Click here to read about this special birthday
I met Olga a number of years ago, when I was still traveling back and forth between the US and Guatemala. She and her brothers had been abandoned by their mother at that time, and she was living with her aunts and uncles.
Shortly after I moved to Guatemala, Olga began having abdominal pains. She went to the doctor at the National Hospital in Chimaltenango, and was told that she had an ovarian cyst and needed to have a complete hysterectomy. To this day I believe that it was prejudice on the part of a Hispanic doctor toward a poor Mayan girl that colored his advice, if not out-right formed it.
Click here to read more about this experience
While not a doctor, I knew this was questionable advice. A team of maternal health nurses was visiting our church. I was able to get Olga an ultrasound (which they had not done at the National Hospital) and connect her with these nurses. After listening to the comments of the doctor who had done the ultrasound, and the advice of the nurses based on what they saw in the test results, we decided to use medication to see if the medium sized cyst could be reduced. It was, and she avoided surgery.
This was one of those things that happened almost coincidental with my ministry here at the time. I had actually kind of forgotten about this.
Yesterday, Olga reminded me of this when we were eating at her mom’s house. (There has been much reconciliation here, but more is needed with Doña Chita’s sons.) She thanked me for getting involved, and said that, without our help, she would not have the two beautiful daughters she has today.
Yep, I guess being here does make a difference, even when I really don’t know what I’m doing!
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