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September Compassion Offering:
Guatemala Medical Resources Partnership (GMRP)
Oliveros is a tiny village about 3 hours south of Guatemala City. It and other small villages are in a very poor district. It’s a sugar cane growing area. Jobs are scarce and pay is poor.
The nearest doctor is 25 miles away. The difference between the resources we have here in the US and that part of Guatemala is shockingly stark.
The GMRP clinic, a project of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Clubs, takes place every January in a school while students are on Winter break. The school is 5 or 6 rooms in a cement block building with a tin roof and windows without glass.
The need is incredible. In 4 ½ days the clinic will see 600-700 people, some seeing a medical provider, a dentist and/or an optometrist. The clinic opens at 8:00 am but at 5:00 am there may already be 40 people waiting outside.
About 40 people—doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists, translators, pharmacists and general helpers—make the clinic work.
The clinic has been operating for 22 years. Some of the equipment was donated, already used, 22 years ago. This year we have to replace some of this equipment because it is almost unusable after many repairs. That’s why September’s compassion offering is so important. Please be generous, the people of Oliveros will benefit so much.
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