Pregnant Mom Needs Surgery

Yolanda de la Cruz Tubac and her husband, Moises, lost their home and all their possessions to a mudslide earlier this year.  Tropical storm Agatha destroyed their crops, and left Moises, who had been a farmer, without a livelihood.  They and their three small children (aged 9, 5, and almost 2) had to crowd into a rented home with three other families.

As if this weren’t enough misfortune for one year, Yolanda, who is pregnant and almost ready to deliver, found out that she has an umbilical hernia.  She will need an operation to fix the condition, which the doctors have tentatively scheduled for next week.  The private clinic here in Panajachel has agreed to perform the surgery at the much-reduced price of 5760Q ($720), and instructed her to stay close by in case there is an emergency between now and then.  Unfortunately, Yolanda and her family live several hours away in Chimaltenango, so Yolanda and her children have been staying here in Pana with her mother, who is a single mother and in poor health, and therefore unable to support Yolanda and her family. 

Moises, since he has been unable to farm, has been doing his best to support his family by working as a day laborer, which means that his pay is very unsteady.  At most, he earns about 210Q (~$26) per week—not enough to support his wife and three children, much less pay for this medical emergency.

Please help us get Yolanda and her baby the surgery they need.  We need $605 more to get Yolanda her operation, and any amount brings us that much closer to our goal—Mayan Families and the de la Cruz Tubac family welcome and appreciate donations of any size.  To donate to Yolanda's medical costs, click here, scroll down to the Family Aid box, enter the amount of your donation, and enter FA44 in the box marked "Family Name."  Thank you!