Wow, what an amazing two days we've had! I was so tired when we got back after dinner, I went right to bed almost. No time for posting. Now, since we'll be having a day off tomorrow, I have some time to write again.
Yesterday we went into another slum area. Our big bus wouldn't fit down all the streets to get to the school, so we had to carry almost everything down a very steep hill. The entire community was built right into the side of a hill, it seemed. Even the school. Street level was the top, and we had to just keep going down steps to get to other rooms. If I have time to post photos, I'll show you the view outside the windows in our pharmacy space. If you've been following me on my facebook profile, you've already seen it. This was another area run by drug pushers and gangs. Chris even walked up to the truck and discovered some people being arrested. That was a little exciting. There is a very good reason that we have police with big guns along with us each day. Rest assured that we are never in any real danger while we do these clinics. The communities we visit are so happy to have us come, they would do anything for us and we don't feel any fear. But, we do need to get out of there before dark. There was something really neat in this community. A group from Quebec had started a way for the gangs to negotiate. There is a special room, just for that purpose and as a result the crime has gone way down here. Awesome! We saw over 700 people yesterday.
It was a successful day, and I spent a lot of it on my feet. By the end of the day, my feet and legs were incredibly sore and I mentioned it to one of the medics. She diagnosed me with shin splints. Yes, the kind of thing athletes sometimes get. It's very painful and so, I've had to adjust what I do. I'm staying drugged up on Ibuprofen, and my legs were wrapped in tensors all day. It was very hot today and the tensors made me even hotter. As I type this, I'm sitting on our bed, with ice on my shins. Tomorrow is a day off, so I'll be sitting with my legs up and will hopefully be feeling much better for Friday's clinic.
Today we saw over 800 patients again. It was very busy and I spent a lot of the day sitting and bagging up drugs so those filling prescriptions could do so easier and quicker. We had something happen that we didn't expect. Someone started copying registration sheets and selling them! We had such a crowd waiting for us when we arrived and once they figured out we weren't going to be able to see everyone, they took matters into their own hands. It's always hard when we have to deal with things like that, and then turn people away. We were an hour and a half drive away from the hotel, so we couldn't stay to treat everyone. I firmly believe that we saw the people we were supposed to. There were so many sweet faces today, and they were full of smiles, especially the kids. Such a pleasure to serve them.
It's getting late and I really need to get to sleep, so I will try to post some photos tomorrow, either in the morning or after dinner.
Thank you for your prayers and support. I would love to hear your comments and thoughts, so please post.
Until next time.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Guatemala: Day One
We've finished our first clinic and boy, does it feel good! 829 people saw a medic and received vitamins, parasite meds and the medicines they needed. 115 people had dental work done, extractions, root canals, restorations, and cleanings.
Our team in the pharmacy is now a well-oiled machine, as one new person put it. A lot of us have done a number of these clinics so once we get back into the groove, it's old hat.
There were some stories of people who really needed our help today. A woman whose son was shot by her son-in-law, who escaped, needed not just medicine but prayer as well. I just heard tonight at supper about a 6-year-old girl who had genital warts, in her mouth. I should explain that we visited a slum in Guatemala City. The gangs and narcs run the streets at night. There are homeless kids who have been snatched up by these guys and now have no hope for any kind of positive future. 12-year-olds are turning tricks on the street. It breaks my heart that some of those sweet smiles I saw today will be broken tonight as I sit typing this. It doesn't seem fair that I and my family are so blessed while others have to deal with respiratory problems just because the houses they live in have no doors so they breathe in dust from the street all day and night. It doesn't seem fair that while my family has a safe community to live in, there are others who can't sleep because they hear gun shots all night. It doesn't seem fair that we need to come down here to do these trips because there is so much need. I hope and pray that my fleeting smiles were enough to show Jesus' light to those people. Do they know we care about them? Love them? Hope that their lives can be somewhat better by what we did for them? I'm sure they do.
Sorry about going on like that, but it's my heart on my sleeve. Maybe you'll understand a little of why we keep doing this over and over.
Here are some photos I took today.
Our team in the pharmacy is now a well-oiled machine, as one new person put it. A lot of us have done a number of these clinics so once we get back into the groove, it's old hat.
