July, 2025





High in the mountains of San Juan Sacatepéquez, surrounded by fields of cabbage and Chinese peas, lives a young couple—Rodolfo and María Gabriela—in a humble home made of tin and cane. Their house, nestled in the remote caserío of Los Pajoques, is simple: a dirt floor, one shared bed for the whole family, and no running water. Yet, it is filled with love, laughter, and the sound of children playing.
Their second son, Héctor, came into the world six months ago with the help of a local midwife. His birth was met with joy by his parents, older brother José, and his four little cousins who live nearby. But shortly after his birth, his parents noticed something was different: Héctor was born with a cleft lip and palate. He couldn’t breastfeed, and his cries—sharp and constant—echoed the pain of a baby who was hungry but unable to eat.
Rodolfo, just 22 years old, works long days as a farmer. He wasn’t afraid when he saw Héctor’s condition—his own sister had been born the same way. But he knew they needed help. One day while working, he saw the Partner for Surgery van driving by, with a hand-drawn image of a baby with a cleft lip done by a Smiles for Guatemala volunteer. That image, created by a medical volunteer, gave him hope about the future of his baby. With the help of his employer, who called our office on his behalf, his son was referred to our Cleft Infant Nutrition Program.
When our health promoter, Dina, first met Héctor on February 3, 2025, he was three months old. He weighed just 2.4 kilograms (5.2 lbs) and measured 46 cm—severely underweight and malnourished. That day, Dina began her journey with Héctor and his loving family.
Recently, We arrived for a home visit on a misty morning, bringing a 15-pound food bag, 5 lbs of Incaparina, 5 cans of NAN formula, and two special bottles made specifically for babies like Héctor. Dina, carrying her tools—a stadiometer, measuring tape, and scale—was ready to check his progress.
Four giggling girls greeted us with their hair freshly combed and dresses smoothed out. “Un momento,” they said shyly, “we’re not ready yet.” Their excitement was contagious. That day, we were joined by volunteer pediatricians Dr. David and Dr. Erin, visiting from California, who were introduced to us by our beloved board member, Don Heebner.
Dr. David examined him and smiled. “He’s growing beautifully,” he said, as he and Irma, our Program Director, gently taught the family how to tape Héctor’s lip—a critical step in preparing him for surgery. Dr. David carefully cut strips of medical tape they had brought as a donation—enough to last an entire month while Jacki and Maile, daughters of Dr. Erin played with the girls making name bracelets. The house rang with laughter, the joy of children who had just received soccer balls and tennis balls as small gifts.
Inside the home, Rodolfo told us that the family feels blessed for having the support of Partner For Surgery, He also told us that during this season on cold rainy nights, the family piles on ponchos and huddles close to keep warm. Despite these challenges, they’ve remained hopeful. His employer even bought them a small gas stove to boil water for Héctor’s bottles—a gesture that changed everything.
Six months later, thanks to ongoing support in the Cleft Infant Nutrition Program, Héctor now weighs 12.6 lbs and measures 60 cm, and this August, Héctor is scheduled to receive his first surgery with the Faces of Hope surgical team.
And it is because of you that this is possible.
His transformation is remarkable!