UPDATE FROM GUATEMALA -ALEXANDRA CHAKOS

Things have been busy, to say the least, since our recent arrival in Guatemala. There were 6 of us in our group: Fr. John and myself, Bob Kirschner - project director of our new clinic, Dr. Willie Manteris - a dentist and partner in the building of our clinic, Dave Sevick - computer expert and … [Read more...]

THE MIDWIVES OF AGUACATE: BIRTHING A VILLAGE

As we approach the glorious celebration of our Lord’s Nativity in the cave of Bethlehem, the thought occurred to me that there might have been a midwife present to assist with the delivery of Jesus. Although the Holy Scriptures remain silent about this, the Orthodox Church’s iconographic depiction … [Read more...]

IT TAKES A VILLAGE: AGUACATE BUILDS ITS OWN CLINIC

The old African proverb that “it takes a village to raise a child” could also refer to other communal endeavors such as building a clinic. We found this to be the case in Aguacate, Guatemala, after a recent visit (Nov. 16th) to see for ourselves how the project was progressing after three months. To … [Read more...]

HEALTH CARE IN GUATEMALA: THE OTHER CRISIS

As I follow the tragic news of the Ebola crisis in West Africa, and now in the United States, I cannot help but wonder what would happen if such an outbreak occurred in Guatemala. The effects of such an epidemic would be overwhelming and calamitous, to say the least. Healthcare, such as it is, for … [Read more...]

MEDICAL MISSION TO AGUACATE BEGINS

    While construction for the medical/dental clinic in the Mayan village of Aguacate was underway, a dental team headed by Dr. Willie Manteris, and including his daughter Nikki and Robert Kirschner arrived on August 10th. Their plan was to offer fluoride treatment, dental … [Read more...]

Guatemalan Update: The Church Mourns, but not without Hope

After the loss of its dynamic and visionary leader- Fr. Andres Giron- the Guatemalan clergy and faithful entered into a difficult period of mourning and readjustment. In every parish that we visited, there was sadness, but no loss of hope. On the contrary, a strong desire to continue the work of Fr. … [Read more...]

POLI NA SAFARI by Alexandra Chakos

Poli Na Safari "Poli na safari" is a Swahili phrase meaning, I'm sorry for your travel. It is intended to show sympathy for the hardship one often faces while negotiating the difficult African terrain. Having traveled those rocky, pitted, unpaved roads, I understand the need for such a phrase. … [Read more...]

ORTHODOXY IN THE GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS: A LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTLY

On the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul, in the humble and unspoiled village of Aguacate, we celebrated one of the most moving liturgies of my stay in Guatemala. For the first time in the Altiplano, I had the joy of experiencing uninterrupted worship from "Blessed be the kingdom" to the last … [Read more...]

MANY VOICES, ONE FLOCK: Church Music in Guatemala

On the day of Pentecost many foreign languages were ecstatically uttered by the apostles, but instead of dividing the multitude in attendance, it united them in a bond of love. Such was the experience of the five member OCMC catechetical team that came to teach the music of the Orthodox Church to … [Read more...]

MEDICAL MISSION: UNMERCENARIES NEEDED

  On May 29th, Robert Kirschner representing Surgicorps, Maxwell Dotson the CEO of the newly formed NGO- One World, One Community- and I traveled to the remote village of Aguacate, Guatemala, located a short distance below the southern border of Mexico. Our purpose was to explore the … [Read more...]