There were some stories of people who really needed our help today. A woman whose son was shot by her son-in-law, who escaped, needed not just medicine but prayer as well. I just heard tonight at supper about a 6-year-old girl who had genital warts, in her mouth. I should explain that we visited a slum in Guatemala City. The gangs and narcs run the streets at night. There are homeless kids who have been snatched up by these guys and now have no hope for any kind of positive future. 12-year-olds are turning tricks on the street. It breaks my heart that some of those sweet smiles I saw today will be broken tonight as I sit typing this. It doesn't seem fair that I and my family are so blessed while others have to deal with respiratory problems just because the houses they live in have no doors so they breathe in dust from the street all day and night. It doesn't seem fair that while my family has a safe community to live in, there are others who can't sleep because they hear gun shots all night. It doesn't seem fair that we need to come down here to do these trips because there is so much need. I hope and pray that my fleeting smiles were enough to show Jesus' light to those people. Do they know we care about them? Love them? Hope that their lives can be somewhat better by what we did for them? I'm sure they do.
Sorry about going on like that, but it's my heart on my sleeve. Maybe you'll understand a little of why we keep doing this over and over.
Here are some photos I took today.
Our pharmacy area today was VERY small, but we made it work.
And some of those precious faces:
As I mentioned last night, if you'd like to get updates quicker, I've been posting photos on my Facebook profile. I'd love to have you join me there. For some reason I can't get Facebook to work right now, but if you can search for me, Krista Posthumus Ritskes. You won't be able to see anything unless you are my friend. When you send me a friend request, please mention that you're coming from my blog.
Until next time!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Guatemala: We're Here & Raring to Go!
We touched down in Guatemala yesterday, after having our flight delayed for de-icing. Our connecting flight in El Salvador waited for us and all our bags made it on board, too.
We have the largest team we've ever travelled with, 41 Canadians and with our Guatemalan friends joining us we're up to almost 50 people! That doesn't include the translators who will join us tomorrow.
Today, we did an amazing job getting things prepped. The dental team made sure their equipment was working. The medical team got their supplies together and then helped where they were needed. The distribution team had lots of help sorting through boxes and boxes of clothing and other items. Our pharmacy team bagged vitamins and other meds. We did so well that every last vitamin has been put in a bag of 30. Usually we have to do more of them during the week. We even prepped our parasitic medication, albendazole. How many children's chewable vitamins? 54,000, all bagged in just 4 hours!
Now, after spending the rest of the day in Antigua, and getting to know each other better, we are ready for a good night sleep. We hit the ground running tomorrow morning with our first clinic site.
I'll try my best to post some photos tomorrow. But if you'd like see some sooner, you can send me a friend request on Facebook. I've been posting on my profile page quite regularly. Just tell me you were on my blog. Here's a link to my profile. I hope it works. http://facebook.com/krista.posthumusritskes?refid=7&pos=1. I'm doing this on my phone, so we'll see how it works. Until next time!
We have the largest team we've ever travelled with, 41 Canadians and with our Guatemalan friends joining us we're up to almost 50 people! That doesn't include the translators who will join us tomorrow.
Today, we did an amazing job getting things prepped. The dental team made sure their equipment was working. The medical team got their supplies together and then helped where they were needed. The distribution team had lots of help sorting through boxes and boxes of clothing and other items. Our pharmacy team bagged vitamins and other meds. We did so well that every last vitamin has been put in a bag of 30. Usually we have to do more of them during the week. We even prepped our parasitic medication, albendazole. How many children's chewable vitamins? 54,000, all bagged in just 4 hours!
Now, after spending the rest of the day in Antigua, and getting to know each other better, we are ready for a good night sleep. We hit the ground running tomorrow morning with our first clinic site.
I'll try my best to post some photos tomorrow. But if you'd like see some sooner, you can send me a friend request on Facebook. I've been posting on my profile page quite regularly. Just tell me you were on my blog. Here's a link to my profile. I hope it works. http://facebook.com/krista.posthumusritskes?refid=7&pos=1. I'm doing this on my phone, so we'll see how it works. Until next time!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Guatemala: Almost on our Way
We touched down in Guatemala yesterday, after having our flight delayed for de-icing. Our connecting flight in El Salvador waited for us and all our bags made it on board, too.
