El Salvador…Day 4

 

This morning started early again...getting up before 6 to share showers and bathrooms. We are relocating our housing to a really lovely area in San Salvador. It was a VERY long day, and we got here in the dusk, so we look forward to seeing the area in the daytime tomorrow. We should be staying here until we leave Sunday. The luggage all had to be loaded and taken with us, and sat in the back of that truck under the hot El Salvadorian sun alllllll day.  

The drive was beautiful. We stayed along the southern coast of El Salvador, so we were able to see the ocean part of the time. We drove through some tourist towns as well as a lot of areas of poverty. The traffic is SO crazy here...and the streets are absolutely every which way. My shout out today is to our facilitator and driver, Ronald. TODAY, the drive was technical and sketchy at best. He executed it all superbly and got us everywhere we needed to go in one  piece. 

The ride was around 2 hours and the last leg started out by having to go past the turn off in order to turn around and hit it from the right angle...We then drove a little bit of a terrifying ride straight up a one lane very rocky/rough road full of short switch backs. Going down, he honked at every switch to alert oncoming motorcycles that we were coming. Only a few times did we have to pull as far to the left as we could and squeeze our butt cheeks together while we waited to see if the oncoming traffic would make it by. The views were amazing though, and the town was small and sweet. We were a little late arriving, and a full house was waiting. 

The El Salvadorian team (including the translators) were about 30 minutes later than we were...so the chaos of trying to figure out who was going where, getting supplies where they needed to be and navigating in a very, VERY tight space was the first order of business. 

If all of that wasn't enough to fry my tired brain, this little sweetie wanted to talk to me and kept trying, but I just couldn't understand...well I couldn't understand his words...I completely understood when he was making toothless little pucker kisses. I finally blew him a kiss as I darted off to get something and that appeased him. The old, old people all look a lot like him...not many teeth, very deep wrinkles, and twinkling chocolate kiss eyes. The young people often look a lot older than they are, and many of the 40 year olds look 15-20 years older. 

The first problem of the day was that our A1C kits have to be between 40-83 degrees. We had clinic rooms with AC the last couple of days, but today, it was all open air. We had brought an ice chest, but the ice was leaking all over the bottom of the cooler and I knew that the reader would get too cold. So I pawed through boxes until I found something that would work for me...which turned out to be a tiny purple plastic sack. So I blew it up, knotted it off and put it on the ice...my reader in a baggie...and PRESTO...a perfect system to save the day. Once again, I was eternally thankful for these devices, as we were able to diagnose more people today with very late Pre-diabetes, and very early diabetes stages. That means that we were able to give them a good objective reason to make changes now. Most of them were sad to know but glad to know because they knew enough people with consequences of diabetes that they didn't want. Knowledge is power...and you won't change if you aren't convinced. I can't make them change...and neither can the medical staff here...but by the grace of God and generous donations, I was able to leave them with very compelling evidence as to why they should. 

The registration table crew took care of getting names, ages, complaints, and issues...they were also in charge of handing out dresses, glasses, colors, trinkets, and bookmarks. 

These kids were well spoiled today!! The magnitude of the health problems was much greater today and felt really overwhelming...Again, trying to decide how to best manage the problem at hand in a way that will be sustainable for another 6 months. I've treated more parasites in the last couple of days than I did the first day, and there continues to be a wave of viral stomach flu and a basic upper respiratory infection going on here. The educational needs are extreme as well, and I'm having to cut the instruction to the most basic things I can. Most of that is "quit drinking coca and juices." I have been afraid to ask anyone how much sugar they drink...I don't think I can handle the answers. But they know. I can see it in their eyes when I ask if they drink and eat a lot of sugar. 

Cami taught Paul to run the A1C tests today. Each of those takes 7-8 minutes to do from start to finish, so this made it much easier for her. He did a great job at it. A couple of the guys made a home visit early this afternoon and they wanted to do blood sugars on her because she was very obese. We stopped back by on the way out of the village...Her blood sugar was in the 180s, which made it more important for the A1C...which was packed away in that truck load of luggage you already saw. I would have given up, but the guys kept looking through, and Paul came running in with it just as we were getting ready to leave. Of course, then the reader was too hot...so we took turns holding it up to the air conditioning vents in the van where the rest of the team was very patiently waiting. The collection cartridge could only be open for 2 minutes before it would be invalid...but you didn't know if the reader was working until you put the cartridge in...I had already drawn the blood which was just waiting for the machine to play nice. As I stood up in the van squished between the door and the chairs...opened a new cartridge...found the reader STILL too warm...and had Paul count me down to 30 seconds remaining before the cartridge was no good. I turned it around and around in the cold air and asked for favor from the God that sent us...I'll bet you can't guess what happened. The cartridge was popped in...the reader worked...and we were able to get her A1C...She is .10 point away from being a diabetic...but if she doesn't change her ways, she will be...much sooner than later. We were, again, able to give objective evidence that her body wasn't working right...which gave more merit to the advice that we were offering her. 

