Transitions Foundation of Guatemala

The trucks are unloaded at the clinic in Totonicapan.

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A caravan of trucks carrying wheelchairs welcomed dawn somewhere west of Antigua on June 10th with Latin horns from the radio speakers and the aroma of potent Guatemalan coffee. Faith in Practice enlisted the Transitions Foundation workshop to build 24 custom wheelchairs for children and elderly with disabilities in Totonicapan, a rural community in western Guatemala. While nobody likes to set an alarm clock for four in the morning, the gift of mobility has a way of pulling one out of bed.

Mother Nature has been busy in Guatemala lately. On Thursday May 27th, an active volcano in the area, Pacaya, erupted and spewed ash over Guatemala City, killing one reporter and causing 16,000 locals flee their homes. Up to 3 inches of ash covered parts of the capital, closing the airport and rerouting flights away from the country’s primary transportation hub. And then Guatemala met Agatha.

Edmar being fitted for a prosthetic.

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We are happy to announce that Edmar, a prosthetic recipient sponsored by Refuge International, is now walking again for the first time since his leg amputation over a year ago. Edmar visited a clinic in San Raymundo in February of 2009 with a serious infection in his leg following an accident. His personality and constant cheerfulness enlightened others in the hospital and made him a favorite with doctors, nurses and volunteers. Nancy Neuman, a Refuge International member, reached out to Transitions to help this special individual.

Studying English in the Transitions office.

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This month, we decided to interview one of Transitions' most long-standing members, Nazario Quino Tecún. Nazario, affectionately know as "Nacho" by most, has been with Transitions since 2000. He first came to us after losing both arms in a farm machine accident, when a doctor in Guatemala City referred him to our programs. Our Prosthetic & Orthotic Clinic quickly set Nacho up with a brand new set of prosthetics, and one year later Nacho also enrolled in our Educational Scholarships Program. Hear what Nacho's got to say about his experience with Transitions: