Author Archives: Kristen Rinaldi

Position Available: Executive Director

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we-need-youProject Salud y Paz and its U.S. counterpart, International Hands in Service, seek a talented and capable Executive Director to lead the organization and its programs to help the indigenous Mayan people of Guatemala’s impoverished Western Highlands. Founded in 2001, Project Salud y Paz has served over 100,000 people in its two medical and dental clinics and preschool. It is a joint mission of International Hands in Service, The United Methodist Church and the Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Nacional Primitiva de Guatemala.

Nearly 75% of Guatemala’s Mayan people live in extreme poverty, subsisting on an average income of less than $1 each day. Guatemala’s governmental institutions are unable to meet the medical, dental, social and educational needs of its rural, indigenous populations. Salud y Paz is able to provide high-quality, low-cost services to bridge the gap in services and help build bright futures for the Mayan people of this region.

The Executive Director of Salud y Paz oversees the 30 local employees (including a Director of Operations) and 3-8 full-time U.S. volunteers who are headquartered in the Panajachel/Chichicastenango region of Guatemala’s Western Highlands. In addition to its resident staff and volunteers, the Executive Director ensures an impactful and productive experience for the 30+ volunteer medical, dental, surgical, and building teams who visit Salud y Paz each year. The Executive Director communicates the mission and vision of Salud y Paz with the outside community (both secular and religious), raises financial and volunteer support for its work, and develops and implements the strategies necessary to make Salud y Paz a strong and sustainable organization. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors of International Hands in Service, a 501(c)3 corporation whose purpose is to undergird and supervise this important work.

Applicants for the position of Executive Director of Salud y Paz should be experienced leaders in the business, health care or non-profit world who can make at least a three-year commitment to Salud y Paz. The next Executive Director of Salud y Paz will be an excellent communicator, a strong fundraiser, a good supervisor and coach, and a person of high ethical standards, spiritual depth, and deep compassion. He or she will be culturally sensitive, proficient at speaking or learning Spanish, and will be committed to upholding the basic principles of Salud y Paz. Click to view the complete Executive Director Job Description.

To apply, send a resumé that includes complete and chronological information about your educational background, employment experience, and religious affiliation, if any. Please include a cover letter that explains why you are interested in this position, how your gifts and experience make you a good fit, and what your financial support needs are for living full-time in Guatemala. On a separate sheet, include the names and contact information for three employment references.

The application deadline is August 1, 2014. Candidate screening, interviews and hiring will occur in late summer and early fall of 2014.

Please send completed electronic or paper application materials to:

Salud y Paz E.D. Search Committee
℅ Rev. Sanford Brown
First United Methodist Church of Seattle
180 Denny Way
Seattle WA 98109
sandy@firstchurchseattle.org

Serve, Learn, Volunteer

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IMG_0398Volunteers are the backbone of Salud y Paz.  These last couple of years we have been blessed with some outstanding volunteers who have given a portion of their lives in service to the people of Guatemala by serving with Project Salud y Paz.  Kelly Cragg – Team Coordinator, Nick Gibbons – Technical Services Manager, and Erin Gibbons – Marketing Manager will be leaving service with us at the end of June.  Kelly will be getting married and moving to Houston to begin the next chapter of her life. Nick will return to begin attending graduate school in a Physician Assistant program. His wife, Erin, will work to support them while Nick is in school.

These volunteers have done so much in each of their respective positions, and each has done an outstanding job!  These volunteers don’t really get the recognition they deserve.  The most rewarding recognition is not received by accolades or plaques.  It is through the giving of their talents that they receive the rewards from knowing the people whose lives are changed and touched by their efforts.  Some say serving others is itself the best of rewards and recognition.  On behalf of everyone at Salud y Paz and all the lives that you have touched, we want to say THANK YOU!

Our volunteers often say that their lives are changed through their service to the people of Guatemala.  We are unable to move forward with the Nicks, Kellys, or Erins who give so much of themselves.  Why not take on a life-changing experience in service and become a volunteers for Salud y Paz?  For more information please contact, executivedirector@saludypaz.org or call 806-318-8747 for more information.

