Dominga

Dominga is a woman in her early 40's.

She has lived a life of grinding poverty.

She has had 8 children ...and a husband who is an alcoholic.

She has struggled for years to feed her children and Mayan Families started sponsoring the younger ones...they were the first to ever learn to read or write in their family.

Then Dominga was diagnosed with cancer. 

While we arranged treatment for her...I really tried not to hold out too much hope for her as quite often we only can start treatment when it is too late...people just do not get medical help earlier enough, they are used to suffering without help,  they can't afford it and Dominga certainly couldn't afford it.

But for once, something went very right in Dominga's life. The tumor was removed from her stomach ..and she had chemotherapy.....and it was very successful!!!!!

Dominga is still weak from her chemo and she has not been able to work but she is definitely on the path to recovery.  

During Semana Santa her husband who had not been drinking too much for awhile, fell into old habits...and the stress for so many of Semana Santa ...not having food, not having the clothes to give to your family...not being able to celebrate... he started drinking heavily and collapsed.  He was taken to the hospital and basically the hospital sent him home and said that there was nothing to do for him but wait for him to pass away. 

The family came to us for help but there was nothing that we could do for him either.  We gave them some food so that they had something to eat and we tried to keep Dominga in as good as health as possible by giving her some of the food that we have received from "Feed my Starving Children" .....

Yesterday we had to send Dominga back to the city for medical care....she had to stay overnight in the hospital...today we went in to pick her up, she is unable to travel by public transport at present. .....while she was driving back home..we had a call from her family  that her husband had passed away. 

We didn't have the heart to tell Dominga while she was traveling for the three hour drive back home....so we waited till she got home before she got the news. 

The family has nothing to eat except for the emergency packets of food that we have...and now they have to pay for a coffin for the father.  

This family has no money....they will have to go into debt to be able to borrow to pay for the coffin.

 

While I wished the father had thought about his actions and what he was doing to his family....I know that he had his own illness and demons ...but now we are watching this family struggling even more. 

If anyone would like to give even the smallest donation to help Dominga...it would be greatly appreciated.

 

The funeral will cost $250 US. ...and the family needs some food...whatever amount could be given to them would be really helpful. 

If you would like to help Dominga with even a little...you can put the student #41 ...even though this student is no longer in school....we will know who it is to go to.

Thanks, Sharon

www.mayanfamilies.org