Sugar is SUCH an addiction...as strong as cocaine. It will be hard for her to change. It will hard for any of them to change. But they must...They don't have the luxury of a "pill for an ill" that we have here in the US. They don't have the luxury most of us have of a doctor any time we want, or a fairly short drive to a specialist, or extra money for medications...especially without an insurance company to foot the bill so we can take a med and not make any changes ourselves. Our health care system in the US is sick...but I'm not sure the lack of a system here is helpful either. It's lose-lose. 

Molly will be back to doing teeth tomorrow, and the word on the street is that she may be learning AND doing some tooth extractions. Monica, above, will be taking her under her wing...I can't wait to hear about their day. 

We got to stop on the way back to San Salvador to overlook the beautiful Pacific ocean. We have been having a great trip...seeing different things, different peoples, learning different customs and systems, and even learning a different language. I have been so thrilled with the way my own language has improved. It's by far not great, but with continued consistency, I hope one day it will be. For now, I listen as long as I can, and practice as much as I can here before my brain overloads...and then I resort back to the comfort of the language I know.

El Salvador is a very beautiful and intriguing place...One day I would like to come just to explore on my terms...but for now, I will continue to explore on the terms that God put in place for my time here!

I was so exhausted by the time we unloaded our bags that I didn't care if I ate tonight or not...but the cooler air was refreshing...and so was the thought of the pupuseria...We drove a very short 7 minutes to eat our choice of the local delicacy, pupusas...Cami ordered a frozen mango with chamoy, something I'm sure that she saw on TikTok...and she and Molly slurped it up...so any viral flu we catch, is spreading like fire.

Tomorrow we have breakfast at the retreat center where we are staying, and we will head to what sounds like a senior center for clinic. I am soooo glad it is a 20 minute drive depending on traffic...Friday's commute will be 2 hours each way...and that is tiring all by itself.

Sonrie...smiles.

These are the same in any language. 

A kind touch.

The desire to be heard and known.

The pain of illness and loss.

A deep belly laugh.

These are the same in any language too.

God made us in His image. So of course we should expect people to be more similar than different. That is the lesson for today. 

We are no better than they are. But we are also not more favored or blessed than they are. 

God has put all of us on different paths...and we must live them in different ways. We don't get to know all the details...

But for today. Humans--no matter the color, the race, the language, the location...are more similar than different. And if nothing else, that concept deserves to be respected and honored. Amen.

El Salvador-2026 Day 3

Buenas noche!!

It's been another very great day...lots of new experiences and lives touched by our team. BUT FIRST...I have to leave a shout out to our boat captains that will NEVER read this post...I wish that I could get my video to load here...and maybe when I get home it will...But those guys...are AMAZING. We have made 4 trips in the past two days back forth. It's about 40 minutes each trip. The tide was out 3 of the 4 times, which makes it a little trickier for them because the water can be 8-10 feet lower. The waterways can be very wide but also very shallow. There are some blind corners (if that is even a thing in a mangrove waterway), sandbars, and little fingers going different ways and they know just where they are. Last night we left around dusk, and he turned on his party light and Latino music and it was like a fiesta all the way home. This morning, we had a different driver but he was equally as fun. He actually bluetoothed his phone into some speakers adhered under the overhead tarp...and he played Karaoke...American karaoke...and then he serenaded us to several other songs. It was seriously a priceless experience. 

This morning people arrived via this transportation system to be seen in the clinic. As usual, we met together as a group, offered introductions of the medical and dental teams, Dr Morataya speaks a bit, and then I have been privileged to speak a few words to them as well. This has been a new experience for me here, and I have enjoyed it. Sometimes I speak some Spanish and English/Spanish mixups (just to keep my interpreter on their toes.) I have been very excited to be able to actually have short and simple conversations with people, and the interpreters are impressed that the patients can understand what I am trying to say to them. I still wish that I were so much better, but I am worlds further than I was 4 years ago!! I LOVE it!

