Steinbeck Rotarians Participate in Essential Services in Guatemala

Want to hear about this in person? Make sure to attend our meeting on April 2 when Abel will present on his experiences in Guatemala!

Facilitating cultural exchanges has been a core mission of our Rotary club. Since our founding in 1982, Steinbeck Rotary has sponsored at least one exchange student per year, with only a break during COVID. Sadly, with the aging and downsizing of our club, our era of sponsoring exchange students may have come to a close. But there is another way to foster an international experience for young people: service projects.

It was in that spirit that I proposed to our Board that we sponsor sophomore Abel Chavira Quezada from the Everett Alvarez High School Interact club to join our Guatemala Rural Health Clinic trip. Over the last 17 years, the Rotary Clubs of Hanford, Lemoore and Madera have partnered with the Rotary Club of Cobàn, Guatemala, to provide health clinics, vitamins, clean water, wheelchairs and school supplies to communities near Lanquin, Alta Verapaz. Led by Jesus Garcia, President of the Rotary Club of Lemoore, and District 5220 Governor Jane Winning, Rotary Club of Madera, this team has provided a multi-year Rotary investment in the health of some of the poorest and malnourished people in the world.

Abel thinks I invited him to Guatemala to help us schlep our forty-four 50 lb bags of vitamins – and I will admit that when I first saw his 6’4”, basketball player frame, I thought he’d be perfect for the job. But I really invited him because he serves as the International Service Co-Chair for the Interact club. Abel became a valued member of our team; he and his club prepared 250 packets of toothpaste and toothbrushes for the elementary school students. He also helped translate medical concerns of the Spanish-speaking residents into English for our nurses. And yes, he was a champion at loading and unloading our heavy supply bags. When he handed out vitamins and toothbrush packets to the little kids in Guatemala with a grin, I knew he had grown a heart for international service. Abel hopes that we can sponsor a student next year participate an international service project, and I do too.