If you haven’t heard by now, I will be moving to Guatemala within the next three months! Yes, Central America. Given my history, I’m sure most of you aren’t too surprised.
You all know me well, and are aware that I have a strong passion for mission work. As the years pass, it is becoming more and more evident to me that mission work is what I will be doing with the rest of my life. My hope is to following the footsteps of my Savior, meeting physical needs as a means to address the spiritual. My upmost desire is to serve; to serve God and to serve people. I assure you that this is just the beginning.
To give you an update, I will be graduating this May with my Bachelor’s degree in nursing. That will make me Cody N. Hudgens, RN, BSN. I will be studying furiously for the NCLEX for the two months following graduation, and God willing, will be licensed by late June.
The Organization:
I will be working with an organization called Salud y Paz. Directly translated, it means “Health and Peace. “ The overall mission of this organization is “to provide health, healing, and education through body mind, and spirit to the indigenous Mayan peoples of Guatemala. They do so through long-term established clinics run by a trained Guatemalan staff and volunteers, like me. Salud y Paz’s clinics offer laboratory, pharmacy, dental, and physician services all without a cost to those served. Salud y Paz also supports and runs a school that aids children in learning Spanish before they enter the public school system. A scholarship is awarded to 15 Guatemalans each your to provide quality educations for those living in the community. These are the folks I’ll be working with. This is a reputable organization that is daily going above and beyond the call of duty to serve those in need. I am proud to say that I will be an integral part of their work.
The Trip:
I will be moving to Guatemala July 1, 2011, and will return to the states December 22, 2011. As of now, the plan is to move back to my hometown of Panama City after this mission to support my family and work towards furthering my education.
My roles will include, but are not limited to:
-Working in pre-surgical triage
-Organizing foreign medical teams
-Medication management and inventory
-Health education on illness prevention
-Working alongside a NP in rural triage clinic
-Conducting growth and development health screenings
-Aiding in the launch of a pre-natal program
-Aiding with translation as needed
I will be spending the first two to three weeks of my trip in Quetzaltenango. There, I will engage in an intensive language school [www.celasmaya.edu]. I will be taking classes for up to 6 hours each day and staying with a Spanish-speaking family for the benefit of full-emersion.
After language school, I will then move to my permanent residence in Panajachel. I will be staying in an apartment complex that is about a 10-inute walk from the town’s center, a 15-minute walk to the market, and a 20-minute walk to my clinical site. If further transportation is needed (i.e. from clinical site to clinical site), Salud y Paz is able to provide vehicles for those purposes.
Besides working in Panajachel, I will have the opportunity to work in the city of San Antonio Suchitepequez where Salud y Paz’s tertiary clinic, run by Nurse Practitioner Cheryl Brown, is located. There I will serve with Ms. Brown in whatever capacity I am able. I will learn everything there is to know about rural health, working with special populations, and getting an idea of what it is like to manage a free clinic. As some of you are aware, this is exactly the type of work I hope to find myself involved in in the future.
In Closing,
At the end of the day, without love, this entire trip is for naught. My purpose in life is to let people know, in the States and abroad, that there is hope. There really was a man named Jesus who once walked the earth. He really did die for the sins of the world. He really is offering new life to those that will call on his name.
My purpose in writing this letter is to let you in on my life, in hopes that you will share in this process with me. I am not simply asking for financial donations, my list of needs is displayed on the flyer. It is in God’s hands who choses to donate and not. My hopes is that you will join me most importantly in thoughts and prayer as I move to Guatemala to spread God’s love through medical care. What knowledge I gain from this trip, I will carry back with me to the States. I pray I will be as effective as possible, for as long of a life as I am given, wherever on this earth that God takes me. Your spiritual, financial, and emotional support makes this trip possible.
I pray that God blesses you and your families. May His grace and peace cover His loved ones, and may those who do not yet know this grace, find themselves hungry for it.
Sincerely,
Cody
... A girl can dream.
-Organizing foreign medical teams
-Medication management and inventory
-Health education on illness prevention
-Working alongside a NP in rural triage clinic
-Conducting growth and development health screenings
-Aiding in the launch of a pre-natal program
-Aiding with translation as needed
I will be spending the first two to three weeks of my trip in Quetzaltenango. There, I will engage in an intensive language school [www.celasmaya.edu]. I will be taking classes for up to 6 hours each day and staying with a Spanish-speaking family for the benefit of full-emersion.
After language school, I will then move to my permanent residence in Panajachel. I will be staying in an apartment complex that is about a 10-inute walk from the town’s center, a 15-minute walk to the market, and a 20-minute walk to my clinical site. If further transportation is needed (i.e. from clinical site to clinical site), Salud y Paz is able to provide vehicles for those purposes.
Besides working in Panajachel, I will have the opportunity to work in the city of San Antonio Suchitepequez where Salud y Paz’s tertiary clinic, run by Nurse Practitioner Cheryl Brown, is located. There I will serve with Ms. Brown in whatever capacity I am able. I will learn everything there is to know about rural health, working with special populations, and getting an idea of what it is like to manage a free clinic. As some of you are aware, this is exactly the type of work I hope to find myself involved in in the future.
In Closing,
At the end of the day, without love, this entire trip is for naught. My purpose in life is to let people know, in the States and abroad, that there is hope. There really was a man named Jesus who once walked the earth. He really did die for the sins of the world. He really is offering new life to those that will call on his name.
My purpose in writing this letter is to let you in on my life, in hopes that you will share in this process with me. I am not simply asking for financial donations, my list of needs is displayed on the flyer. It is in God’s hands who choses to donate and not. My hopes is that you will join me most importantly in thoughts and prayer as I move to Guatemala to spread God’s love through medical care. What knowledge I gain from this trip, I will carry back with me to the States. I pray I will be as effective as possible, for as long of a life as I am given, wherever on this earth that God takes me. Your spiritual, financial, and emotional support makes this trip possible.
I pray that God blesses you and your families. May His grace and peace cover His loved ones, and may those who do not yet know this grace, find themselves hungry for it.
Sincerely,
Cody
My Ultimate Guatemala Wishlist:
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A nice digital camera that I might carry with me and share photos with folks in the States. |
