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| Anthony and Heidi contracted pneumonia from their family's indoor wood-burning stove, and turned to OBI for help. |
CHIQUIMULA, Guatemala - A life clouded by smoke and poverty almost brought the worst for little Anthony and Heidi Sintuj.
The children, at ages five and eight, are two of the youngest members in a poor, seven-person Guatemalan family from the city of Chiquimula. Like other families living in Guatemalan villages, Anthony and Heidi's parents maintain a wood stove in their house, which is used to prepare bread and other food.
Unfortunately, continual exposure to the billows of smoke produced by their wood stove began to take a toll on the younger children's health.
As their respiratory problems grew worse, a local physician diagnosed Anthony and Heidi with pneumonia— a potentially deadly disease for any child living in poverty.
In search of medical attention, Mrs. Sintuj visited a local health center, where her children were prescribed antibiotics. Helpless without money to buy the needed medicine at a pharmacy, Mrs. Sintuj turned to Operation Blessing.
"She had heard that Operation Blessing International might be able to help," said Scott Hill, OBI's International Relief Manager. "OBI had the antibiotic that her kids needed, and in a matter of weeks they were fully recuperated."
Operation Blessing regularly sends shipments of medicine and medical supplies to Guatemala to help people just like the Sintujs. Since January of 2007, OBI has shipped 25.8 million dollars in medical donations to people both domestically and around the world.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.
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