We have returned safely after an incredibly busy week.  Our team expanded it’s outreach to two new areas of the country and are excited about the future of the program.  The three audiology technicians, local Guatemalans, have received training in hearing testing and hearing aid maintenance and will carry on the work between the teams’ trips.  They are incredibly passionate and devoted to the cause and eager to carry on this coming year.  Hope you enjoy the photos…the tall one is my son

Well, we have survived a five hour power outage (during clinic) and earthquakes and are still standing! We were awoken by a good shaker early Tuesday morning, rattling our windows and shaking our beds for about 20 seconds,  with several following over the mid morning hours.  We Americans get quite nervous, looking anxiously toward the door but the locals barely acknowledge them due to the frequency.

Getting out into the countryside to see the children is a very different experience than being in Guatemala City.  We are in the mountainous Western Highlands area- this county is so incredibly beautiful!  So lush and green with volcanoes dotting the mountainside…none of them smoking, fortunately! The population is much more native Mayan than in the city and wear traditional Mayan dress.

We have seen 152 children so far in two days and have fit approximately 50 hearing aids.  We all love seeing the children (and parents) light up when we first turn that hearing aid on.  Our team is fabulous-   two interpreters and three audiology technicians, native Guatemalans, who have been trained to test hearing  and provide follow up hearing aid services in our absence.  It makes it much easier to fit these children knowing that they are in good hands in our absence.  More to follow with photos (assuming we can find internet access again).

Blessings,

Dr. Mercer

I (Dr. Mercer) will be off to Guatemala February 20-28th to fit children with hearing aids along with the Audiology Team of  Healing The Children.  I’m optimistic that there will be internet access to provide daily blogs of our experiences and progress.  Please stay tuned!  To learn more, see our mission page, http://www.northgatehearing.com/healingthechildren.html.