Day 9: Billy Goat (Explicit Images)

Warning: The story and pictures below about the goat may be graphic in nature. Please be forewarned.

Farming animals is an important part of daily life in Sibinal, Guatemala. Most people here depend on animals for several reasons such as: cats eat mice, pigs get fat and are either sold, traded, or eaten, sheep are used for their wool, mules and horses for transportation and labor, and some goats for their milk and to clear out fields (they practically eat everything). Animals are a necessity here so an animal dying can have negative consequences on a family.

The story of this goat goes as follows: she had her baby during the late hours of the night. Goats will usually eat the placenta and umbilical cord after the baby comes out. The problem was that the umbilical cord did not fully detach from the goat. The farmer was told not to yank it out as it could detach in half and be stuck inside the goat which could seriously jeopardize the goats life. See pics below. 

Obviously, the goat was in pain. She would try to push the rest out but after 12 hours she was unsuccessful. We came into the scene after one of the teenage boys where I'm staying was called to help. He is in his first year of veterinary school but to some he's already a skilled Doctor. This young man, a wise thinker, decided to tie a rock to gently tug on the umbilical cord. 

We waited around for about an hour and decided to attach a second rock. This time his technique proved effective. Not long after, the umbilical cord slowly slid out and the goat was home free. The farmer and his family clapped in excitement. In Sibinal, everything, no matter how big or small, seems to hold value to the people.  

This afternoon we received the different shipments of items children will receive for Christmas. Over 400 gift bags were filled with goodies for the children including toys, coloring books, colors, socks, a food item, dental hygiene kit and some children will get back backs for school while others will get shoes. A took a team effort to put all the goodies in the bags. Thanks to all the donations made to Christmas for Guatemalan Children 400 children will get a gift bag on Wednesday 23 of December, 2015. 

It was late when we were finally done filing the bags. Then came two truck loads of building supplies. These are the last few days of Project Genesis. So unloading the trucks was a bitter sweet moment. Bitter because the need is still great, but also sweet because we have almost completed our humanitarian project. It has been an exhausting week and a half. Below are pictures of us unloading blocks, cement bags, bricks, and other building supply items. 

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