What Can You Do with a Machete?

This is a machete. In size, it is somewhere between a butcher knife and a sword. Machetes are EVERYWHERE is Guatemala. So, what can you do with a machete?

You can mow your lawn with a machete. 

You can edge and trim your grass. 

You can chop down huge trees. . .

without power tools. 

You can harvest your corn.

You can use a machete to split your firewood.

You can juggle for entertainment. . .

to earn money on the streets.

You can protect your friends against bad guys (with their own machetes). 

Yep! There are a lot of things you can do with a machete.

Sticks and Stones

February 6, 2018

Today, a young boy came into our clinic with a terrible toothache. He had been referred by one of the nuns at Villa de los Niños school. He had a back molar that was so infected and excruciatingly painful that he couldn't sleep at night. When I examined this boy, I told him that we would fix his aching back tooth and then, next week, fix his front teeth (which were only slightly sensitive).

Before

Although his incisors (in this photo) looked horrendous, the decay had progressed so rapidly over the last few years that it had spread out on the surface of the enamel, but hadn't broken through the dentin deep enough to kill the nerves yet. Almost as an afterthought, I said to the boy, "Or, if you would rather, we could fix your front teeth today and work on your back tooth next week."

Trudy and I were stunned at the boy's response. With absolute certainty, he said, "Please, fix my front teeth today."

If you have ever wondered how painful unkind words can be, just think of these pictures. This twelve-year-old boy chose to spend sleepless nights and painful days rather than endure embarrassment and ridicule for one more week.

After

Although his back molar was still hurting, when he left our office he had a smile on his face! (Next week, we will work on the molar.)