Message from Al Gruber

2003 Mission

TO:
All El Salvador Project Participants

FROM:
Alan Gruber
Office Tel: 781-740-1855
Home Tel: 781-383-9780
Fax: 781-383-8117
E-Mail: alangruber @aol.com

RE: ADDRESS GIVEN AT GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR NEW CLINIC BUILDING AT ASAPROSAR, SANTA ANA, EL SALVADOR, 8 FEBRUARY 2003, BY ALAN R. GRUBER, DSW, PhD, MD, PRESIDENT, FRIENDS OF ASAPROSAR

Al Gruber, speaking. Dr. Vicky Guzman, founder of ASAPROSAR (seated); son Jorge Guzman standing, right.

First, I want to thank you for this opportunity to pretend that I actually speak Spanish. I understand that much of what I say may not be understandable. After all, I am from Boston and, sometimes, in the United States, people don't understand my accent.

We have been coming to El Salvador for more than 16 years. In all that time, my Spanish is mostly the bad words and "cerveza" (beer). So, please excuse my need to read this.

We came to El Salvador 16 years ago because we heard about a brave and committed doctor who thought it was important to work with poor people. The first two times we came, we worked on construction projects… a school and a community center. We saw how difficult it was for the poor people living out in the country… in the mountains. No facilities for personal hygiene. Dehydration. Malnutrition. Disease. Lack of education. No preventive medicines for measles or whooping cough or diphtheria.

I remember being in the mountains with Dr. Guzman one day. We had to walk in front of the four-wheel drive vehicle so that it would not fall off a cliff. No vehicles had gone there for years.

A child came running to us, down a dirt path. "My father is very sick," he yelled. We went to see him. Their house was made of dirt. There was a dog in the yard that was so thin I could not believe he was still alive. He could hardly walk. We went into the house and the man was lying on a cot. He could hardly breathe. All you could hear was fluid in his lungs. He had pneumonia. He was dying. His wife and children were dying with him. They had no food. They had no hope.

I went with one of Dr. Guzman's health promoters down the mountain. For $4.00, I bought penicillin. The health promoter would give him the injections of medicine.

For $4.00, we saved his life and, probably, the lives of his wife and children. I will remember that experience for the rest of my life.

When we came here the first time, Dr. Vicky (Guzman) had a private office to see patients. She used much of the money she earned to pay for a social worker. With the help of the social worker and three health promoters, they would work with the poor people to build latrines, teach about health, treat dehydration and malnutrition, give vaccinations and many other things.

The commitment, vision, persistence and love of Dr. Guzman for that work, has led us all to this day.

This week, we have seen almost 100 patients for surgery. We have seen approximately 1,300 patients in the clinic. That is just a small portion of what ASAPROSAR has been doing this week. ASAPROSAR touches lives and gives hope to so many people who have almost nothing.

On behalf of the 39 North Americans who have come here this week to help, I want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of this wonderful work. We feel like we take more than we give because it makes us feel so good to be part of this.

This new building will allow ASAPROSAR to see more patients, to do more teaching… to touch more people in healing and caring ways.

I want to thank my American friends. They are wonderful people who are generous and loving. They sacrifice to come here and do what they do. They do it with kind hearts and true compassion for people.

I want to thank Dr. Guzman, her family and her colleagues and staff at ASAPROSAR for their work. They do every day what we do one or two weeks a year. They are wonderful, hard-working and committed people.

Dr.Guzman is the spirit of ASAPROSAR. Without her, we would not be here. We have so much confidence in her and are proud to be a tiny part of what she and ASAPROSAR do.

Karen Viskochil is one of the volunteers who has worked with us for many years. Unfortunately, Karen is in Minnesota, being treated for cancer. If she were here, she would not let me say that she has taken on the full responsibility for the construction of this building. Karen also is a very special person. We are praying for her recovery so that she can be with us, here, next year.

So, thank you, everybody, for allowing us to be a part of this very, very special work. Thank you for all that you do. Our hope lies in the thought that we can only change the world one person at a time.

Finally, we are proud to be "guanacos honorarios" (honorary Salvadorans).

You should feel free to contact me at any time: (H) 781-383-9780; (O) 781-740-1855; or e-mail alangruber@aol.com.

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