Freedom and Beauty

For Janet Hoffmeister, her second mission trip with the CHW team was a great deal more work, but also very rewarding. Janet is a pharmacist at French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, CA, and serves as our lead pharmacist at the San Luis Clinic. Being in the pharmacy doesn't afford her a great deal of contact with our patients, so what she gets to see are the caregivers who serve this mission with her. "The team is just fantastic," she said. "I love all the clinicians - these guys are so adaptable and flexible."

Janet and Peggy Styer in the pharmacy

Still, there are times when she can step out to say hello to some of the patients. "I get a lot of hugs and kisses from them, which is just about my favorite part."

Her experience on previous medical missions to Guatemala gives her a unique perspective on the progress we're making here and on the work yet to be done. "Our volume is higher than before and there are a lot more prescriptions for blood pressure medications, more undiagnosed diabetes, and hypertension," Janet notes.

As she considers the lives of the people we're here to serve, one of her deepest hopes is to see the women feel safe and empowered to act on their own behalf. "In the States, when we choose to do something we are empowered to do it," she says. "Here, it takes three to four generations if you're lucky. I'd like to see some relief from the oppression."

Janet derived a great deal of hope from the site visit to the local orphanage just outside of Esquipulas. "I was so afraid of what I was going to find there, and was so pleasantly surprised by what was there," she said. "These children are happy and loving and very well cared for."

Even though their stories are sad - most lost both parents to violence or disease - and there were several sets of siblings there, all were playing well together and weren't really lacking for a family.

"It was breathtakingly beautiful in many, many ways," she says.

Comments

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that is soooo cute...FYI they just found some giant city/pyramid thing down there. I am going to have to ask you to (if you have time)take a cab ride over and get some type of brochure;)
Tony (not toby the dog)
PS Hello all

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Ummm so we also commented on something or other related to Peggy...so she might be confused and/or think I am wierd. you will have to let her know this is normal.
tony