Student Loan Fund

Just as there is a brain drain from Belize to the U.S. and the U.K., there is the same from the Toledo District (Punta Gorda area). For that reason it is difficult to find local leadership and professionals to work at Hillside Clinic. Those that are available are in such demand that we cannot afford them. We are hoping that we can “grow our own” by offering selected young locals a loan program for studies. By selecting and mentoring gifted and dedicated young people, we hope to ensure the leadership of Hillside for the future. Jennie Ical is our first student. She is Mayan, speaks both Ketchi and Mopan, has recently received her associate degree in business at the University of Belize, and wants to pursue a nursing degree. This summer she has been our pharmacy assistant. If you know of anyone interested in investing in this program let us know. Donations go to: M & I Marshall and Ilsely Bank, 2225 North Calhoun Road, Brookfield, WI 53045.

Jennie Ical - Pharmacy Trainee

Jennie Ical and Maria at graduation at UB.

Hillside Health Care International Campus

Hillside clinic is situated about 5 miles north of Punta Gorda on the main highway. The site was donated and appears to be about an acre in size. It started out as one main building and now the area is pretty well filled with other facilities. The clinic building itself has an area where 3 patients can be seen at one time, a small storage area, a small pharmacy, and the beginnings of a small basic lab, all on the first floor. On the second floor is an administrative office, a small apartment for visiting doctors and volunteers, and another storage room. To the west of that is the “tree house” which presently houses our RN, Betty Conley on the second floor and a work area for Evert Mangar, our facilities manager, and Amelia Ramclam, our housekeeper, on the first floor. South of the tree house is the Ed Center where meetings are held, but where we hope to convert into a dental unit eventually. Our newest building is Abbey House dorm, named after Abbey Brinkman, who died in a tragic scuba diving accident a few years ago while on rotation at Hillside. The Abbey House can accommodate as many as 16 students and volunteers, with full facilities enclosed. We would like to eventually build a roof over the Abbey House to decrease the heat inside the dorm and also establish a larger meeting and gathering area.

Tree house to the right, Education Center straight ahead and Abbey House dorm to the left.
Hillside Clinic from the east with mural.
Abbey House straight ahead, Clinic to the right.

Overnight Mobile Clinic Trips

As an attempt to reach the male population of the villages that we service, we are doing overnight visits and mobile clinics to the more distant areas. One of the things that we have noticed this year is that we seldom see the men of the villages. When we arrive for mobile clinic at mid-morning they are already working in the fields and when we leave at mid-afternoon they are not back yet. So we pack everything we need to stay overnight in the Landrover, including mosquito nets, thin mattresses, food, etc, and usual clinic supplies. We set up camp at the school or community center, sometimes in the same place that we hold clinical. In the evening we hold health education classes for the men. Our first theme was “1st Aid for Farmers” and our next will be “How to Keep Your Family Healthy.” So far we have had good response and they all want us back for the next session.

Heading out for the overnight clinical.

Men's 1st Aid Class - Aguacate

Camping out in the Aguacate school.

PILGRIMAGE TO THE BLACK CHRIST ( El Cristo Negro) OF ESQUIPULAS

On April 16-18,2010, we (Betty Conley –Home Visit RN) and I were blessed to have an opportunity to go with some Parishioners of Peter Claver (our parish church in PG) for a PILGRIMAGE to the Black Christ of Esquipulas. The pilgrimage of the Black Christ is compared to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, a bit smaller scale.

Esquipulas is a small valley, about 20,000 population. The shrine of El Cristo Negro is revered for it’s miraculous healing powers. Most famous in 1737, it cured the Bishop of Guatemala, Bishop Pardo de Figueroa of his ailments. Now, more than one million pilgrims visit El Cristo Negro de Esquipulas each year.

From Belize, we took a boat to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala (about 1 ½-2 hours ) then took a bus to Esquipulas (about 4-5 hours) from Puerto Barrios. We were blessed with calm sea and good weather.

What an amazing experience! I was so amazed to see families praying together, walking on their knees, lining up to see El Cristo Negro in the hot sun, doing their stations of the cross in the hill in the hot sun. I wished so bad that Niki and Dan was there to experience these with me. I have met people in our parish and got to know them well during our short pilgrimage. I was able to get away from busy-ness and was able to take time to pray and meditate in this beautiful valley and shrine. I wished you all could have been with me (physically),but rest assured that you were all in my prayers….

The Dry Season in Belize

In general, Belize has 2 seasons, the wet season extending from June until February, and the dry season extending February to June. We are now at the end of the dry season. Since the first of February we have had only about 2 inches of rain, usually in a sprinkle here and there and pretty spotty at that. The rivers are only a trickle, there are large cracks in the ground, and although still green, the vegetation appears wilted. This is also when farmers do “slash and burn” so the air is full of smoke. Temperatures are around 100 at mid-day almost daily. In the Toledo district, we receive about 150 inches of rain/year. If you divide that by 7 rainy months, that means we will soon be getting nearly one inch of rain per day! We could use a cool, rainy day about now!!

Blue Creek in the dry season.

Blue Creek in the Rainy season.

Dry season soil cracking.
Slash & Burn

Tooth Brushing Campaign

Our medical students have done more than 1,000 physical exams in the village schools that Hillside covers. By far the biggest health problem is dental decay. For that reason, we have begun teaching the youngest children in the schools how to brush and take care of their teeth. As an incentive we try to give each child in those classes a toothbrush and actually have them use it during the teaching. It can be great fun, if not a bit messy.

Practicing tooth brushing.
Tooth brush practice.

Tooth brushing demonstration.

Return to Caye Caulker

One of our favorite “get away” places when we lived in Belize City and Patchakan was a one hour boat ride to Caye Caulker. Just about everyone that visited us during those 5 years was treated to the experience of staying a few nights on this local Belizean holiday spot. Our kids loved to snorkel, fish and walk in the sand. Our favorite hotel was Sandy Lane, because it was dirt cheap and the owners were super people and watched over our kids.

For the Easter break, Niki, Maria and I were able to go back and spend a few days there. Things have changed a lot, but it’s still laid back and beautiful. Many of the same people are there – the Novelos, Chocolate, Lulu. Next time someone visits we will take you there!

Sunrise at Caye Caulker.
Sandy Lane
Dan at Caye Caulker.
Glenda's

Mrs. Novelo remembered us from 1993!

Chocolate in front of his new place, 82 years old now.