center, the underweight children had to stay in the hospital with the adults admitted for treatment. The relationship with the hospital under the direction of Sister Rosa Claudia Oropeza Mendez was very close during some years until she was transferred to another post. Doctors Renato Dubois and Zulema Dubois traveled twice to give some orientation and instructions to the doctors at the hospital. They maintained communication with the local doctors. We expect to continue support to the Regional Hospital of Jacaltenago with the help of doctors and volunteers.