For the 15th straight year, the Jesuit Medical Society will be hosting their medicine drive from January 13th-17th, a drive in which medicine, as well as medical supplies will be collected for the Medical Society’s annual Guatemala Mission Trip on March 19th. Ms. Jan Jones and Mr. Max von Schlehenried will take students and other volunteers along with them as they travel to Chacaya, Guatemala to assist and to deliver the collected supplies to Mayan families.
In order to go on these mission trips, Ms. Jones explains how “we needed over the counter medication which is very expensive to treat our patients. So we were trying to find a way in which we could get that medicine and be able to take it with us to treat the patients.” And thus, the medicine drive was created. In this way, the entire Jesuit community can become involved and make a difference in people’s lives.
Ms. Jones and Mr. von Schlehenried decided from then on, through the community service program, that they would offer this community service opportunity to freshman and sophomore homerooms.
“Over the years, due to the generosity of the students here at Jesuit, every year we are able to take a little bit more,” continued Ms. Jones. And last year, the Medical Society was able to collect a whopping 550 pounds of medicine.
The Medical Society specifically treats the Mayan families in Guatemala, because they are a very poor. They are also the indigenous group within the country, so they are looked down upon by other Guatemalans. “They maybe make three or four dollars a month,” explained Ms. Jones. “They’re not going to have money to buy medicine. So, that’s why we go in those areas.”
Ms. Jones and Mr. von Schlehenried need help from the Jesuit community and are asking that each person try to bring in at least three pairs of reading eyeglasses which can be purchased from Costco, Sams, Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, or the local dollar store. One hour of community service will be granted for each pair with a limit of three hours, but of course, more is appreciated.
“I just really appreciate the medicine the students bring in,” stated Ms. Jones. “It’s very helpful.”
Please do what you can to help out the Medical Society collect enough supplies for their trip in order for them to help out those who are truly in need.
