It was a Saturday when they met in a Houston airport, 45 trunks filled with medical supplies in tow, all bound for Guatemala City, Guatemala. The flight was uneventful followed by a 40-minute bus drive to Antigua, the picturesque Spanish colonial town where they were to begin their mission. The mission was to volunteer their time to Faith in Practice and the people of Guatemala. The volunteers, Siemens Hearing Instruments' very own Angela Flores Pool and Jackie Allen.
Angela and Jackie spent the next week working at the Obras, the hospital/orphanage/church where people came to receive medical treatment. All traveled long distances, some as many as 10-12 hours, in the hopes that they would be seen. The dedicated volunteers, including Angela and Jackie, worked long hours and treated as many patients as possible. Jackie and Angela saw 15 people on their first day, including a 10-year old girl named Maria. Maria traveled with her father on a bus for 6 hours and it was the only day her father could bring her. Angela and Jackie worked well into the night and were able to see Maria. They determined that Maria had a flat profound sensorineural hearing loss binaurally. After fitting her with a hearing instrument, little Maria's eyes lit up as she could hear for the first time. Her excited babbling was music to everyone's ears, including her own.
But Maria wasn't the only life they were able to change. By the end of the week they had seen 50 people and fit 24 hearing instruments. "While the work we did changed the lives of the patients, the patients, with their humility, love and sincere gratitude changed the lives of the team members. It's a wonderful thing that can only truly be experienced first hand," stated Jackie upon her return. Angela felt the same way, "We very much enjoyed the experience - it was both rewarding and humbling."
If you are interested in learning more about Faith in Practice, visit their website at www.faithinpractice.org
Further information can be found by visiting www.siemens.com/healthcare or the Siemens Web Channel on Audiology Online at www.audiologyonline.com/channels/siemens.asp
