Thursday, October 29, 2015

DKG Members Serve Others!

Edison, my seven year old "adopted hijo"
 with his mom in Panajachel, Guatemala.
I was priviledged to be asked by Dr. Ann Lumsden, a former DKG state organization president from Florida, to join her team from Trinity United Methodist Church in Tallahassee on their annual mission trip to Panajachel, Guatemala. Seven years ago, and as a result of my background in speech pathology, I quasi-adopted a sweet newborn who had a cleft lip and palate. Edison Fernando de Lucas was his name.

During the week of October 17-24, 2015, I met Edison and his parents in Panajachel for the first time. It was the highlight of the week for me; perhaps even one of the greatest moments of my life. I can't find the words to share how seeing him for the first time affected me. Following the shedding of many tears, we continued to communicate via Lindsey Newberry, who is the Field Coordinator and responsible for coordinating the Beca (scholarship) program for students sponsored by Porch de Salomon in Panajachel.

Edison has been attending a school in which he was bullied and that did not provide the services he needed. I am honored to be able to provide a scholarship for Edison so that he can attend a better school. I will always be grateful that both his mom and dad brought him to Panajachel to meet me and to make arrangements for his schooling for next year which begins in January 2016.

I am but one of the nearly 80,000 DKG members who are making a difference in their community, school/institution, state, and yes, around the world!

To see the most recent copy of the Porch Newsletter, go to
 http://porchdesalomon.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Nov15-PorchTalk.pdf