After that, I showed up to my office in the canopy for a sweet day. Today, we were a few short on translators, but it was fun to see how everyone was able to adapt, switching jobs, switching translators, and switching locations all on the fly!

Today, the girls worked together at the "testing station." Molly started out just writing down information that Cami gave her from the tests, but before long, Molly had been taught, out of necessity, to take blood sugars and blood pressures. So if Cami needed to run and do an Hgb A1C test in the cool room that they were being stored in, Molly was pinch hitting and taking vital signs. The adults on our team have been asking them questions and soliciting interactions from them. It has been fun to watch them both become comfortable enough to show their true personalities. And I'd be pretty certain, that by the end of the week, they will have sweet-talked Ronald (or Ronny-boy as they have taken to calling him) into taking them for ice cream somewhere. 

We were able to pass out some more dresses, slap bracelets and Cami even did a few ear piercings today...Tomorrow will be the last day that we will see any children, so Molly will help Cami again and the two girls will make sure that the dresses have been distributed as well as story books. 

They will also use the earrings, and my guess is that Molly will be doing that by the end of the day as well! Molly will be back to the dental room after that under Oscar's expert supervision.

TRIGGER WARNING…

If you are squeamish you will want to quickly forward past the next two photos…but I believe it important to create an awareness of what people deal with here. 

This man cuts trees for a living, and probably picked up a fungal infection last summer during the rainy season. He has no money so he couldn’t go to the doctor….and he tried a topical fungal cream twice with no success. 

Without treatment and persistent hot humid conditions….and some intermittently high blood sugars…the condition spread from his feet….

To his hands. These felt like the skin of an elephant. Just like they look. Eventually spreading to his entire body. ITCHY like crazy.  We didn’t have the medicine that he needed, but we had two doses in a different stash. Our medicine fund will pay it back later! We were able to get him started and he will see the doctor that comes on Saturdays. Each week he will go to see how it is doing and to get more medicine that Dr M will send to him for free. THIS man…is a direct beneficiary of the extra money that you guys send to help!! We thank you for that!! He thanked me profusely and we reminded him that God was who he needed to thank. He replied with his eyes heavenward….Yes, God sent you to me so you could help to tell me what is wrong and to help me get better. Dios te bendiga…God bless you. 

Another unforgettable soul. I imagine that by the time I see him again, we will both have perfect bodies in heaven!

Lunch may have been a favorite for me...a lightly fried white fish, fresh lettuce salad with only lime juice and salsa squeezed over top, and rice. Those of you that know and love me, know that I am pretty particular with my diet as I try to allow my body to heal from years of sugar abuse, too much stress and too little sleep. I do not eat many carbs, and almost no sugars. So far this week I have eaten pupusas, pieces of tortillas, rice, POTATO TWICE, El Salvadoran hot chocolate, and a dark chocolate frozen banana. As well as fresh pineapple, mango, and papaya. It's so hard for me to watch these sweet people who live on diets that are similar, eat all the things that so adversely affect my blood sugar. However, in their defense, sugar addictions are very high here, and often times if they can stop that alone its enough to make a huge difference in their metabolism. 

Right before we ate lunch, I took a walk down the street with Eddie, one of the interpreters, to deliver some medication that had been prescribed by Dr Steve when they made a home visit. I'm telling you, the flowers in this place are like nothing I have ever seen before. They are everywhere, there are so many different varieties, and they are absolutely stunning. Eddie knew the names of some of them, which satisfied my nerdy side.

He was also the first person that could explain the cashew trees to me. In the past, I have only seen them like the above pictures...small and cashew like. 

This week, I have seen that they are actually hooked to these big yellow fruits. Most people here eat the fruit and throw the cashew part away...but Eddie admitted that some people will collect the dried cashew shells, split them and roast and salt them, the way most of are used to eating them. 

I was dying for the girls to see a banana flower...and wasn't disappointed. If you will look, the red flower at the bottom is HUGE...then it is connected to a very long stem of sorts, and all the way above it, you see a GINORMOUS cluster of bananas. 

A couple of other interesting things I saw on our walk...were the chickens running around inside their house. 

And these thatched roofs that were made out of dead fronds from a coconut tree. I had seen them previously on the island, but didn't know how they were made.

