Article submitted by Donna Capps, RN and wife of MVI Medical Director
In 2007, MVI opened a nursing school for Auxiliary Nurses on the grounds of Vida y Esperanza, our clinic in Nebaj, Guatemala. This nursing school is the first to be legally approved and accredited by the Guatemalan government in the Ixil Triangle where MVI has been providing outreach and medical services for over 20 years. In addition we are the only government approved nursing school in the country that is Christian based. The exciting aspect of this school is that the students we are training speak Ixil, which is the local dialect, as well as Spanish and will be able to minister to patients in the local dialect. Since many of the people in the community speak Spanish as a second language, having trained nurses who speak Ixil will bring a much higher level of understanding and care for those who need medical and spiritual care.
To date, we have graduated two classes, and the third class will graduate at the end of this year. Each year, we have accepted 55 students. The majority of our students are able to afford the tuition, books and uniforms, but there are a few students who have struggled to be able to afford the cost of school. We have provided tuition for a number of needy students who have gone on to graduate and become productive members of the medical community. The investments we have made in these students lives have definitely been a benefit to the community. I have just returned from Nebaj, and while I was there it was brought to my attention that a young man who is near the top of his class has been struggling financially and was several months behind in his tuition. The nursing school director asked if there were funds available to help this student. In the past, we had a small fund to draw from, but presently that fund is empty. It was difficult not to be able to meet that need immediately for him, and I began to think about how to establish a fund that would be a constant source of funds for needy students that would renew itself without being dependent on money being sent from outside of Guatemala to replenish it. After all, this student was not asking for a handout. He just needed some temporary help.
To date our students have been hard working and proud of the education they are receiving. I think the establishment of this fund would challenge them to take pride in their ability to help other students coming after them. We will be asking the present class and those who have already graduated to contribute toward the seed money for this fund, and are asking each of you also to consider helping us set up this fund.
Many of you have visited Nebaj over the years and know the need in the community. By helping us establish this fund you will be investing in the medical and spiritual future of the community of Nebaj and in the lives of many students in the years to come. Can we count on you?