Mission Completed…

MOA returned from a most productive and rewarding mission that ran from March 4 thru March 11.   Our team of 23 was the largest yet and we had nine members who were either on their first mission with MOA or their first mission ever and it was a delight having them join us!   I am repeatedly honored to have team members return time after time to work with MOA in Guatemala! The team is to be congratulated on a job well done!! 

We performed 48 surgical procedures by our Orthopedic, General and Plastic Surgeons; many of these procedures were either quite complex or at least complicated by the fact that equipment/techniques we have at our disposal in the US are simply not available in Guatemala or because the patients have had to wait until they were in extremis to seek medical care.  Regardless, I was constantly impressed by the skills of our surgeons, anesthesia staff, nurses and support members.  In addition to the patients that were directly treated while we were there, MOA paid for the implants needed for 9 additional patients that will be repaired by the Staff surgeons at the hospital.

This was also the first mission where we had residents join us.  One of our goals has been to try to engage training programs to allow their senior residents to participate in mission work.  Many thanks for the hard work done by our senior anesthesiology residents and attending (Drs. Fareed Haddad, Nathan Maltezos and Archana Mane)  from Albany Medical Center.

Mr. Troy Weaver developed a close relationship with the maintenance staff at the hospital and learned that they work under extremely difficult conditions with minimal to no supplies and few tools.   He compiled a list of their needs during our Fall 2017 mission and immediately set out to collect the needed items; we took many of the requested tools with us this trip and the maintenance personnel were quite excited to receive them!  The remaining tools such as the air compressor, tool chest, etc. have shipped via sea container.

Gerry DiFilipo and several team members continued to work long hours in the storage container to further catalogue and organize the supplies and to develop a tracking system to monitor supply levels.  This was the first mission ever for several of the team members; I would like to thank them for their hard work and for their courage in stepping out of their comfort zone to join us.

Dr. Matos and his wife Awilda launched the inaugural “Buckets of Life” program. Bags filled with vitamins, corn meal, sugar, oil, incaparina, rice, beans,  a Bible, blanket and a water filter.    The team distributed the foodstuffs on Friday while the surgical team completed some last minute procedures at the hospital before heading to Antigua for some “R & R” following a week of very long days.  The recipients of the supplies were extremely grateful and appreciative and again, this was just one of many extremely humbling experiences witnessed that week.  Many thanks to our local Cartersville Home Depot for the significant discount that they so graciously extended to MOA  that allowed us to purchase the buckets.

MOA is SO blessed to have such generous and caring team members such as Dr. and Mrs. Matos.  The “Buckets of Life” program was conceived by them to help improve the nutrition of the people in the area.  The water filters can provide 50,000 gallons of clean potable water which is currently simply not available.

Several of our team members purchased clothing and supplies for the Labor and Delivery department for both the new mothers and their newborns and they were distributed during the week.  Additionally, shirts, shorts, etc. were purchased for the patients in the men’s and women’s wards to help provide for some of the very simple and basic needs of the patients that is otherwise absent.

Reading glasses were dispensed to the many patients in desperate need of these very simple devices that can have such a huge impact on carrying out the simplest of daily activities.  We are very thankful for the work that  Restoring Vision does in providing reading glasses at a steeply discounted price to support mission efforts.

While every member of our wonderful team hasn’t been mentioned by name, this does not trivialize their contribution.  Some of our most important work was done by our members “behind the scene” in that they were able to identify patients with specific needs or specific areas of the hospital that needed attention and directed the resources to them.

I am so extremely proud of the work our teams continue to do and they continue to amaze me with their generosity and their donation of time and effort as well as their love for the patients of Guatemala.  They constantly offer suggestions for new ways to help provide better care or service to the patients.   The opportunity to work with these fine volunteers has greatly enriched my life and forces me to constantly reset my personal goals ever higher.  Many thanks to all who has helped MOA achieve the successes that it has!!

Ed Atwell, M.D.