Healing The Children is an organization that has come to Guatemala for 8 years to help deaf children by giving hearing aids for those who need it. This year three deaf students from the Special Education program at El Faro received the invitation to go to the medical trip for a free hearing test, in Puerto Barrios, Izabal. Mayra Duran, the missionary who runs the special education program at El faro, traveled with her students and their parents on November 6th to the medical trip. They went through five different stations: First, the cleaning of the ear. Second, the hearing test that was performed by a doctor who also was deaf. Third, adjusting the hearing aid. Then, education which included a short lesson on how to use the devices correctly. And finally, they saw pediatrician to see if there was any infection in their ears. Two of the three students received their hearing aids. One of the students wasn’t able to receive a hearing aid because the test showed that she was completely deaf. However we thank God for this opportunity and it was a big blessing to have this medical check for free.

Delmi is a deaf girl who lives with her grandmother two hours away from El Faro walking. Her grandmother is sick and can’t walk very well, but she made the effort to take Delmi for her hearing test. She can hear now! Delmi and her grandmother are so thankful with God because she can hear now with her left ear. Having a hearing aid will allow her to communicate better and to continue studying. Next year Delmi will start coming to El Faro to learn how to read and write. She is so excited!

The deaf ministry at El Faro has created an awareness in the villages that there is hope for families to be able to communicate with their deaf child. It has opened up so many opportunities including learning sign language and also being able to receive hearing aids through the help of amazing organizations like Healing the Children. If you would like to know how you can help or if you would like to donate to this ministry, contact Mayra Duran at mayrasofiaduran@gmail.com