“Leadership Development” – two words that have a significant and profound meaning, especially when you are a service organization with a goal to help others. The HOPE worldwide – Bolivia team understands that for great success in any organization, it has to start with an agreement among all the members.  In a healthcare organization this includes all the staff, employees, leaders, medical providers and the patients.

Last December, the idea of a “Compacto” (“compact” in English), was introduced to a group of leaders that attended a very special retreat lead by HOPE worldwide – Bolivia. Over the past month and after several insightful discussions it was decided that “Compromiso”, which literally means commitment, not to be confused with compromise, would be a better name to describe the agreement these leaders would make with each other, the administration, the staff of the hospital and most importantly with the patient.

The “compromiso” we are forming, is a written document, an alignment of agreed upon values that will support the fulfillment of the Mission and Vision of Hospital Arco Iris (HAI). A “compromiso” outlines in a very simple but straightforward way what each employee, physician and leader promises to “give” and “needs” to fulfill these values. Every organization has an “unwritten” compact or compromiso and unfortunately this “unwritten” code of behavior is often not one that will lead to success in achieving the organization’s goals. A compromiso formalizes universal elements of success including: patient-centeredness, teamwork, flexibility, and willingness to embrace innovation and change coupled with respectful and compassionate one-another relationships with colleagues, leaders, staff and patients.

Our team here in Bolivia brings fresh perspectives from the eyes and hearts of a physician, a nurse, and a diagnostic technologist’s healthcare experiences. It is a wonderful partnership that will help HAI achieve their ambitious and inspiring mission and vision of providing high quality and high compassionate care to the poor and the children of the streets.

Tony Galiani and Mira Gloss are examples of those with a heart to serve.  Both of them have worked with Kevin within the Duke Health System for many years.  They have not only been colleagues, but friends. Tony and Mira wanted to see what HOPE worldwide – Bolivia was doing here in La Paz and wanted to help.  They have taken a week of their vacation time and have come to Bolivia to serve and work with us at Hospital Arco Iris (HAI) and the orphanages (Foundation Arco Iris).  They didn’t come alone but brought with them generous personal donations for the orphans – coloring books, crayons, hair bands, finger nail polish, etc. These gifts are treasures to the orphans who have so little. Because of such limited resources the orphans’ “needs” are barely met at times and their “wants” are hardly ever met.  Mira has volunteered her time to work with Noelle in the orphanage, as well as, served as our unofficial photographer for our work this week.

Tony and Mira

Tony has worked with Kevin for over 10 years at Duke in developing successful ambulatory walk-in, primary and specialty care clinics all over the Triangle Area, North Carolina. Tony’s expertise in clinic operations, medical facility space design and practice efficiency have been put to work this week as he and Kevin have worked together to strategize the building of the first walk-in and private medical office within a shopping mall in Bolivia.  The goal of this medical office is to provide affordable care in a facility that offers lab, x-ray and pharmacy (rare in Bolivia) with an additional goal of generating resources to support the mission and vision of Hospital and Foundation Arco Iris in serving the poor. As the needs as well as the cost of health care continue to rise Arco Iris must find innovative ways to support the provision of health care to the underprivileged. Kevin truly enjoyed working with Tony this week. And because of their generous and sacrificial hearts, Tony and Mira, are creating vacation memories as “voluntourists” that they will never forget as they gave and served in La Paz!

Another term that can be used for life is, new beginnings.  On February 6, 2012, Hospital Arco Iris (HAI) will commence the first nursing assistant program in the country of Bolivia. This new nursing assistant program at HAI, is a three-month course that will provide a combination of lectures, laboratory and clinical training in basic nursing skills.  Our nursing assistant program will facilitate much needed patient care within the hospital.  HOPE worldwide – Bolivia is thrilled to have the assistance of the US Embassy Medical unit staff in La Paz- Kathy Glaser FNP, FSHP and Maria Lopez RN, BSN to volunteer time to give lectures for the program.

When the idea was first introduced to start this training program, HAI wanted to bridge the gap between the social programs from the Fundacion Arco Iris (FAI) and the hospital. FAI was founded 17 years ago in order to provide refuge and life skills equipping for the poorest street children of La Paz. It was very important in the interview process to include applicants from the FAI program. This quote reminds me of the hearts of our future students.