I also wanted to show a few pictures of the new reverse osmosis water system that was funded by donations. Up until the Millers orchestrated this project, there was ZERO clean water on this island for anyone. They have very shallow wells that bring up some water, but it is contaminated and made them sick often. It's also a huge reason that coke is such a popular choice. Previously, when I have been here, the same boats that carry us over, also brought over crates of little sandwich bag sized baggies filled with water. They (and we) bit off the corners and sucked the water out of the baggie. This new system has been a huge asset to the people, though some are slow to adopt its use. They can now have water delivered to them in 5 gallon plastic jugs, or they can bring their own to fill. It's free. There is a still a PVC pipe that is about 4 inches wide that is wired up across about a 50 feet section of the waterway that carries in water from the mainland that is used in their homes if they don't have a well.

This has been installed only within the last couple of years. Can you imagine, 2026---still people don't have access to the basics of life...clean drinking water??? It's seriously a crime against humanity that the rest of the world should live large like these things don't exist around us. But that's another sermon for another day.

Speaking of basic necessities, when the clinics were finished up, Monica decided to run to the Island market (and the word market is used very loosely in accordance to anything we would associate with the word) 7 of us opted into the rough truck ride. It was a good excuse to shout HOLA at everyone single person we saw on the way and to continue to marvel at the skinny cows (and many scrawny little calves), the trillion chickens in all the places, plenty of stray dogs, all the different types of houses, as well as to see the market. 

The lady was actually at the church service that starts at 4 every day, but Monica was able to locate her daughter that had just gotten out of school. She came and let us in. The room was maybe 30 by 50 feet, dark, with a ton of dusty items for sale, a lot like a garage sale, thrift store, corner snack store, and vegetable stand all combined into a very grimy scenario. She spent $2.25 on 10 avocados and 50 cents on the papaya. 

The avocados were stuffed with an egg salad and served to us for dinner. Delicious! We left a bit earlier tonight and got back to the dock as the sun set. We enjoyed a bit of time in the pool and as I type from a hammock, the girls are reading in their own hammocks before we hit the hay.

Tomorrow is another early day. We will leave around 7:00 am for a 2ish hour drive through the mountains to get to another mission site. I have no idea whether we will have Wifi access after we leave in the morning. I will continue to process my thoughts and document our trip details...but may have to wait until later to post them. 

I have enjoyed a lot of relational one on one time with various staff members of the El Salvadoran team, and I have no doubt that God is using me in their lives as much as He is using them in mine. Continue to lift our team up in prayer for safety and for sickness to remain at bay, but also that we might have the eyes of Christ as we work. That our words, our glances, our touches, our work...would all be glorifying to the Lord that led each of here...Ask that He would help us to release our own expectations and terms of service, and fully embrace the plan that He has for each of us. I think it works better that way....the hard part is actually surrendering our own plan. 

Hasta luego amigos!

El Salvador 2026…day 2

Today was a GREAT day...I'm not even sure that I am quite able to comprehend it all yet. Two nights of really poor sleep have made my brain a little foggy tonight as I try to sort it all out in my mind...But I want to try and capture the day...

The goal was to leave by 7:15. The girls are learning that times in El Salvador are "loose" at best!! Our cooks left last night after dinner, and our coordinator Ronald (pronounced Roan-ahld) was left to cook for our team...pack our stuff in the van...and drive us to the boat dock. Not a small order of things!! And 7:15...nor 7:30...nor 7:45 were happening!

We met up with the team from El Salvador at the docks, so we all left together in 2 boats. The waterways were busy today and we passed many boats going and coming, as well as fishermen.

Here is the side shot...they are pretty interesting to see!!

We saw today that Dad's across the world take their little guys fishing!! 

Dr Miller is such an interesting guy. He worked with National Geographic decades ago, and so he knew all about the mangrove forests from his time with them. He had the boat drivers pull over so he could teach us a little about them. I have heard parts in the past, but not a great explanation like I did today. If anything, I have been surprised at all the information that I am learning already in the past couple of days that I either didn't hear or forgot from previous trips. 

