Hillside Open House 2010

As a way to thank the Eldridge village where the Hillside Clinic is located, the students and staff held an Open House on March 20. There was food, games, and music, along with the opportunity to walk through the clinic, dorm and education building. We also did blood pressures and blood sugars and found some new patients that needed treated. Everyone had fun.

Doing the limbo.

Medical student face painting.
HHCI Open House.

This Year’s Project – Physical Exams on all School Children

By December of this year we hope to do a physical exam on all the school children in our catchment area. We estimate that this will be about 3,000 kids. Most of this work will be done by our medical and nursing students. This will give the students plenty of practice and it will give us a way to screen for treatable health problems. So far we have completed over 1,000 and have found the major problem of dental disease. Other problems are being referred as appropriate.

Checking visual acuity in schools.

Checking for cavities.

The Home of Chocolate

As you probably know, chocolate is called the “food of the Gods” by the Mayans. Unfortunately, most of the cacao (from which the chocolate is made) is exported to the U.S. or Europe and then is imported back to Central America in the form of milk chocolate. Recently, however, there are small producers in the PG area making chocolate the old fashion way. Here are a few photos.

Cacao pods growing.

A native Mayan with cacao pod giving a demostration.
Newly opened cacao pod showing the beans.
Grinding the roasted cacao the traditional way.

Ethnic Groups in the PG Area

Belize is a very culturally diverse country. The PG area is probably the most diverse of all. The town of PG itself has historically been a Garifuna settlement. This group of people settled Belize in the early 1800’s when they were evicted by the British from St. Vincent Island in the Caribbean. They are a mix of the runaway slaves and the Carib Indians. The Eldridge area and several villages along the main road heading north are populated by the descendants of East India. They originally came as laborers in the banana, timber, and sugar plantations, mainly to the American plantation owner who eventually left after about 3 generations. Now they own and farm their own land. In the outlying villages are two groups of Mayan, Ketchi and Mopan, each with their own language and cultural beliefs. Mixed with these are a few Mennonite farmers, Chinese businessmen, Creole (mix of former slave and slave owner), Mestizos (mix of Spanish and native Central Americans), and expatriate American and Europeans.

Mayan kids at school fair.

Garifuna dance presentation.
Alan, our night security, with daughter - East Indian descent.

The History of the Mayans in Belize

Scattered throughout Belize are the remains of past Mayan civilizations. At one time there were 3-4 X the population that Belize now has, with numerous trade and commercial routes that spanned Central America and Mexico. In the back yard of our clinic in Patchakan, there were the remains of a small Mayan ruin, with characteristic mounds and our kids found a basketful of pottery remains (but no jade!) Here in the PG area it is the same, with several partially excavated sites.

Xunantunich

Lubantuun

Jesuit International Volunteers (JIVs)

The JIVs were a big part of our lives when we lived in Belize from 1989-94. Now that we are back, it is fortunate that there are four JIVs in PG. Their house and the dog remind us of the JIV house in Belize City. I guess to live simply one must blend into the background and the JIV house in PG does that! Emily works as a counselor at Niki’s high school. Pat works with the youth program of St. Peter Clavier. Matt works with the RC schools of the district. Allison (not pictured) works developing St. Peter Clavier’s school library and reading program. This should bring back some memories for you former JIVs.