Greetings from Panajachel

So far we have been in Panajachel for three days. In this time, we have been very busy. We first slept in a seminary on the night of our arrival before traveling two and half hours to Panajachel. The next day we visted the Community Center for Education and Health in Patanatic. In Patanatic, we learned how to assemble water filters, administer medication, and test glucose levels for the surrounding communities. On the third day, we started working with communities where we gave worm medication to over two hundred children, assembled and gave instruction on 21 water filters, and recorded the glucose levels of over 40 sixth grade children. The items that you have sent with us were needed much more than we imagined. The school supplies were appreciated very much by the children and the school staff. The glucose meters and test strips were crucial to us being able to test the glucose levels in the children and surrounding communities. The supplies that the schools and Patanatic had were scarce, so we were very happy that we brought the items we collected from you or purchased with your donations. It is hard to express in words the appreciation and need for what we are doing here. We still have more to do and we will give you more detail when we come back. A link to a large on-line photo album is forthcoming. This is just an example what Rotary International, District 5710, and Topeka South can do with the help of its members.