So, God put on my heart in February, that I needed to find these two books (The blood sugar solution by Dr Mark Hyman and Good Energy by Dr Casey Means) in Spanish. I was convinced that I needed to bring them along, but I wasn't entirely sure who was to get them. As time went, I knew that Dr Morataya would get a set of them...I had initially thought that two copies of each was the goal...but I had a nagging to get a third set...Even as I packed them, I kept questioning whether I should take all three sets, they are big books...and room was a commodity. BUT I did. As Monica and I chatted yesterday, I knew that Yvonne, the nutritionist that helps on the Island would need one(many of the kids are still malnourished, and she helps to identify which ones, and makes sure to get them into the feeding program they started) Dr got his set yesterday, and he was so appreciative to get them, especially after I told him about my own journey and how they impacted both how I live my own life, and how I manage the lives of my patients...I didn't expect Yvonne to be so thrilled...She was ecstatic and can't wait to read them and then make some handouts based on the information to give to the people. She wanted pictures, and that made my heart joyful, because I knew that she really felt blessed by them! 

I knew that I would know who would get the last set...but I didn't know how many days it would take...In God's providence, our coordinator Ronald was my translator today...and because of the A1C kits that were provided for us to take, I heard a little more about HIS journey...Toward the end of the day, I told him that he should have Cami check his A1C so he knew how he was doing...She misunderstood me and did his fingerstick blood sugar reading. Which was actually not bad considering it was after lunch. BUT I knew that we were to press it, so I asked her later to catch him and do one. As it turned out, his A1C put him in a diabetic level, but still at "goal" for lifestyle management. As I have learned, this won't improve unless measures are taken. In the conversation, he mentioned that he had done a lot of research on getting his BS down the first time...and took a lot of the measures to correct it...and I knew (before we had the A1C results back) that HE was the one who was to receive the books. And as I sit here in the foyer, soaking in my own sweat and listening to the ocean roar, Ron sits across the foyer, reading his new book. To GOD be the glory for the provision...not just to US in our journey here...but to SO MANY people in El Salvador...The book will change Ron's life...and the book in Yvonne and Dr M's hands, might change the trajectory of chronic disease in El Salvador...The part I can't process...is how BIG God is...to orchestrate ALL. THESE. DETAILS...and frankly...why He even cares about 3 sets of books enough to put it in my head...and put them in my hands. I'm telling you...someday, when we meet Jesus face to face, I think we will be astonished to see what He does as He weaves all the tapestry together!! 

I was also SOO excited to see old friends...Oscar is a dental worker, trained by his sister a dentist...The first year I met he and his sister...I remember learning that we didn't have to speak the same language to connect and interact...I would talk in English, they in Spanish...and we would use facial expressions, hand gestures, and tone of voice to get our thoughts across..I remember thinking how fun it was to banter back and forth, not having a real clue about what was being said...and still be able to belly laugh, one up them, and belly laugh some more...TODAY...Oscar spoke to me in English AFTER I spoke to him in Spanish...Communication today was much different than in the past and what an incredible blessing!! He has been trying to learn English...and while we were both busy today, we had plenty of catch up joking and harrassing one another...I can't wait for the rest of the week. Today I also learned that he is a very patient person. He really took his time teaching and training Molly into the world of dentistry. We aren't sure that he understood what a hygienist was in the States, but it won't hurt Molly to understand how to be a thorough and caring practitioner in her future!! He taught her to use the tools, and then sat back and let her work. It sounds like she had a great day. He and Oscar 2 (we have TWO Oscars this week) were joking that she wouldn't want to come back with them tomorrow...but my gut says they were wrong!!

Cami was also pretty nervous this morning as we got ready to start. Her interpreter was originally from ES, but had taken shelter in Canada many years ago. Cami's job was to check blood pressures, blood sugars and A1C (the average blood sugar over the last 3 months) We realized early on, that the A1C kits would not work where she was stationed, because they were TOO HOT. Once we got them to one of the clinic rooms with AC, it worked perfectly. 

She has been studying Spanish on Duolingo as I have been for 4 years now. I asked her if she was able to use any of her Spanish...She said yes...Hola, como estas (hi, how are you). Si, No and Lo Siento (I'm sorry) I have to stick you again. We got a laugh out of that.

The A1C kits are also going to be INVALUABLE for these people. We didn't use very many today...mostly because no one remembered that we had them except Monica and I. BUT...we diagnosed TWO people that didn't know they were diabetic, and we used the objective data to show a third lady that she needed to increase her medications (as a previous doctor had suggested to her) before she lost part of her leg like a neighbor on the Island recently had. We had grounds to freely talk about the elephant in the room (diet and diabetes) and talk about measures that they will have to take to heal. I think this objective data is going to make it easier to convince people that they have problems.

