RPC Guatemala: Sunday, MAY 2, 2010 Meeting!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Sunday, MAY 2, 2010 Meeting!

buenos días,

We'll have a luggage round-up, pile-up, mess of a meeting on SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010.

12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

Senior High Loft room

Bring your Vacation Bible School donations (the socks, t-shirt, & coffee mug).

Other supplies for the week will be there. Each team member will be taking his supply bag home to pack with his/her personal items. NOTE: If you decided to use a carry on bag for all your personal belongings, then PLEASE bring an empty suitcase with you that we can fill with supplies for you to check at the Delta counter on the day of our departure! (Each Delta ticket includes one checked bag in the price)

IF you cannot attend, please ask a family member or a friend to come by at 1:45 p.m. to pick up this bag for you. It is extremely important that you get this to Guatemala for our trip! If all else fails, contact Lisa Jennings and make arrangements for a pick up.

I will give a brief over view of what our week will be like in Guatemala, packing list, and some general rules of what is expected of you as a team member.

Guatemala Coffee purchase. This year it is prepackaged and must be ordered before we arrive. We are using a different supplier and it is only available in ground (no whole bean). The cost is $8.00 per pound and I will need your money by May 2, 2010. Please make the check payable to Lisa Gunning as we need to pay cash for the coffee. We are limited on the amount that we can purchase this year so please get your order to me as soon as possible. You will receive the coffee while we are there and will need to pack in your personal suitcase for the return home.

I hope you are all up to date on your immunizations! I pray that all of your passports have arrived! And I am looking forward to seeing all of you at this meeting!

Don't forget that the final payment is due April 30, 2010.

If you have not given me a copy of your new passport, bring it to this meeting.

In a perfect world, we'll all meet as a team for an Ice Cream Social just prior to our departure!

peace & joy,

Lisa

No comments:

Post a Comment

Some Background on how we got involved

One RPC member has been involved in Guatemala for over 30 years. It began with his grandfather helping to purchase and start both a school and a hospital there. His father designed the original plans for the hospital, and then scavenged hospitals in the US for used equipment to ship to Guatemala. This RPC member spent 2 months during the summers of 1974 and again in 1976, in Guatemala.

The hospital and school reflects the bond of two families. The Hays' and the Morris' and two generations of each family. Bill & Arthur (first generation) were the visionaries that saw the need for both the school and the hospital. They worked together to create the foundation of what is going on today. Mr. Hays was in Guatemala as a missionary. Today the second generation, Tom & Mark, continue to travel to Guatemala and work together to maintain the visions of their fathers.

The Utatlan School is a Christian school in the city-state of Quiche. It provides Christian education for 1200 students, both boarding and day students. Grades K to technical school are offered. The biggest challenge of the school is to provide enough classrooms and dorm space for the students. Most students are on financial aid (RPC members sponsor many students).

The hospital is a charity facility in the city of Chichicastengo that provides medical care to all, as well as a Christian outreach. When the second floor was completed, a new OR suite and patient rooms were added. One private room was also created for private, paying patients. The hospital also has facilities for a Pediatric Nursery, Labor, Delivery, and an OB-GYN with diagnostic ultra-sound. A dental clinic with a new and improved dental chair has also been added. While these facilities don't measure up to our expectations, they do surpass the government hospital in the next town over.

The work is on-going. Nurses quarters. The drilling of a well for clean water. And right now, an up-grade of the current x-ray equipment.

As members of the RPC team, you will get to visit with the fabulous people who work at the school and hospital. You may be part of a painting team (yes we do upkeep), or a VBS teacher at the school, or a concrete worker for a new addition. Open to serve, where ever the call may be.

There's much more to tell.

Helpful Hints on packing

Scrubs are my personal favorite for packing (little space), comfort (it's like being in you pj's), and they can really take a beating and be worn another day or two. The weather tends to start out cool, you work up a sweat, it rains, and the evenings go cool again. You can pick these up at the local thrift shops from $2 to maybe $4 bucks a pair. 3 pair would be plenty.

T-shirts. Again find the local thrift shop and pull 5 fun t's (be mindful of nothing offensive posted across your chest).

Girls, sports bras are way more comfortable to work in all day.

Mission trips are not fashion statements. Make up is usually forgotten by day 3. Matching is never required. Comfort and practical is what you're looking for. Hair in braids, pony tails, stuffed under a hat, or covered with a rain hood; get the picture?

CLOSED TOE SHOES! We can't say this enough. You HAVE to have shoes that your whole foot is enclosed in. Any time you leave the hotel you will be REQUIRED to be in a solid shoe.

PACKING LIST!

Travel/church/non-work clothes could be:

-1 pair shorts/athletic type (NO short shorts, ie soffees)

-3 shirts/t-shirts or blouses with sleeves (no tanks)

-1 pr of jeans (no holes, tears, or cut offs) or khakis or casual dress (2" pass your finger tips in length)

-modest swim suit (one piece)

-8 prs underwear

-sleepwear

-light weight jacket/sweat shirt/flannel (it gets cool)

-rain jacket/wind breaker with hood (it rains)

-work shoes and tennis shoes (comfortable walking shoe)

-empty/refillable water bottle (wide mouth is best)

-toiletries; hair & tooth brush, paste, shampoo, deodorant

-small flashlight

specific to Work clothes:

- 3or4 pair of scrubs/long pants/jeans (they get dirty)

-4 t-shirts with sleeves (no spaghetti straps or tank tops) all long enough to cover your torso (even if your hands are up)

-work boot/rugged shoe for hiking, walking, hauling in, shoveling in, etc. (water resistant is a good thing)

-thick crew sock for construction (non-cotton is recommended)

-work GLOVES (extra courage to dig in!) YOU NEED THESE

-optional safety glasses/sun glasses

-hat or head bandana (pony tail bands too)

-hand sanitizer or container of Wet Ones

-Sunscreen

-small roll of toilet paper or pocket size tissue packs

Other:

-a small bible

-a pen

-wash cloth or thin quick drying towel

-non perishable snacks/candy

-plastic grocery bags to pack up soiled or wet clothing

-disposable camera

FYI- don't pack anything that would make you sad about loosing it. Ipods, digital cameras, jewelry... leave it at home if you can't stand the thought of never seeing it again. Things get lost, get destroyed, picked up by strangers...

NOTE: NO camouflage anything! No camo hat, shirt, pants, nothing. This is NOT acceptable apparel.

Personal Carry On Bag/purse/day pack: PASSPORT, passport, passport! prescriptions, glasses/contacts, book, e-ticket, camera, and a small bottle of hand cleaner. Remember you can only have 3 oz bottles of liquids on you which need to be inside of a zip lock baggie. Maybe a few dollars for munchies at the airport (once you go through security).