Health Care Program:

Since the start of Hope of the Pokomchi, health care has been our priority. Why?

Our mission is to help people reach their God-given potential – physically, spiritually, emotionally,

economically. We realized that without good physical health the rural villagers would be unlikely to

fulfill their potential.

The Reality for Rural Villagers:

·       Common health challenges are upper respiratory infections, intestinal infections, complications of pregnancy, broken bones, open wounds

·       Villages are often far from a government health facility – sometimes many hours by foot

·       These facilities are overseen by a village health committee made up of lay people from the village

·       A nurse arrives every one or two months to hold one-day well-baby clinics which includes vaccinations

·       These nurses do not have a mandate to treat anyone else and do not have medicines to do so                  

The Results?

·       Many villagers suffer and die from preventable diseases and health challenges

·       The villagers feel like victims of fate with no control over their health and well-being

Hope of the Pokomchi’s Action Plan:

·       With God’s guidance and provision, we have established a rural health post staffed by a full-time nurse and with adequate supplies of free medicines

·       People of all ages are seen and many times the nurse makes home visits

·       Our nurse has received extensive extra education and on-the-job training

·       Our health post is equipped with equipment not usually available – nebulizers, glucometers, dopplers, strips for checking urine

·       Along with diagnosing and treating, our nurse spends time teaching patients, in their own language and cultural context, so that patients can start taking ownership of their own health

The health post has been running for 12 years now. It is located two hours from San Cristobal, serves five communities and a population of over 3000. That’s a lot of people being blessed with health care, empowered to live out their God given potential!

This free, comprehensive, quality medical care that is provided in patients’ language and cultural context means that people of all ages have access to a better quality of life. They are spared health complications, death, and financial burdens.

Fifty-three-year-old Maria’s story shows this:

After a busy morning seeing patients at the health post, our nurse received a patient needing urgent medical care. Maria arrived at the health post bleeding profusely from an open head wound. Her son explained that she was harvesting food (pacaya) from a tree on their property and a large tree branch suddenly fell and hit her in the head.

She passed out from this blow and was unresponsive for about 5 minutes. After she came to, she was in a lot of pain and in shock from the open, bleeding wound on her head. She couldn’t walk. Her son said that he was able to obtain some help from their neighbors. Together they carried her 25 minutes to the health post.

Our nurse quickly got to work cleaning the wound in preparation for suturing it. The wound was successfully closed. Maria was given medication to decrease the inflammation and control the pain and antibiotic cream to prevent infection. She was advised on how to care for her wound. When the wound healed, her sutures were removed.  Maria’s life was saved by our nurse. Furthermore, she didn’t have to go two hours away to San Cristobal for medical care, a trip that the family couldn’t afford.

Elida is another example of life-saving care:

Through child growth monitoring at the health post, our nurses detected that four-month-old Elida was malnourished. She only weighed nine pounds. Her mother did not have enough breast milk to nourish her in regular, healthy growth. Through supplemental nutrition and teaching her mother, Elida is now a normal weight and length and continues to grow. Without this care she could have died or had severe deficits that would affect her future ability to learn and have a secure future.

Your support of the health post and its programs means that many Pokomchi people can reach their God-given potential – physically, spiritually, emotionally, and economically.

Children’s Program:

Ministering to families is an essential part of Hope of the Pokomchi’s ministry and we have taken to heart the responsibility to focus on children, striving to guide them in God’s ways.

Building My Horizon (BMH) is our first program directly aimed at educating children. We started it as a pilot project in 2017 with thirty children. The children and their parents loved it so we felt led to continue each year.  As God had called us to this, He has equipped us. God has been with us, and you have been too.

The program a safe haven for 40 children who are vulnerable to negative influences such as gangs. We teach and reinforce life skills and Biblical values through English, Computer Sciences, and Bible classes. Children come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and can be a positive influence in their families and communities. Most of these children don't have computers in their homes and don't know how to use one. The knowledge they receive helps them to be more successful in their school work and in future endeavors. Learning English increases their future opportunities to access better employment choices. The program is in its 8th year and we are excited to see children continue to learn and grow. We have seen them master new life skills and grow in confidence. Their joy as they embrace the activities has brought us much joy.

Jonathan’s testimony shows the transformation that occurs at our program:

“I’m 9 years old. This is my first year being part of Building My Horizon. I like coming here. I

like getting together with other children. I live with my aunt and have two brothers, but they’re my half-brothers and sometimes they don’t take much notice of me.

I really miss my mother. She abandoned me when I was a baby. My father says that she

just left one night. Then my father left the country to find work, and I was left alone. I feel

very happy coming to the BMH classes because I feel a peace that I don’t experience at

home. The Bible topics I learned about have helped me to not feel alone. Also, to not be

scared when I am alone, because I know that I have a God who takes care of me. Thank

you for the opportunity that you have given me to attend the English and Computer

Science classes.”

With your support we can keep on caring for students like Jonathan, give them tools for success in life, and most importantly point them to God.

DonorSee Year End Giving Campaign

The first project we ever posted on DonorSee was in late April 2021. We have now been with DonorSee for over three years. That first video took you to the home of newly orphaned children. They had lost their home and only remaining parent, their father, in the landslide that destroyed the whole village of Queja. The oldest child was now mother to her younger siblings, and they were starting over. They needed an improved cook stove so that they had a safe place to cook and wouldn’t be exposed to smoke in their home. The follow-up video showed the new stove being installed and the many smiles and gratitude for this new stove. We rejoice at how the projects on DonorSee bless and empower Pokomchi families in all our programs. You are an essential part of this through donating to these projects and sending your love their way.

Over 329 projects have been posted on our DonorSee page. Each one represents an individual, a family, or whole village. Over $94,000 has been raised for the Pokomchi people! We thank God for connecting us with DonorSee at just the right time and blessing this partnership with them.

There are many stories we could share, but let’s look at some recent and memorable ones. Having clean water access is vital and water filters easily provide families with this. We have been ensuring that the children and families in our children’s after school program have clean water. One mother said this (with a huge smile on her face) after receiving her water filter:

“Before, we drank unclean water that we collected in rain barrels because we didn’t have a water filter. Thank you very much for everything you have done for my children and for us. May God bless you greatly!”

A mother whose tenth child was born with serious medical problems, including absence of an anal opening, was near tears as she said thanks. Through DonorSee, she received funds to pay for pre- and post-surgery care to repair his malfunctioning colostomy.

“I’m so grateful to each of you for supporting me and taking care of my son. May God bless each of you for your kindness and heart to help. This has overwhelmed my heart with joy. Thank you so much for your support.”

These are some of the many lives touched. We want to continue this, and we hope you will partner with us. You can donate on our DonorSee year end giving page. Any amount donated brings the Pokomchi people closer to the life transformation that they need.