I had the opportunity to talk to the group before we started today...I have opted to share the gospel first and leading into the fact that when He puts His Spirit within us, we become His temple...Today I shared a little more about what that looks like for them...and I was able to remind them that even more than being interested in their physical health, we are most concerned about their Spiritual well being. I am starting to question God about the real reason I am here this time...and what job He really sent me to do. If you are reading and praying, lift that up in the next few days. I'm not sure that handing out ibuprofen is it.

Could. NOT. resist this adorable shot. Brotherly love is universal...and so are cell phones! Ha!

And, so after my little talk this morning, I couldn't help taking a photo of a main culprit of the talk in the first place. In the VERY back of the photo, those girls had showed up to sell sugared juices to the people. It's how they make their money...and I can appreciate that. It's a hard row to hoe. There isn't a real grocery store on the Island...but a little quick shop with plenty of unhealthy stuff. They all came with candy and chips today. It really breaks my heart, as much as it does when I work a concession stand for my kids and sell obscene amounts of sugared snacks to the kids running through. I wish there was a great solution to all of it.

We started out with FIVE providers in one small air conditioned room this morning, but can you imagine an empty cinder block room with 5 people, 5 plus patients and a handful of interpreters?? It took me one patient to know I couldn't stay there! About the same time Dr Steve, whom I served with on my first trip, decided the same thing...so we both took our gear and retreated to the "upper room." Air conditioning came from the Lord as a breeze through the coconut and mango trees. Doubly glad for the breeze and open air after the first two kids I saw had the stomach flu. 

Because we had sooooo much baggage, I only had a few dresses today...the rest of our supplies didn't get to the Island until midafternoon. This little sweetheart was glad to have gotten one in just her size!!

I also had the opportunity to explain and hand out a few menstrual kits this afternoon. Monica would like to take the rest of them to the prison on Friday as they have the fewest resources of them all. She is checking on the details...but they will be well appreciated by whomever gets them. 

Dr Larry is nearly always the last to finish, and I had located a couple frisbees while rooting through the bags.

Cause if it wasn't hot enough already, what's a little more sweat!! Only one of these guys had ever seen a frisbee (at his school) and none of them had actually ever thrown one...It was hilarious to see them launch it straight up in the air...and at one point we had to move to the back of the lot because I kept tapping it over the fence...so then I had 2 kids scaling a barbed wire fence to get my frisbee...I had flashbacks from the movie "The Sandlot" watching that action...and there are enough rogue dogs around that it totally could have been a thing. 

They had a hard time getting the wrist action down, but finally caught it!! It's a good thing are few windows to bust out with it cause I sent it home with them! I was also amazed that Oscar 2, the interpreter...probably in his late 20 to early 30s...had also NEVER thrown a frisbee. The things we take for granted!!

After THAT...Molly, Cami, and I took a little walk in the fine dust roads...and then caught a ride with Monica and some of the others to drive around the "block" to check stuff out. 

Many houses are made of sticks or sticks and mud chinking, or cinderblocks...a few with rusted old tin pieces. 

There was a little traffic in the narrow street as well...someone was moving their cattle home.

The doc from NYC told us there wasn't a good place for us to sit when we climbed in the back of the truck...Dude, we are FARM people...this is what we do...No one got bucked out, though Marvin did about lose his hair in a low hanging mango branch. Many more laughs!

We had some fried potato and cheese things for dinner tonight and caught a dusk ride home in the boat. It was so awesome to jam out to Spanish music with his party light on the canopy above us while skimming across the water, watching the white egrets find their resting spot for the night. 

Hopefully, all will get acclimated to the heat and humidity so we can continue with the energy and enthusiasm that we need to survive. We return to the Island for a busier day than today...Pray for the hearts that got hard news today about their health that they thought was fine...only to discover that it isn't. The course of their lives can change for the good of themselves and their families if they take hold of what they learn. As I told one 38 year old mom with 2 children under 5..."today was a BLESSING for you...because you get a chance to change your health for the sake of you AND your kids." Pray for them...it's as hard if not harder to shake the habits than it is in the US...

I know that some of you are bound to have questions...I would love to answer any that come up!! It's so much information, that I'm sure that I forget things!!

Hopeful to type again tomorrow night!