The Work of Many – Candelaria

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CandelariaGet to Know our Guatemalan Staff

Meet Candelaria, Receptionist. Candelaria is the first face our clinic patients see in the  morning, and the one to whom they ask the  most questions. Nearly 11 years ago, an announcement was made at Candelaria’s church – Project Salud y Paz was looking for  someone to fill in as receptionist while the  current receptionist traveled to the United  States. Candelaria volunteered to take on the role. Little did she know, the old receptionist wouldn’t return. Dr. Phil asked Candelaria to stay and continue working with the project.  After several years volunteering with the project, she earned a spot on the paid staff. She’s been our receptionist ever since.

Candelaria has a 6th-grade education. When she started working with the project, she had never used a computer. Over the last decade, she has expanded her education through her work, improving her communication and computer skills.

Candelaria lives with her children and her mom in Chicuaj. In addition to her work with Salud y Paz, she is the head of her household, in charge of cooking, cleaning, and everyday tasks. She also weaves and embroiders textiles to sell in the market.

Candelaria loves her job with Salud y Paz. She says, “I’ve always worked and I love working here because there’s a lot of work to do. I like working with people and I’m very happy doing that.”

Salud y Paz budgets about $125,000 per year to pay staff salaries. Part of our mission is to empower our Guatemalan staff to serve their own people. Support this important mission. Give today.

Founder’s Corner April 2014

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by Phil Plunk, Founder

IMG_1674For four years, Salud y Paz has worked with the University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC) Dental School to provide in-service learning for dental students. Each spring, dental interns from UIC come to Guatemala for a one-month accredited rotation to provide dental treatment to all the students in the Susanna Wesley School. The program has proven to be a great success for Salud y Paz and for the interns from UIC. Currently, we are working with UIC on the possibility of expanding the program to include a Fall Semester rotation, as well. I asked Joe Beatty, one of this year’s students, to share about his experience serving at the Salud y Paz dental clinic in Camanchaj. His story was this:

Imagine yourself shoulder-to-shoulder in a shuttle with a team of generous, skillful volunteers departing the lakeside city of Panajachel. volunteers departing from the lakeside city of Panajachel. A mixture of exhaust and dust fill your nostrils as the shuttle scales the cliffs of Guatemala and passes through the narrow streets of Solola and Los Encuentros. The sun rises in the distance, flooding the surrounding valleys and streams – a site that is truly enchanting. Eventually you arrive at a humble complex consisting of a home, school, and clinic. Hundreds of little almond eyes gaze upon you, the stranger, as you enter their “home”. Within seconds, they are at your side smiling, laughing, and reaching out to be held. The children know you are here to help and want to show their thankfulness in every way that they possibly can… that is, all of them overwhelming you except one: Nehemias.

You see, Nehemias’ story is unique. Since birth, Nehemias was afflicted with a condition called cerebral palsy, and even walking is a challenge for him. Despite the crippling condition, he faces each day with newfound appreciation and happiness. As dental volunteers, we came to educate the children about caries and how to maintain their precious teeth. Instead, Nehemias taught us a thing or two about overcoming the challenges of life.

Nehemias was not unique in the sense that all four quadrants of his mouth needed significant dental treatment. In fact, the caries rate in Guatemala is nearly 80% due to various reasons, including the need for proper dental hygiene education and severe lack of fluoridated water supply. Nehemias sat through three intense appointments without complaint. Regardless of treatment challenges, he was always smiling! In other countries, the type of treatment Nehemias received would arguably be completed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. During treatment it was discovered that Nehemias was incapable of physically brushing his own teeth. Furthermore, his mother was never taught how to properly brush Nehemias’ teeth. The final session with Nehemias and his mother involved a great deal of education, which we hope will make a long-term improvement in Nehemias’ oral and general health.

As volunteers we were equally inspired by Nehemias’ enthusiasm – especially amongst his peers. During recess time, we joined the children for soccer in the dirt, swinging on handmade swings, and other activities. Many of the children were chasing and tackling one another in the courtyard. Off to the side you might still find Nehemias smiling, laughing, and outstretching his arms… waiting to be hugged.

Thanks to Joe for sharing his story and to all of this year’s students for giving their time to serve in Guatemala.

Juana, a Determined Amiga

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by Katie Slagle, Community Health and Surgery Coordinator

IMG_9946Juana de Paz is a woman who has faced many challenges in her life. She lives in an “abandoned” community far from town that is impassable by car. Her community does not have electricity or running water. On market days she must walk over an hour carrying a large load on her back. Many of us could not even imagine a day in her shoes. But Juana says the biggest challenge in her life has been overcoming the feeling of hopelessness. She does not have access to any financial resources and cannot read or write. She says, “I had lost hope of being someone in life until one day a friend told me about the Las Amigas program of Salud y Paz. I decided to go participate in the courses they teach, which changed my life. With the first course I received, I felt a large change in my life; I felt valuable.”

