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» Campus News Bulletin Board | | |
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| Students Return
From Guatemala Trip released: 01/29/04 |
 |
 Dr.
Robert Braine, Professor of Health and Physical Education, along with six
Wesleyan students and three health professionals spent two weeks from December
29 to January 13 performing various tasks for the people of two villages
in Guatemala. The group visited the same two villages that Dr. Braine has visited each year for the past six years -- El Carmen and Guastatoya. Dr. Braine explains that he returns to the same villages each year because of the sense of continuity and the established relationships. “By visiting the same villages, you can see the benefits of working and building on what you have already established so far. We have established strong relationships with the people and we have developed a mutual trust. We know the needs of the people and we all work on an equal basis. There are some really great people in Guatemala.”  This
year, with the aid of the Buckhannon Rotary Club and a $10,000 donation
from a private donor, Dr. Braine and his group were able to paint a school
in Guastatoya, as well as help construct the foundation of a new health
and dental clinic in El Carmen. Dr. Braine explained that the people of
the village decide what improvements need to be made, and that he and his
team assist them in the building process. The residents of El Carmen decided
they needed a modern health and dental clinic because the old clinic consisted
of only a few plastic chairs and one light bulb. After the money was collected for the project, it was sent to the people of El Carmen. The residents bought the supplies and when Dr. Braine and his group arrived, the villagers had already begun laying the foundation for the clinic. Dr. Braine and his group exceeded El Carmen residents’ expectations by laying most of the blocks for the walls of the clinic. More of the men from the village contributed to the work than in previous years. Dr. Braine said, “The men felt a sense of pride in helping build a clinic that would benefit their village.” The residents of El Carmen anticipate the clinic to be finished in mid-February or early March. Students’ tasks included carrying cinderblocks, mixing mortar and mixing concrete. “These students mixed concrete for eight to nine hours a day for five and a half days and no one ever complained,” commented Dr. Braine. “The tasks this year were far more strenuous than previous years, and there were only six students to help share the work load. They were a small, but ‘mighty’ group.” The visit to Guatemala was the second trip for Elijah Kinser from Wheeling, W.Va., Community Council President. “This time I experienced more while I was there because I already knew what to expect,” explained Kinser. “There were more demanding tasks this time and with only six students working, we all had to work together as a team. In a way, our small size allowed us to accomplish more because we were closer and all worked on the same project.” Accompanying Kinser were five other students from Wesleyan- Rick Broyles of Aberdeen, Md., Lauren Coil of Glen Dale, W.Va., Sarah Coyne of East Longmeadow, Mass., Leslie Cummings of Huntington, W.Va., and Amber Miller of Forest Hill, W.Va. Also joining the group were two Wesleyan alumni, Amanda Goins ’03 of Meadow Bluff, W. Va. and Bill Klenk ’81 of Fayetteville, W. Va. along with Dr. Rigoberto Ramirez and Larry Dean from Buckhannon. In addition to the bricklaying and painting, Dr. Braine and his students distributed vitamins 
to the children of both villages. “The children know what is going
on. They know what vitamins are and when they see us coming with them, the
kids run to receive them. There are never any vitamins leftover,”
he stated. The students also created daily activities and games for the
children in the village. The biggest event is the El Carmen Olympics held
at the school courtyard for all children. The El Carmen Olympics has become
an annual event where contest winners receive Wesleyan t-shirts or caps
donated by the Greek Affairs Office, Wesleyan Coaches, and the Bookstore.
Dr. Braine estimated that 100 children attended the event this year, but,
unfortunately, there were not enough hats and t-shirts for every child.
Next year, he hopes to collect over 200 various sized Wesleyan t-shirts
and hopes local businesses will donate company t-shirts as prizes for the
Olympics. On the last day of the trip, a festival was held in El Carmen in honor of Dr. Braine and his students. It was held in the school courtyard and while the young people danced, the older men of the village discussed what changes or constructions could aid the village in the following year. Dr. Braine explained, “We’re not there to give these people handouts, but to encourage them to better their community, and it is our job to assist them in reaching these goals.” Throughout the year Dr. Braine keeps in contact with the people from El Carmen and Guastatoya. Next year he hopes to be able to build a water system for El Carmen. Braine also hopes that the next group of students traveling to Guatemala will be as extraordinary as this last group. “I could not have asked for a better group of workers this year, they are truly good human beings. Each student displayed appropriate manners and maturity. They represented themselves, their parents, and West Virginia Wesleyan College very well. Anytime they were challenged, they succeeded. I wish you could say that about more people.” If you are interested in donating to this project, or want more information, please e-mail Dr. Braine at braine_r@wvwc.edu. |