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Students To Perform Community Projects In Guatemala
released: 01/05/04

While most Wesleyan students are home enjoying their holiday break, a small group of students are spending their time in Guatemala as part of a community service project.

Dr. Robert Braine, Professor of Health and Physical Education and the Department Chair, along with several Wesleyan students and three health professionals, flew to Guatemala to perform a number of community projects during the holiday break for two weeks from December 29 to January 13. This will be the sixth time Dr. Braine has made the trip to Guatemala and the fifth time students have accompanied him.

Each year, Dr. Braine takes his students back to the same two villages – Guastatoya and El Carmen. “We return to the same villages because you want that sense of continuity, plus over time, we have built great relationships with many of the people there. So it just makes good sense to keep returning to the same village.”

In previous years, students have helped paint the inside and outside churches and schools, and put in new stained glass windows in the church. This year, thanks to a $10,000 donation from a generous donor, the students will help aid the building of a health and dental clinic in El Carmen that will serve El Carmen and the surrounding area. The students will help bring in the materials, mix mortar, carry lumber, and many other unskilled labor tasks.

Another gratifying service for Dr. Briane and his students is taking a supply of multi-vitamins for the 200 children in the village. While not necessarily undernourished, the children do not receive a balanced diet from tortillas and black beans. In addition to providing vitamins for the children, the students will also spend quality time with the local youngsters, playing games and organizing contests such as the El Carmen Olympics. The El Carmen Olympics has become an annual affair that includes a variety of fun contests where the winners receive t-shirts or caps that were donated by the Greek Affairs Office, Wesleyan Coaches and the Wesleyan Bookstore to Dr. Braine.

“Many of the children only have a few outfits,” explained Dr. Braine. “They may wear the same shirt for three or four days. So for the children, winning a new t-shirt or a cap is a tremendous deal for them. Plus, the interaction between the students and children is immeasurable. It is really a learning experience and a feeling of understanding between two different cultures with the students and children. Many of our students grow very close to the children. It isn’t uncommon to see tears between both the children and the students on the day that we leave.”

All Wesleyan students are free to sign-up for the trip, but must cover their own cost of the journey to Guatemala. While usually having eight to 14 students going on the trip, Dr. Braine will only have six accompanying him this year. The students are Rickey Broyels, Lauren Coil, Sarah Coyne, Leslie Cummings, Elijah Kinser, and Amber Miller. Joining the group will be two Wesleyan alumni, Amanda Goins ’03 and Bill Klenk ‘81, and Dr. Rigoberto Ramirez and Larry Dean from Buckhannon.

Currently, Guatemala is a country gathering itself after thirty years of civil war. Since the peace treaties were signed, Guatemala has been rolling out the red carpet to once-isolated and lovely villages accessible to some of Central America's wildest natural wonders. Dr. Braine is sensitive to his group’s presence in this cultural paragon. “We are here to make their lives better,” commented Dr. Braine. “We can’t change their lives and we don’t want to disrupt their culture. We attempt to do the things that they need. This isn’t someone telling us what we need to do, but rather we work with locals and try to make things better for them.”

Dr. Briane can purchase a year’s supply of vitamins for one child for only $7 through Thompson’s Pharmacy in Buckhannon. If you are interested in donating to this project, or want more information about it, please e-mail Dr. Braine at braine_r@wvwc.edu. Dr. Braine stated that the support for the Vitamin Project has been tremendous with generous donations by individuals from the Buckhannon Rotary Club, Wesleyan, Chapel Hill United Methodist Church and The First United Methodist Church.