Juana is using her new self-value to make a difference in her community. In Guatemala, a clean water source is hard to come by, and unfortunately sugary juices and sodas are a cheap alternative. In turn the population is prone to type II diabetes. To help decrease the rate of type II diabetes, Juana is teaching families how to purify their water. In addition, Juana now understands the importance of hygiene both physically and in the home. By taking care of her own body, teaching her family how to properly care for themselves, cleaning her home, and keeping food covered and disinfected, Juana will be able to decrease the risk of illness in her family and in her community. She says, “I help women with some tips and teach them about how to take care of their family with proper hygiene. This will help them to be healthy.” The part of her Amigas education that Juana is most excited about is natural medicine. People in her community often visit her home with illnesses, and Juana is able to help them with the natural remedies she learned during training.

Juana continues to live in her “abandoned” community, but she now does so in a different capacity. She has not only found a purpose in life, but Juana has found a way to improve the quality of life in her community. She is instilling hope of a brighter future to those around her.

A Life-changing Experience

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by Kelly Cragg, Team Coordinator

DSCN2925One of my favorite moments as Team Coordinator is standing outside the airport with my little Salud y Paz sign waiting to pick up a team. When I first started, I would awkwardly smile at every person who exited the airport, never knowing if they were part of our team or not. Now I have the pleasure of working with many returning teams, full of familiar faces. I love this moment because as I wait outside the airport, I am always filled with excitement, nervousness, and an eagerness to meet the amazing volunteers I will be spending the week serving alongside. These emotions are very similar to the emotions I felt coming down on my very first mission trip to Guatemala.

My first introduction to Guatemala was through a mission trip in August 2011. The trip wasn’t through Salud y Paz, but we stopped at the Salud y Paz clinic and school in the middle of a corn field for about 10 minutes on our last day, which ended up being life-changing.

I remember turning to my fellow team members on our chicken bus and sharing how I felt a call to stay longer. After returning home, I contacted Salud y Paz and received an offer to come down as a long-term volunteer. Four months later, I took a leap of faith and moved to Guatemala. I didn’t realize then all the adventures and blessings that God had in store for me. God knew that my Guatemala experience would last more than just my eight-day trip, and he created an opportunity for me at Salud y Paz. The day I moved here I remember getting off the plane and walking through the door at the airport feeling the exact same emotions of excitement, nervousness, and eagerness to explore my new world.

Through my position as Team Coordinator, I have the opportunity to serve alongside all of our different teams, which is interesting at times with only a youth ministry background. Even though I don’t have a medical background, I find myself leading teams of doctors and dentists into rural communities and even observing surgeries at our clinic. I also find myself working side-by-side with our construction teams to expand our clinic in Camanchaj. Being a long-term volunteer serving in Guatemala is never something that I dreamed about but is an experience that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Through this adventure God has blessed me with many incredible moments. I have been challenged in more ways than ever expected, but I have also been rewarded in more ways than I can count. After getting married this summer, I’ll be completing my service with Salud y Paz. I am grateful to all the people I’ve come to know through my time here and all the people who have supported me. I hope one day our paths meet again and we have the opportunity to serve God together once more.

A Very Special Family

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by Janet Chichester, Director of Susanna Wesley School

UnknownAll of the children at the Susanna Wesley School are special, but some of them have a much more difficult life than others. I would like to tell you the story of Elmer Yovani and his family. Elmer’s mom’s name is Tomasa. She has five sons ranging in age from four years to 10 years old. Elmer’s older brother Tomas attended our first grade classroom last year and was an exemplary student.

Elmer is now in our kindergarten room. Elmer, his mom, and his four siblings live in a one-room adobe house with a dirt floor. They have no running water and no latrine (or any kind of toilet). The makeshift kitchen is walled with spindly bamboo sticks. Most of the year, Elmer’s family can get water for cooking and drinking from a neighbor’s well, but at the end of dry season before the rain starts, the well dries up. When this happens, they have to haul water from much farther away. In order to wash clothes, Tomasa has to carry them for an hour down to the river.

