Work Report

After having a skype date the other day with my family, I realized that I haven't updated on my job lately. It been a work in progress and is slowly growing and I am taking on more. One of the objectives of my program, Health Homes, is to create health promoter groups. These are groups of individuals that have a desire to work in preventative health in their communities. PC volunteers giving training to these groups of individuals in order to help prepare them for their jobs. I am currently working with my five groups from two different communities. I started the training for health promoters at the beginning of January and will be meeting with them twice a month for 6 months. I will be giving talks on different sicknessess and other means of prevention. Here is a list of the topics that I plan to give talks on:

• Basic Hygiene and Dental Hygiene
• Parasites and Diarrhea
  
• HIV/AIDS and STD's
• Respiratory Infections
• Use of Water (Methods of purification and the importance of it)
• Trash and the Environment
• Domestic Violence
• First Response and Committee of Emergency (importance of having plan and who will be a part of it)
• Vaccinations
• Medicinal Plants (Natural Medicines)
• Family Planning

My groups consist mostly of women in the community. A few men have showed up but none of them have been very consistent in their attendance. I have about 10-15 people in each one of my groups, we started bigger but people have since left when they don't get a handout right away. It's been a challenge to get past that thought process, that they are just going to get by in life without having to do much but just take the handouts that come from the US or European countries. Those that have stuck with me in my groups really seem to have a desire to learn although I am sure there are some that are still around, waiting for the projects to come (not sure if I am going to do projects yet. I want to make sure the people that receive them will be dedicated the taking on healthy habits and maintaining their project. I don't want to give out projects only to find that they don't want to come to health talks and have no desire to change) but I think that most of them have a genuine desire to learn about preventative health and how they can help better the health status of their community.

Most of the women in my groups don't speak much Spanish, but Quiche (the Mayan language of my area) so this requires me to bring someone along who can translate for me. Almost all of the staff in the health center speak both Quiche and Spanish so I am well equipped there. There are three educators that work in the health center and one of them usually goes out to the communities with me. This helps in making my work sustainable as I have an excuse for someone.

More details to come :)

Current Frustration

As most of you know I have been waiting for my new place to get finished up so that I can move. I originally found it at the end of September and was told then that the work would be done and the end of November. The end of November came and went without anything being completed. I was hoping to move in after my return from Christmas vacation in the States and confirmed this before I left but came back to the place still not complete. The latest time of completion that I have is the end of this month. I am really hoping that this gets done because I am not sure how much longer I can take it. After checking in upon my return and finding it still not done I spoke with my counterpart about what I should do. He is a respected man in my community so I thought he would be able to make somethings happen, it worked out well for my sitemate when she had issues and brought him along to figure stuff out, so I am hoping the same for my issue.

I am more than ready to get out of my current living situation, my patience has truly been tested. There is always something going on where I live and there isn't much space I have to myself. My host dad has his business upstairs, directly above my room, where his workers make shirts and school uniforms. Lately they have been working late, one night I woke up around 2am and they were still working and making noise. Most times I can fall asleep ok with my earplugs in but I would really like to not have to use them. It's currently the busy time for them because of the beginning of school, making uniforms for gym classes and other school related necessities.

I haven't really settled down totally where I am currently living because I don't feel like I can. I don't have much room and things are always cluttered. I am craving some organization and I hope to by some shelves to help out with this once I get into my new place. There are many things that I have wanted to buy in order to make my life here a little more comfortable but I am holding off because I don't want to buy stuff that I don't have room for right now and that will only take up extra space and effort when I move. One of my stress relief activities is baking. I have been unable to do this for a while. I was looking at buying a small toaster oven to use to bake things but my host dad told me that it would use to much electricity so I couldn't have one where I live now.

Relations with my current host family have been challenging. There is much inconsistency in how they relate to me. Some days they will talk to me and then there will be other days that I feel like such a burden to them. The lack of direct communication has been a challenge to deal with as well.

In all of this I feel like I have really learned a lot of patience but I am not sure how much further I can take this. Please pray that I can continue to cultivate the needed patience and communication to make everything go well. Also pray that my new housing option may done soon. From what I have seen, the work that needs to be done shouldn't take long if they put themselves to it.

It's not enought to say I'm ok......