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

 Walt Disney

Dreams are being fulfilled for six prospective students longing the opportunity to make a difference in their lives and to help others. In the interviewing process my heart was moved by the vulnerability, passion, determination, and perseverance of each student wanting to pursue the nursing assistant program.  One applicant, Maria from the FAI said, “This is my dream and I want to help people.” Each candidate that we interviewed shared his or her compelling story with us. It was evident that they didn’t choose the program, but that the program chose them because of what they have to offer in their hearts.  There is so much excitement from everyone as we open the doors to our new training program in two weeks.  Together, HOPE worldwide – Bolivia and Hospital Arco Iris’ partnership will, “bring hope and change lives,” to many people in La Paz.

A verse in the Bible tells us that what “every person desires is unfailing love”. This is true for every person, in every culture, and in every family. This is especially true for children who are orphans, or who have been hurt, abused, or abandoned by the very family members who should have loved and protected them.

For over 17 years Foundation Arco Iris (FAI) has provided a home, a family environment, love, guidance, education, and support to thousands of these children. Here is a letter from a young girl written to Fr. Jose Neuenhofer (the founder of FAI) thanking him for the help she’s received…

Father, this letter is about my life. If I did not dare to tell you my life before, it was due to fear and shame. Life in my house was a hell, because I was raped by my stepfather since I was very young. He would always hit me a lot. Every day all that he would give us was a piece of bread. He would send us to the trash to look for something to eat, and if we did not find anything, we would beat us with a stick and with a belt. When he got home drunk, he would always abuse me, and if I wouldn’t let him, he would beat me and tell my mother that she had not taught me how to be a woman. My mother would tell him that I was only 5 years old but he would nevertheless continue to abuse me. One night my stepfather threw my mother out of bed. She stopped breathing and was agonizing. He choked her and my mother died. The next day, my uncles came to the burial. They put me in a home of the Foundation Arco Iris. Thanks to you my life changed. Now I have a family, a roof, enough food and I can go to school. Thank you, Father Jóse, for helping me so much. With all my heart, “Petra”

Noelle at the girls' orphanage

Throughout these past four months, I have had the privilege to get to know, love, encourage, and walk alongside dozens of these girls who live in the FAI orphanage or in the home for teenage moms. They all enter the FAI homes sharing life stories similar to the one above. They begin their lives with the same dreams that are common to all young girls…yet they have endured unthinkable wounds that have shattered their hopes. These scars whisper to them lies that tell them that they are forever damaged, not valuable, that no one cares for them, and that their lives are hopeless. But these girls possess great strengths.

When provided with an environment of safety, hope, and love…the very strengths that enabled them to survive the horrific abuse can resurface and be utilized to instill within them the courage to heal, trust again, dream again, and develop the essential life skills for a productive life. FAI – with its compassionate and trained staff of social workers, psychologists, educators, and volunteers – is truly helping to restore hope in these girls’ hearts and lives.

HOPE worldwide – Bolivia is looking forward to developing ways to support and encourage the great work of FAI by utilizing our volunteer resources from throughout the world. Initial plans are currently being explored as to how to best utilize volunteers with various skills to help meet identified needs within the FAI social program.

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” - Henry Ford

The US Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, paid a very special and meaningful visit recently to Hospital Arco Iris. It was the highlight of the week as HOPE worldwide Bolivia, continues to work tirelessly to create newer and stronger connections for collaborations that will produce, strengthen, and enhance excellent care for the poor in Bolivia.  The US Embassy visit was lead by Ms. Kathleen Glaser FNP, FSHP, Medical Attaché and a new addition to the medical unit of the US Embassy in Bolivia. She was very encouraged about HOPE worldwide Bolivia’s work and alliance with HAI. We were able to give Ms. Glaser and her colleague, Ms. Maria Lopez, RN BSN, a tour of the hospital facility as we learned much about their incredible work as well as the Embassy’s initiatives in La Paz. We were also able to thank the medical unit of the American Embassy personally for their generous donation of Basic Life Support (BLS) training materials given to us in English and Spanish. We previously, acquired 20 mannequins (Adult and Infant) for HAI this past December from our colleagues in the United States. These useful donations will be integral this year, as we include BLS training as one of our core training curriculums for all hospital staff and medical providers (HAI will be one of the first Hospitals in all of Bolivia to have the entire staff, as well as medical providers trained in BLS).

Please join us as we welcome 2012!  The HOPE worldwide – Bolivia team is excited about the year ahead and our collaborative work with Hospital Arco Iris (HAI) and Foundation Arco Iris (FAI). If the accomplishments of our first quarter here in Bolivia are any indication of our future success, then 2012 will indeed be a prosperous year for Arco Iris and HOPE worldwide!