In spite of the extreme poverty in which Elmer and his family live, education is very important to them. Tomasa’s dream is that all her children will receive an education and live a better life. The oldest three boys attend the local public school, and Elmer attends Susanna Wesley School. Whenever I visit their home, the older boys are busy doing their homework on the ground in front of the house. Public school charges tuition every month, money Tomasa does not have.

After Elmer’s older brother graduated last year, I tried to convince Tomasa that Elmer should enroll at Susanna Wesley. But Tomasa told me she could not afford to enroll Elmer. Even though we would provide Elmer a scholarship for tuition, there were other costs for him to attend the school, such as transportation. Tomasa needed to use her small income to send her older boys to school. I promised to find someone to pay the other children’s tuition, so she enrolled Elmer in our school. He is a bright, shining light among our students. Tomasa’s two oldest boys now work in the morning and go to school in the afternoon, earning less than 10 quetzales ($1.25) a day. Tomasa weaves tipico fabric to sell.

I am inspired everyday by this family and this mom’s commitment to making a better life for her children. It is an honor to have a part in helping that dream come true.

The Work of Many

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ManuelGet to Know Our Guatemalan Staff

Meet Manuel, Dental Assistant. Manuel has been with Project Salud y Paz since it’s start in 2001. At the time, he was a bombero (local fireman) in Camanchaj. So Dr. Phil Plunk, founder, enlisted Manuel’s help to spread the word about the low-cost dental services available. Manuel remembers that in the beginning, there were not very many patients. “Phil told me, ‘Do me a favor and go out and look for people and tell them that we do teeth and general consults and you don’t have to pay a lot,’” Manuel remembers. “I said, ‘Ok I’ll do it.’ And I took the volunteer fire department car and I passed through little villages and said that there was an American project and they gave medicine for free. And thanks to God there are now a lot of people.”

Manuel did not complete his basic education and had no dental training. But Phil enlisted his help and taught Manuel how to clean and extract teeth and to perform fillings. Manuel was educated on-the-job, and alongside our dentist, Dr. Luis, is able to assist with the dental procedures today.

Dr. Phil changed Manuel’s life. “I will never forget dr. Phil’s name. It’s he who began the project from the beginning,” he says. “When I come to work I don’t come with mixed feelings. I come because I want to work. And I feel very happy and thank God there have never been complications. I always remember to thank God for Dr. Phil.”

Manuel has been able to watch the project grow over the last 13 years. He says he appreciates that Salud y Paz is for everyone – family, friends, and strangers. “I like a lot that there is no exception to the people we serve,” Manuel says. “[Patients] come from Solola, Quiche, everywhere. We don’t ask you what church you’re from, what group you’re from.” Salud y Paz serves everyone.

Salud y Paz budgets about $125,000 per year to pay staff salaries. Part of our mission is to empower our Guatemalan staff to serve their own people. Support this important mission. Give today.

Do You Feel Called to Serve?

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Clinic-27Consider Serving with Project Salud y Paz

Salud y Paz is in need of additional long-term volunteers. Are you a people person? Good at technology? Medically trained? A handyman (or handywoman)? Do you enjoy serving with mission teams? Whatever your interests, skills, and gifts, you could find a place with Salud y Paz.

Service to the underserved is a fulfilling experience, a great way to spend any part of your life, whether you’re retired, just finished college, or are between jobs.

If you feel God is calling you to service in another country, please consider contacting us.For more information on open positions and what it’s like to serve in Guatemala, visit our Volunteer Page and contact executivedirector@saludypaz.org.

New School Year at Susanna Wesley School

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IMG_8879 (1024x683)-2The Susanna Wesley School began its 6th year of operation on Thursday, January 16th, with 54 students, more than we have ever had before! We handed out backpacks to each child and celebrated with a team from Eudora Kansas by singing songs and playing games. All of our superb teachers and staff returned from the previous year, and we have added 18 new students. We are also challenging ourselves with a student who is deaf this year. All of the teachers are pleased to be back and have lots of new ideas for learning this school year. We have had two teacher training days already, and we are fired up. The children are also excited about being back in school.

One of our first grade students, Saydie, said it best:
“I am much happier when I am in school, I get to be with my friends and the teachers who are very kind to us and play with us and teach us new things”.  Thank you for being a part of this wonderful school.

There are 10 children who still need to be sponsored for this school year. If you are interested in sponsoring a child this year, please contact schooldirector@saludypaz.org.