Posts by Autumn Jones
IMR medical team provides exams, medicine, health education for 199 patients
On Monday, June 25, International Medical Relief (IMR) brought a team of 30 doctors and nurses to Escuela Integrada to provide wellness checks, health education and comprehensive exams for those with presenting ailments. The doctors included a physical therapist, ophthalmologist, gynecologist, foot specialist and pediatrician among other specializations. IMR provided the clinics to Escuela Integrada…
Read MoreContinued involvement in Escuela Integrada strengthens marriage, family life for Olsons
Mike and Jaime Olson credit their involvement in Escuela Integrada with bringing them back together as a couple and as a family. Mike first visited the school in 2014 with a Lifeonaire team from Wisconsin. The following year, the whole family came to see the school, and their relationship with the school continues to grow. …
Read MoreNew microbus a sign of hope for Escuela Integrada
Escuela Integrada has a new microbus thanks to significant contributions from supporters around the country and the generosity of Sergio Pérez. Many people know Sergio as the driver who picks up Escuela Integrada volunteers and mission teams from the airport in Guatemala City. He is a long-time friend and supporter of the school. When he…
Read MoreGoing on a mission trip a ‘bucket list’ item for 80-year-old volunteer
Donna Wetzel is 80 years old, and she is in Guatemala volunteering with Escuela Integrada this week. She always wanted to serve on a mission trip, but was not able to until now. This year, she and her youngest daughter, Jody, signed up with a group from Emanuel United Methodist Church from Baraboo, Wisconsin, where…
Read MoreLife after Fuego in a developing nation
From the roof of the house where I am staying, I can see two volcanoes — Agua and Fuego. They are the giants that surround this small city, and they make up many of the postcard images of Antigua, especially the dormant Agua, which rises a few miles from the south end of the city. Fuego’s eruptions…
Read MoreGive a kid your lunch!
The children who attend Escuela Integrada are hungry. They live in impoverished homes where food is often scarce or not even available. It is hard to learn when you are hungry. A child with an undernourished brain is more likely to be lethargic and cannot easily process information. They may become moody or unable to…
Read MoreClass of 2017: First in school’s history to have all students pass, graduate together
Escuela Integrada’s 9th grade class received their diplomas on Thursday, Nov. 9, at Hotel Real Plaza in Antigua. This is the first year in the history of the school that all of the students in the class passed their grade and graduated. In previous years, at least one or two students did not pass. “This…
Read MoreThe end of a decade, a return to Guatemala, and the meaning behind my new tattoo
The stove smoke pierced my lungs at first breath outside the airport, the air heavy with pollution and the struggle to survive on what little resources exist. I found my name on a sign, held by Sergio, and he walked me to the small car of his cousin. Sitting in that car as we pulled…
Read MoreHome visits provide new perspective for mother, son who won trip at Quetzal Gala
Elizabeth Cole and her son, Taylor Steele, came to Guatemala for the first time the week of November 5. Cole’s bid won the all-expenses paid trip at the Quetzal Gala earlier this year. She hails from Salisbury, North Carolina, and elected to bring her 29-year-old son to experience the trip with her. Together, they participated…
Read More‘Status of the School’ update shows higher achievement rates, stronger management of instruction
Video: On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Escuela Integrada celebrated graduations for first and sixth grade. After diplomas were awarded, first grade students released balloons into the sky, each one carrying a small piece of paper with their dreams and wishes for the future. On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Bradler Santos, principal, and Hernan Garcia, project director, presented…
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