Guatemala Dental Mission news

*Here is a letter my mom had made to show the LDS dental convention this summer. I think it's a great summary of what they do and why.

Serving in the Guatemala Dental Clinic as a Senior Missionary has been a rare privilege.  It is the best of times and also provides many growing experiences.

  We have the opportunity to provide needed dental care to Future Missionaries, who travel by bus or car for their care.  Some come in groups, others alone.  Some have travelled as long as ten hours to receive treatment.

We also provide oral exams to native missionaries who arrive at the CCM every other week.  Generally, 25-40% of these missionaries will need care.  Last week, 17 wisdom teeth were extracted on ten missionaries.  We provide the following procedures: wisdom teeth and other extractions, fillings, cleanings and root canal therapy. We occasionally provide retainers, night guards and partials.  The goal is to have them dentally healthy for their term of missionary service. 

We also provide dental care for missionaries currently serving in the Guatemala area.  This includes  senior missionaries.  Last year, as their Christmas present, we provided cleanings for all of the senior missionaries, which also included our temple missionaries.

In addition, we are blessed to serve eight orphanages in Guatemala City.  The children’s ages range from 2 to 23.  You will never work on more grateful or more happy children.  Their dental needs are endless.

The days might be longer than you planned.  They might include challenges but the opportunity to serve all of these choice young people leaves one with such a feeling of satisfaction.  One feels grateful for such an opportunity to care for the Lord’s children.    Daily, you witness the Lord’s watchful  hand over  this program.

The weather is truly “eternal spring”.  The other senior missionaries become dear friends.  The opportunity to contribute to other’s lives leaves one with a very softened heart.

Jim and Carol Curtis

My mom has always been an office manager if she is at Dad's office, so it's fun seeing her assist.

Future Missionaries. They travelled 10 hours from Belize for their dental exams.

These orphans all had extractions but were brave  little patients.

We do onsite dental exams in some of the orphanages and schools

These future missionaries travelled together from Quetzaltenango

 

These are CCM missionaries who just received needed dental care before they leave for their assignments

 

Providing oral dental exams at the CCM for newly arrived native missionaries

*I'm very proud of my parents for their sacrifices and dedication to serve the Lord where they were needed. I know it has not been easy for me (or them) to be so far away and hard to contact. I know we are blessed because of their selflessness.

this photo makes me cry every.time.