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Joyabaj (Guatemala): The mountain scenery of
southwestern Guatemala is a colourful mix of the old and
the new. Fields of corn hang onto the sides of
mountains. Vegetation ranges from pine trees to bamboo
to cactus plants. Banners advertising cell phone plans
are placed next to farms that have been cultivated for
more than a 100 years.
On August 5, 2009, the medical missionaries from
Oklahoma took their clinic to Joyabaj. It’s a half-hour
closer to our home base than was Las Lomas, where more
than 100 villagers were treated on the previous days.
“Before we could start for Joyabaj, though, we needed to
deal with another pressing issue.
We stopped first in Santa Cruz, the capital of Quiche.
We’ve made the stop four times in three days, all for
the same reason. We keep running low on ibuprofen,” one
spokesperson said.
“It’s hit or miss,” said Carla Seitz, a nurse at The
Children’s Place in Bethany who distributes medicine
during the clinics. “Last year it was all coughs and
colds, this year we’ve seen barely any.”
This trip, aching feet and heads have been more common
complaints. The money for the medicine is provided by
Volunteers in Mission.
Las Lomas was sort of a suburb of Joyabaj. Joyabaj is
much larger, but no wealthier. Trash litters what would
otherwise be a perfect mountain landscape. Ducks drink
from puddles of water in the courtyards of houses.
Trucks spew thick black smoke as they inch down the
hills toward the main part of town.
Las Lomas residents typically spoke a Mayan dialect, but
in Joyabaj most of the patients know Spanish. So I use
what Spanish-speaking skills I have to give them
instructions about when to take their medicine.
A little girl, Maria Isabel, walked behind the pharmacy
table and gave everyone a hug.
She held the hug for as long as she could, giggling
through her teeth as she was given a toy and her mother
the medicine.
Several young boys gathered around as Carla’s husband,
Scott Seitz, took photos of them.
Children are initially shy in this region, especially in
the more remote locations, but take a picture and
they’ll instantly become your friends. Bring toys and
they’ll crowd around for hours.
Maria Isabel’s grandmother made us a lunch of beef with
a savory brown sauce and corn tortillas. Maria Isabel
smiled as she showed me her room. Her grandmother, also
named Maria, made sure I washed my hands before the
meal. It was one of the best meals I have had while in
Guatemala
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