Giving Back Boca Costa Medical Mission Guatemala

Today I am honored to have my friend, Melissa back on the blog. You may remember the post she wrote about Zoe well today she is talking about  Boca Costa Medical Mission in Guatemala. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson penned the famous quote, “Health is the first wealth”. In general, if we are honest, most of us take our good health for granted. As we are well into the heart of cold and flu season our indifference to our health can quickly turn on a dime when we are taken out of commission by whatever evil germ strikes us.  While we may feel horrible, and our life is temporarily interrupted, for the majority of us we are able to find relief and regain our health in a few days. This restoration is created by access to well-trained healthcare providers and medications that we can acquire at pharmacies on nearly every corner.

As a public health practitioner, I advocate daily to educate people on the importance of good health. However, this summer my level of gratitude for my own health was raised to a new level after traveling to serve at Boca Costa Medical Mission, Guatemala.  Having focused my public health endeavors in ethnic and rural health disparities, I am more than familiar with the areas of our current health system that could use some serious improvements (dissertation to follow) but that pales in comparison to the struggles of people with access to ZERO healthcare. For most of us sitting with all this technology literally at our fingertips, it is mind-blowing to think that places still exist where there is no doctor…no nurse… and no life-saving medications. The thought that you could bury your child due to an illness that could have easily been prevented by vaccination or treated with penicillin is about as foreign to us as a rotary phone is to my fifteen year old.  Enter Boca Costa Medical Mission.

Founded in 2003, under the passionate leadership of Jim and Dianne Thompson, The Boca Costa Medical Mission (BCMM) is located in Southwest Guatemala amidst beautiful scenery and all the coffee beans this java lover could ever want. The medical clinics are staffed by local health promoters, nurses, medical volunteers and Dr. Sergio Castillo, a surgeon who specializes in OB/GYN and Tropical Medicine (a major plus… he and his wife are just some good people). The health challenges are dire in Boca Costa as it is one of the poorest regions in Guatemala and has one of the highest infant/maternal mortality rates. But as I was humbled to learn early on in my journey working in poverty alleviation, never and I mean never equate material poverty with spiritual poverty. My heart was immediately swept away by the beautiful people of this region and the passionate staff that serves there day in and day out.

BCMM provides medical care annually to 8,000-10,000 members of the community in two locations. On average 50 sponsored surgeries per year are performed and deworming projects have significantly lowered the burden of intestinal parasites in the area. The local staff is supported by 4-6 medical teams like our group who travel for a week to provide supplementary care. BCMM is also working to build better health through prevention programs. Instead of just continuing to treat the high level of respiratory issues in the clinic, the medical teams bring members who work to install better-ventilated stoves in the homes. This simple solution has already reduced clinic visits for respiratory issues, particularly in children. Some teams, like ours, bring Days for Girls kits which are reusable menstrual kits to women so that school or work days are not lost while on their cycle and family money is not wasted on feminine hygiene products (if available).

This holiday season, spend time truly appreciating the gift of your good health and consider helping BCMM continue to offer what we take for granted. From my experience, monetary donations are utilized in the best way to benefit the people. If you are looking to travel and serve there, the program is designed well and you will have wonderful, caring interpreters. For more information on how you can travel to serve or make a donation head on over to the Facebook page Boca Costa Medical Mission, Guatemala or visit their website. 

[su_box title=”About the Author” box_color=”#abbeef”]Melissa Harrell is a wife, mother, and Licensed Professional Counselor. She is passionate about her work as a global child health advocate serving programs in Kenya and Guatemala. She serves as an advocate for ZOE which transforms the lives of orphans through a unique empowerment model. She is also proud to serve as a Days for Girls Ambassador of Women’s Health which helps create and distribute sustainable menstrual hygiene kits around the globe. Melissa and her husband Johnnie live in Goldsboro, NC with their three children, and rascally cats.[/su_box]

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