I know many of you have been getting a lot of questions from family, friends and donors about Huehuetenango. I hope I can address some of those questions with the nuggets of information below.

Huehuetenango – pronounced “way-way-tuh-nay-n-go” is also known as Huehue or the Mayan Highlands. It is located in the Northwest Region of Guatemala and is approximately 168 miles from Guatemala City (or a 6 hour bus ride) off the Pan-American Highway. Huehue is the last major city before reaching the Mexican border. The population is well over 80,000 and is primarily made up of indigenous Mayan Indians.

Huehue has an incredible history and was long established before the Spanish settled. It was part of the Mam Kingdom during the Classic period (250-900 A.D.), which ruled most of the western highlands until 1525. Huehuetenango or “Xinabahul” in Mayan means place of the ancients or ancestors. There are still numerous archeological sites and colonial architecture in the area.

Huehuetenango has one of the highest concentrations of native Mayans and perhaps the richest in traditions. Inhabitants are mainly from the Mam ethnic group, although the territory is shared with Chuje, Kanjobal and Jacalteca Indians. It is politically divided into 31 municipal districts that differ especially in how people dress. People are generally farmers, shepherds or artisans who manufacture textiles, guitars, fireworks, pottery and baskets. Their main religions are a mixture between the ancient Mayan religion and different Christian elements.

Nestled along the ridges of the Sierra de Los Cuchamatanes (the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America) with altitudes that reach over 13,000 feet, the region has one of the most varied landscapes in all of Guatemala. There are numerous volcanoes in the area, scenic canyons, beautifully formed gullies and massive plateaus. Having such a diverse landscape is one of the reasons for so many different ethnic groups in such a relatively small territory.

Huehue also has a varying climate that ranges from deep cold to hot and humid. Several rivers originate in the area, the Selegua, Cuilco, Chixoy and Salinas. Agriculture is abundant here, roughly all the vegetables and grain for Guatemala is grown in Huehue. However, as we have seen, when there’s a drought in this area the whole country suffers. There is still tremendous poverty and the environment is harsh. From natural disasters to malnutrition and conflicts, this area sees its far share regularly. The need is real and ever present, just ask anyone who has been.

Thank you for taking on this incredible challenge

I will see you all at our next team meeting on August 21st at Sharp.

Please continue to pray for us and our team.

~ Sean

…but we can save them one by one.

Iaomai Medical volunteers continue to make an impact all over the world. Over the past 2 years volunteers have served in Latin American to Africa, from the Caribbean Islands to Asia and all the way back here in San Diego, California. Roughly 15,000 patients treated. Praise God!!! You guys are amazing!!!

Haiti and the aftermath…
After the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, Iaomai volunteers were some of the first medical responders to hit the ground. With support to the bigger effort, many of our volunteers served with the CMDA, Worldvision and the U.S. Government. As you can imagine the effort in Haiti will continue for the foreseeable future. If you’re looking to serve medically in Haiti – click here.

A trip to Kenya…
In March, Iaomai’s Director of Surgery, Dr. Robert (Bob) Beck and wife Jossie, returned from their 6th medical outreach to Kenya. They spent 2 weeks serving in a Kijabe Hospital. The team performed 85 life transforming plastic surgeries. Although it was a tough trip, the reward as Bob always says, “is priceless, seeing all the little girls and boys smile for the first time…tears just roll down your face.” The Becks have huge hearts. They’re back and ready for the Guatemala mission in October. They wanted me to send a warm “thank you” to all of you who prayed.

Back to the Caribbean…
On May 8th, Miles Ahead Medical returned to the Caribbean with the “Do Something World Cayman Event.” The medical team is lead by our own Joshua Kirby, who along with 8 other volunteers, will be serving a school of 513 youth for the week. On May 14th & 15th, the team will join other ministries to participate in the “Do Something Cayman Festival” with a special message from Miles McPherson. Please keep them in your prayers.

Amazing volunteers…
I know we say it a lot, but we appreciate our volunteers so much. Your motivation never ceases to amaze me. I love hearing all the stories of how you guys are impacting the world around you, whether in San Diego or some location around the globe. We love the slogan, “Do Something,” it resonates with us deeply – it’s why we started a medical organization in 2008 – to Do Medical Outreach, it’s our Do Something. We seek to serve the poorest of the poor; the ones cast out of their village because of a debilitating illness or the child who looses their innocence because they’re plagued with some sort of physical anomaly. These are the forgotten ones, the ones abandoned. The numbers don’t lie; 28,000 children (those 5 yrs old and younger) die daily from treatable and preventable illnesses, like diarrhea and malnutrition. It’s sad; however, there is hope because we can “Do Something.” Our motivation is simple and clear – to share the love of Christ in a practical way through modern medicine. I am always reminded of what my mentor taught me in the Guatemala jungle. He said, “we may not be able to save them all, but we can save them one by one.”

~Sean