We have the largest team we've ever travelled with, 41 Canadians and with our Guatemalan friends joining us we're up to almost 50 people! That doesn't include the translators who will join us tomorrow.
Today, we did an amazing job getting things prepped. The dental team made sure their equipment was working. The medical team got their supplies together and then helped where they were needed. The distribution team had lots of help sorting through boxes and boxes of clothing and other items. Our pharmacy team bagged vitamins and other meds. Wedding so well that every last vitamin has been put in a bag of 30. Usually we have to do more of them during the week. We even prepped our parasitic medication, albendazole. How many children's chewable vitamins? 54,000, all bagged in just 4 hours!
Now, after spending the rest of the day in Antigua, and getting to know each other better, we are ready for a good night sleep. We hit the ground running tomorrow morning with our first clinic site. I'll try my best to post some photos tomorrow.
But if you'd like see some sooner, you can send me a friend request on Facebook. I've been posting on my profile page quite regularly. Just tell me you were on my blog. Here's a link to my profile. I hope it works. http://facebook.com/krista.posthumusritskes?refid=7&pos=1. I'm doing this on my phone, so we'll see how it works.
Until next time!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
CTMH: Guest Book
We are busy getting ready to head to Guatemala on Saturday, but I really wanted to put up a post about artwork before my focus changes to our trip.
We've had some issues with our photos and photo storage and so I've been going through some old photos and sort of streamlining how they are organized. I know, not something I really need to be doing right now, but sometimes I just need a break from all that's spinning around in my head!
Anyway, I came across these photos of Close To My Heart's 3-ring binder. I made this to celebrate my dad's 66th birthday. We had a big party for him. Why on his 66th? Well, I'm sheepishly hanging my head right now, we never got around to planning a party for his 65th. Better late than never, right?
Here is the front. I used images from a couple of stamp sets, the majority from the June 2010 Stamp-of-the-Month, Wonderful Friend. The sentiment is from a set called A Little Everything, I think. The colours of inks and papers are based on the Back Country paper pack. Most of this is cardstock, but you can see one strip of patterned paper on the front.
Below are photos of the inside, where I stamped more images from the Wonderful Friend stamp set and used a line stamp from Comments. People wrote messages to my dad on all these pages.
And of course I had to decorate the spine and back as well. All of that is Olive cardstock stamped with Olive ink. I also used Outdoor Denim cardstock and buttons with hemp, Cocoa cardstock and Barn Red cardstock. The stamping on the front is done with Cocoa ink and some Outdoor Denim in second generation. These four colours are used for the stamping inside as well, all in second generation, except the lines. I love how it turned out. My dad did, too.
Most of these items are now retired, but I hope this still inspires you in some way.
Until I post again from the Country of Perpetual Spring,
Happy Creating!
We've had some issues with our photos and photo storage and so I've been going through some old photos and sort of streamlining how they are organized. I know, not something I really need to be doing right now, but sometimes I just need a break from all that's spinning around in my head!
Anyway, I came across these photos of Close To My Heart's 3-ring binder. I made this to celebrate my dad's 66th birthday. We had a big party for him. Why on his 66th? Well, I'm sheepishly hanging my head right now, we never got around to planning a party for his 65th. Better late than never, right?
Here is the front. I used images from a couple of stamp sets, the majority from the June 2010 Stamp-of-the-Month, Wonderful Friend. The sentiment is from a set called A Little Everything, I think. The colours of inks and papers are based on the Back Country paper pack. Most of this is cardstock, but you can see one strip of patterned paper on the front.
Below are photos of the inside, where I stamped more images from the Wonderful Friend stamp set and used a line stamp from Comments. People wrote messages to my dad on all these pages.
And of course I had to decorate the spine and back as well. All of that is Olive cardstock stamped with Olive ink. I also used Outdoor Denim cardstock and buttons with hemp, Cocoa cardstock and Barn Red cardstock. The stamping on the front is done with Cocoa ink and some Outdoor Denim in second generation. These four colours are used for the stamping inside as well, all in second generation, except the lines. I love how it turned out. My dad did, too.
