Hi. My name is Dan Myers and I need help raising money to address the medical needs of two girls in a remote Guatemalan village. I have never asked for help like this before, but this situation is forcing me to get way out of my comfort zone and giving it a try. My wife and son and I have been living in Guatemala for approximately two and a half years and visiting here for a little over ten years. We have been working hard to help the indigenous people that have very little means to take care of their basic needs. When we encounter immediate problems, such as severe malnutrition, families without basic shelter or urgent medical needs, we have been using our personal savings and small donations from friends and family to help as best we can. We have also helped build and maintain a school and medical clinic in this terribly underserved area to try and break the cycle of poverty and chronic health problems here. My mother Maxine and my father Lester always say "We are God's hands and feet" and we believe in that statement. While we know we can't help everyone in need, we have become quite attached to two girls in the village that need medical help that is beyond our means. One girl named Alissa is 14 and was born with deformed feet that make it very painful to walk. Essentially, she was born with her feet turned upward causing her to walk on the sides of her ankles. She had one foot operated on 11 years ago by a doctor funded by a charity group but they never returned to complete the process. All these years later she is doing very well in her education and dreams of having a career in medicine herself. Getting the needed surgery would have a huge impact in her life and hopefully allow her to bring her medical training back to her village. Her positive spirit is inspiring and I hope and pray her positivity is rewarded. I will attach some photos to better explain her situation.

The reconstructive surgeries, with some donated services, will cost approximately 15,000 USD.

The next little girl is seven year old Blanca Rosa. Her back story is very sad but she too is a bright and positive child. I am not a person with any medical background, so forgive my lack of formal terminology. Blanca was born without an anus and eventually, as a baby, had her waste rerouted out of an opening in her abdomen known as a stoma. Her mother abandoned her at one year old and her father has substance abuse and mental issues. Her extended family has taken her in but are overwhelmed with her care. She needs a series of surgeries to reconstruct and create a normal waste stream to give her an opportunity for a better life. I will also include some photos of Blanca Rosa but I should tell you they are somewhat graphic so I will post them down the page a little bit.

The various surgeries and recuperative care will require approximately 1 year of time and 15,000-17,000 USD

I apologize for the long story but I hope you can find it your heart and budget to make a donation, no matter how small, to help these girls. I know life has become harder for many of us in recent times but maybe helping these kids will bring good things back around. Please take a minute to forward this fundraiser to anyone you think may be in a position to help. If we get a miracle and raise more than the target amount, rest assured that we will continue to help these kind people. We will update this post with progress photos as we can. God bless you and yours.

Dan, Richelle and Landon