Welcome to the Service Oriented Leadership Experience (SOLE) online journal.

From Nov. 10 through 23, five University of Mary occupational therapy (OT) students and Carol Olson, PhD, OTR/L will travel to Antigua, Guatemala to provide services through the God's Child Project. They will spend two days providing OT to children and adults in Amatitlan, a village close to Guatemala City. They will spend another two days helping with wheelchair fittings at Hope Haven, International, an agency that refurbishes wheelchairs and supplies them to people in need in countries around the world.

The group will also break into two teams and each team will spend three days building a 12' x 16' home for a family currently living in unsanitary or destitute conditions. The group then travels to another small village to help with a clothing and health care distribution.

Along with all the work, the students will be able to spend a few days relaxing and having fun traveling to Lake Atitlan and Chichicastenango and touring a coffee plantation.

Highlights of the experience will be posted on this journal page. Check back often for new updates.

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November 16, 2009   First Day of House Building     Team A   Team B We enjoyed our stay in Panajachel and shopping in Chichicastenango. Today we split into 2 group to build two houses. We dug the trench, laid 3 layers of cinder block and mixed cement to put between the blocks. We even sawed rebar with a hacksaw. We are awesome. Kari, Annie and Katie are with Juan (team B), and Renae, Carrie and Carol are working with Edy (Team A). We had a little extra help from the kids in the neighborhood, so Edy´s team is a little further along, but not by too much. Team As family is a grandmother, father and a 10 year old girl with vision concerns. Team Bs family includes the mom, dad, and 3 young children under the age of 10. We are working hard and were tired, but having a good time.

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Previous Journal Entries

     November 21, 2009: "Casa Jackson- FINALE"
 
     November 20, 2009: "Clothing Distribution"
 
     November 19, 2009: "Hope Haven International (Wheelchair fitting)"
 
     November 18, 2009: "House Building COMPLETE!"
 
     November 16, 2009: "First Day of House Building"
 
     November 14, 2009: "The orphanage and Lake Atitlan"
 
     November 13, 2009: "Amatitlan and Nursing Home Day"
 
     November 12, 2009: "Therapy in Guatemala"
 
     November 11, 2009: "We arrived in Antigua, Guatemala"