Most of these items are now retired, but I hope this still inspires you in some way.
Until I post again from the Country of Perpetual Spring,
Happy Creating!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
New Email Subscription
Just a quick post today, before I head out to pick up my kids from school. It came to my attention (Thanks, Jacque!) that my email subscription wasn't sending out my posts. I'm not sure why that was, so I just set up a new one. If you'd like to get my posts delivered directly to your inbox, just pop your email address into the box on the right.
We're just 10 days away from heading to Guatemala! I do plan to post one more time before we leave and while we're in Guatemala. Hopefully the internet will be a bit more reliable than it was last time we were there. We're staying at the same hotel, so fingers crossed!
We're just 10 days away from heading to Guatemala! I do plan to post one more time before we leave and while we're in Guatemala. Hopefully the internet will be a bit more reliable than it was last time we were there. We're staying at the same hotel, so fingers crossed!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
CTMH: February SOTM Blog Hop
I'm very happy about this month's blog hop and this particular stamp-of-the-month set. I love it! Welcome to February's Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop. We've got lots of consultants who are ready to inspire you with this fabulous stamp set, entitled Thoughtful Tidings.
If you've come from Dawn's blog, you're on the right track. If you're starting here, just sit back, relax and enjoy. Simply click at the links in each post and you'll come around right back here again.
February is also an exciting month because our new Idea Book goes live, and I'm quite sure you're going to see lots of new product. I've created two items, one with old and retired (trying to use it up!) and one with new. Here is my first project:
If you've come from Dawn's blog, you're on the right track. If you're starting here, just sit back, relax and enjoy. Simply click at the links in each post and you'll come around right back here again.
February is also an exciting month because our new Idea Book goes live, and I'm quite sure you're going to see lots of new product. I've created two items, one with old and retired (trying to use it up!) and one with new. Here is my first project:
This is the goodie bag I made to give to the women who attended my most recent fundraising crop. I forgot to take a photo before they were all handed out, so one of my team members took one and emailed it to me. (Thanks, Tara!). You might be thinking, this looks familiar. I was inspired by the artwork in the Idea Book but put my own spin on it. I cut the box with my Cricut. In fact all the parts are cut with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. The box is made with Sweet Leaf cardstock. The Twilight paper is from Emporium, a retired paper pack, and the layered hearts are Vineyard Berry cardstock. You can't see it very well, but I stamped "thank you", from the stamp set by the same name, on the top heart. The stamped border is from Boutique Borders, also retired. There is a Filigree Charm added and I used the Chocolate Ribbon and some floss to tie it closed. Everything has been stamped, and edge distressed with a sponge, in Chocolate ink. I just love the sentiment and I know I'll be using it a lot. It's been stamped on Colonial White. I love hugs. They just make my day and I have to say, my kids give the best ones!
And here is my project with all new products!
This is the My Creations Milk Carton. You get two in a pack. They come with those neat little clips on the top. They are not made of chipboard, but a much thicker cardstock paper and can be a bit tricky to fold up, but they're totally worth it. I've decorated up both, one like this and the other with some real boy paper from Superhero, another new paper pack. I'll try to post it soon. I'm going to use them as Valentines gifts for my kids. I've decorated this one with paper from Stella. The flower is from the Stella Complements Canvas Shapes and the butterfly is from the Colour-Ready Accents Garden Wooden Shapes. Yes, wooden! They already have a dark edge, so no distressing needed. I added our new Bitty Pearls on the body, along with a couple larger ones on the sentiment. Again, everything has been sponged, including the canvas flower, this time in Cocoa. I stamped the sentiment in Cocoa as well, but used White Daisy cardstock and found it just too bright for this paper, so I sponged the surface, too. I should say that the inspiration for this project came from fancyMelissa. You can see her version here.
Now, just click on over to Lori's blog and enjoy the inspiration. Remember, this stamp set is only available until the end of the month. If you don't have a consultant, feel free to email me and I can get you hooked up with a set.
Happy Creating!
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