things while being in the mission. Some of the most funny and good times while being in the mission for me was that when we went near Solola, there was a hill in which our vans couldn`t pass through and so we had to walk down hill to get to the place were we were going to do our service. When we finally finished our job there, a big rain storm started pouring over us and we had to carry all of the equipment up hill again. So we started carrying all of the equipment and since we were down hill a huge river started flowing down hill. All of the village was made of dirt and so when it rained all of the dirt was made into a great puddle of mud. I honestly didn`t see a great lake of mud and so I started walkinh faster because it was raining harder. When I finally got near the vans I just felt that I started sinking. I didn`t know what was going on until I looked down. I was sinking in a mud lake. I started to force myself out of the mud lake and found out that my friends had not seen me. So I told them about what had happend to me in the lake and they started laughing at me. We laughed about my accident all the way home. Some of my hard times over the mission was getting up so early to be on time. I had to wake up at 6:00 a.m. every day to get dressed up, eat some brakefast,and brush my teeth. We had to be at the church by 7:30 a.m. to be ready to live to our next mission. Another hard part in the mission was being able to support the change of climate in the places we went.
style of life more. It also taught me to help people when ever you can, because there are some people that really need help. They don`t even have money to buy food, a toothbrush, or medicine. I would defenetly do community service again because you can learn alot of stuff about it. For me I learned to be greatful with the things I have because there are people that don`t have food everyday, and it was so sad to see. I can`t wait to go to the Florida mission. I liked helping people with some of thier problems.
This is Tamara's story:
The IAS Community Service Summer Program was one of the best experiences in my life.
Atfirst, I wasn't sure on taking the class, but I don't regret it. I had so much fun and I learnedmany different things. At the end of the IAS Community Service Summer Program, I realized that I had a chance of a lifetime.
The Community Service Class took one day, instead of two, on the medical inventory. With the medical inventory done; we would start our translating in the week of June 29. The week of June 29 turned out to be a really hard week for us. Some days we would arrived at 7:30 A.M. at Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, and we would come back as late as 9:00 P.M. It was a pretty long and tiring week. On my first day of work with the Medical Team from the Episcolpal Diocese of North Dakota, I was assigned to Dr. Susan Maloney, but the medical team needed help in pharmacy, so
Dr. Susan Maloney helped with that. I had no translating to do, so I decided to work with Miss Laine Milburn and Miss Shanna Maloney, who were working at the blood pressure station. I had a really good time with them and I learned many things from them.
The next day, we went to Chugüexa, near Chimaltenango. Chüguexa, is a really small community beside the road to Guatemala City.
We had to walk down a pretty long dirt road. I worked with and translated for Dr. Bryanne Hildebrandt and her assistant, Miss Kaitlin Ward,
in the dental clinic. I had the chance of seeing lots and lots of blood, and at a certain point I felt pretty dizzy. When we walked up the dirt road, we faced a severe storm. By the time we hopped on the vans, we were soaking wet. I was glad the day was over.
It was day 4, and on our way to Nuevo Chuatuj, two of our vans experienced some mechanical problems. Finally, we got to Nuevo Chuatuj, Coatepeque, where I worked with and translated for Dr. Susan Maloney. She was so cool! I learned many things from her, and I really enjoyed every
minute that ticked by. We had the chance of seeing many patients, and in my opinion, it was such a great blessing. Our two days at Nuevo Chuatuj, Coatepeque were very long and tiring, but the experience was worth it.The next day, we were supposed to go to Santa Maria de Jesus, but there was a change in plans, instead we went to Pachaj, Cantel. Our arrival was ok, but when we started setting up stations, you could tell that there were some problems with the way people at Pachaj, Cantel had organized and set up things. In Pachaj, Cantel, again, I worked with and translated for Dr. Susan Maloney. It was great; I had a blast!
Day 7, our last and final day of work with the medical team. We set up the last clinic in
Xela. I worked with and translated for Dr. Susan Maloney. I had so much fun with her! I came up with the conclusion that Dr. Susan Maloney made my IAS Community Service Summer.
I am very grateful with Mr. McMarlin for having me on the IAS Community Service Summer Program. Working with the Medical Team from the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota was one of the best experiences ever. I had so much fun, and I learned many things.
