What is going on at the Hospitalito??

Well, sadly, Narda is returning to Oregon… so the staff planned a despidida for Narda and her daughter Zarah and son Tai… AND combined it with a Valentines Day party. Mid day, everyone gathered in the education room for chuchitas (tamales) and mosh (hot oatmeal drink). Chenta planned a game. Everyone formed a circle, and a marker was given to Cristobal to start. We were instructed to put a DOT on the person next to us, and then pass the marker on. See Cristobal put a spot on Rigoberto’s nose (a large permanent spot). There were lots of dots on hands, earlobes, necks… almost everywhere. When everyone had their spot marked, Chento told us that we were celebrating Dia de Cariño, and to celebrate our friendship, we would start at the beginning of the circle, and KISS the spot where we had placed the dot on the person next to us. That’s when things got hilarious. The last person to place his dot was Ithan Peltan, the Harvard Medical Student who returned to Hospitalito in early February. Because he is serious about medical career, he thought like a physician… giving an injection on the backside, and that’s where he gave Cristobal his dot. See foto of Ithan and Cristobal. Wish you were here. Happy Valentine’s Day!

We owe a big thanks to Narda Sherman for her third trip to HA. The staff and patients LOVE Narda and are sorry to say “Chuac chik!” The day she left, she presented six bound copies of the updated Volunteer Orientation Manual. Narda also worked with Rebeca on updating the housing manual. He husband Ulysses coached soccer during his month here over the holidays. Zarah was enrolled in the Colegio Alfa y Omega near HA and looked great in her school uniform, a guipil and corte. We hope that they all return soon.

You may remember hearing of Ithan Peltan before, and congratulations are in order because the article he wrote was accepted for publication in a medical journal: "Disaster response and recovery at a small, rural hospital in Guatemala."