A story taken from the Salud y Paz Health Ministry Newsletter located in the Guatemalan Western Highlands
Salud y Paz is a host site for UMVIM Health Teams
One Patient's Story: Angélica
By Heather Nielsen
Rosa Maria and Jose Rumaldo
Angélica's two children received operations at the Camanchaj clinic in November through a surgical mission team, Project Hands, from Vancouver, Canada.
My name is Angélica Maria Coz Ajquejay. I am 35 years old. I have eleven children, but three died before they were born. I work in the home to provide for my eight children. My husband works in the field in the town we live in of Cerro Alt, near Chimaltenengo. I heard about this clinic through our friend Erin, who saw the email that you (Heather) sent to her and other missionaries. She brought me and my two children here today. My 20-year-old daughter is watching the other children in the house right now because my husband is working.
By the grace of God, we are here so that Rosa Maria (5 years old) and José Rumaldo (12 years old) can have operations on hernias that they have had since birth. I have fought for this day since the children were born. In the public hospital, they did not give us good attention. The private hospital is too expensive and we have no money. One operation might cost 8,000Q ($1,000). Also, at the hospital, they ask you to find two donors who can give two donations of blood for every patient before surgery and it is very hard to find donors. [With tears] The most important thing to me and my family is money. We do not have enough to eat. My 17-year-old son is not able to work and help the family out anymore because he has fallen ill with an infection in his knee and needs to use crutches.
I felt very sad because there is no money to cure Rosa Maria and Jose Rumaldo. I'm sad for the pain that they have experienced because of the operation today but I am happy because the children woke up from the surgeries. The service we have received at the clinic has been very good.
Thank you to all and primarily to God. My children have been cured.