We are beginning this year with our permanent team in place – the Broyles and Basilio families, Gwen Ellis and Matt Walker, and we are excited about the focus of our work in 2012.  After a very successful leadership retreat this past December, our goal for this year will be to continue working with the HAI leadership to develop and implement a “compacto” (an agreement between our administration, colleagues and patients).  Additionally, we will continue to explore opportunities to help HAI become auto-sustainable and financially solvent in order to achieve our goal of providing care to the children who live in the streets, as well as to the poor.  The HAI Health System currently provides care to over 180,000 people each year – 60% of the care is for children less than 18 years of age, 90% of the care is for the poor and over 70,000 medical visits are free. The HAI/Hww team is preparing to establish a new private and walk-in medical clinic in 2012 with the dream of building a second full-service hospital in the future. In February we will begin the first nursing assistant program in Bolivia.  Ongoing nursing and physician educational opportunities will continue to be created and offered by the HOPE worldwide – Bolivia team throughout the year. Another goal this year will be to continue strengthening our alliances with our international colleagues. Our families and friends will continue to volunteer with the social programs of Foundation Arco Iris, which include the orphanages, day-care centers, and vocational units, as well as begin to encourage some of the spiritual needs facing the individuals within these programs.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to live and serve in La Paz, Bolivia in 2012.  Thank you for your partnership, support and encouragement throughout the year.

The HOPEworldwide Bolivia team wishes you and your family a healthy and happy holiday season.  Last week we bid hasta luego (see you soon) to our team members Lin and Jordyn Beaty as they returned back to the United States.  (In Bolivia we never say “goodbye”).  Lin and Jay with their international missionary experience and mastery of the Spanish language helped establish the HOPE team here in Bolivia.  As we reflected upon all that was accomplished during the first 4 months of our arrival, we were amazed and convinced that we would have never been able to accomplish so much if it had not been for the incredible help of Lin and Jay.  We will miss them.

Airport welcome!

Join us in our excitement as we welcome the Basilio family to live and work withus here in La Paz.  John Basilio has worked along side Kevin at Duke for several years.  John, whose family is from the Dominican Republic, has lived and served in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.  John is a radiologic technologist with magnetic resonance imaging experience.  He not only has an understanding of the science of medicine but will also be able to offer consultative advice to HAI regarding issues surrounding radiology. Migdalia has a degree in psychology and extensive life-counseling experience.  John will work as the medical administrative assistant to the HOPEworldwide Bolivia country director.  Please join us as we welcome John and his wife, Migdalia and three children: Gabriela (8), Ariana (6) and Alexander (4) to Bolivia!

A daughter receives her family's bag of gifts.

On December 19, twenty families from the community were given baskets full of food, as well as gifts for each child. Most of these families, which included single mothers who walked long distances with several small children through the sprinkling cold rain in order to receive their gifts from the center. The joy and gratitude of the families was heartwarming and served as a reminder that at this special time of year, as always, it is “more blessed to give than to receive”.

On Christmas Eve, individuals from the HOPEworldwide and the La Paz church will be giving gifts and tons of love to approximately 150 children who live within the orphanages of Fundación Arco Iris.

-Lin Beaty

On Friday, December the 9th, the leaders of Hospital Arco Iris (HAI) came together for a retreat to address the theme, “Strength in Unity”.  Dr. Ramiro Narvaez, hospital administrator, gave the staff a sobering state of the union speech, elaborating on all of the outstanding accomplishments of the hospital while discussing candidly the future. Dr. Kevin Broyles did an outstanding job in exposing the challenges in our medical culture. He reviewed the results of months of interviews with the leaders in HAI in which they identified lack of teamwork as the primary constraint to growth and excellence. Dr. Broyles’ presentations were powerful, offering practical and compelling evidence of the unquestionable strength provided by unity. The medical team was able to review the values of our mission and vision and reaffirm their relevance as well as our commitment to them. The team building exercise, filled with life lessons, helped unite the staff while creating a fun, memorable experience. The participants unanimously committed to working on a compact that would facilitate the goal of teamwork. The staff left inspired and energized.

Many thanks are due to our colleagues  Dr. John Anderson, Lori Postal and Lesleigh Henry from Duke University for their support and assistance in making this retreat a success.