"It's not enough to say that we're ok. I need your hurt, I need your pain. It's not love any other way. Let's not pretend, stop your parade. Trying to convince me that you're alright and everything's ok. Do you even know me? 'Cause I already know who you are, and all the things that kept us apart. So reach in and touch My scars and know the price I paid for your heart."
-Tenth Avenue North "Any Other Way"

I feel like sometimes I base my opinion of myself on what others think of me. It has been a while since I have realized this and I have since been working on not letting other's opinions form me. There are certain situations where I want to be perceived as a strong person, afraid to admit my struggles and weaknesses that others may think less of me, but I know that the Bible calls us to do this in order that we may be able to cling to the power of God in our lives. In the description of my blog I said that I would be writing about my hardships and struggles and I don't think I have been entirely honest about it. Having said all that I have decided to write here in my blog more honestly about my struggles here in the Peace Corps, not trying to tailor my blog entries to an audience telling what I think others want to hear, but just be honest to myself and those that truly want to know who I am and how I feel. I have frustrations and downfalls that I really do not want to talk about but I feel like if I don't then I won't be able to grow and work past them, learning from them and allowing them to help me grow.

One of the struggles that I have been working through is the struggle to maintain my values. I have been challenged so much more than ever before to hold firm to the standards I have for my life and not let the influence of others change how I live my life and what I believe in. Since coming to the Peace Corps I had strayed from these standards I have but quickly came to realize that was not how I wanted to live before and it will not be the path I take now. I am thankful that I was able to realize my downfalls before they went too far. Looking back I know it was the wisdom that the Lord has given me that has allowed me to maintain my way on the narrow path I have chosen. Choosing to hold firm to my decision of this narrow path has left me struggling to find good Christian community here. Peace Corps is not an organization of Christians but of people from all different walks of life. I have really enjoyed meeting so many different people and have been excited to listen and learn about how they 'do life' but I long to have fellowship with other believers.

I have come to realize how much I am really giving up being here. Spending time back home for Christmas was great but it also reminded me of how much I am really letting go. Transitioning back to being in Guatemala has been a challenge but it is for sure easier that when I first got here for which I am thankful. I have however been dealing with some anxiety issues since being back. I pray that with time and patience and a renewed relationship with God I will be able to see through this and overcome and one day be able to look back and see all that I have accomplished.

Prayer request:
-that I may be able to get back into the swing of things and have decreased anxiety

Praise:
-thanks to God for all He as shown me and for how much I have grown.

-for new friendships :)

Back into the swing of things

Hey there,

Made it back to Guatemala yesterday after spending 15 days back home in Michigan. It was a great time seeing friends and family but also very stressful as I tried to reconnect with everyone. I got in late afternoon yesterday and was a little sad of having to leave my friends and family and being super tired didn't really help. Today is much better. I traveled out to the PC office to pick up my new phone and now I will be able to call other volunteers and PC staff for free. This should help save a little money that I previously had to spend on my phone. I still have my old phone but I am going to phase it out with time so if you want my new number just shoot me an e-mail and I can get it to you. When I was at the PC office today I saw the new trainees coming in. Today was their second day in country and it made me feel better to see them, knowing that I have been through that whole transition, just remembering all that I have been through and how it's gotten better since then.

I am excited to get back into my work here. I plan on spending tomorrow doing some planning for the next few months. I am looking forward to be able to plan ahead a little further into the future than before. I am starting training for my health promoter groups this coming week. I will be doing training with them for the next 6 months which will put me into July.

I just found out that we got some new staff at the health center including two new educators, that replaced the old ones we had. I am excited to work with them as the previous ones we had lacked some motivation and were a little challenging to work with. I am hoping that they are more driven in their work and willing to take on what my sitemate and I are doing here.

Update on my new place: So I thought I was going to be able to move in this weekend but it looks like that isn't going to happen. I checked in with them before I left for the states to make sure it would be done and it seemed like a lot of work to do during the two weeks I would be gone to allow me to move in this weekend. The actual landlord wasn't there when I stopped in today (though I was told he would be) but I was told by his wife that it would be another month, so now we are looking at February 10th. I am going to talk with one of my counterparts tomorrow and see what suggestions he has about the situation. I am not a big fan of them continually telling me it will be done and then it not happening, I never really know whether or not to believe them. I am learning patience, that's for sure.

Prayer request:
-That I would have patience and wisdom in dealing with my housing issue.

-For continued guidance as I make plans for my health promoter groups.

-That I may be able to find some good Christian fellowship as that has been lacking in my time here.

Thanks so much!

Kels