Update March 20, 2023:   

Update from home office

Unfortunately, due to my yet to be resolved health problem, I am not able to do a large blog post that covers the time span from today, back to February 12, 2023.    

Should you wish to see the IMS Facebook page, this link should get you there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/444644079017550?sorting_setting=CHRONOLOGICAL

If you wish to see the Facebook page , and see the  many photos that one has to see to appreciate what God's doing in that part of Guatemala, remember to ask to be "friended" into the Facebook page.

Unfortunately, the IMS Facebook page had to go private, due to bots, etc.    Once you submit a "friend" request, Eric or Mary will accept you into the Facebook group and you will have full access to it.  Thank you for your understanding!

 March 18, 2023:

Note from home office:  For those of you who follow this blog, rather than the IMS Facebook page, you'll see that there's a gap between the last post and this current, brief one.  I apologize for this, but I have been dealing with severe health issues. I would very much appreciate your prayers so I can not only return to doing this blog, but also life in general.  

While things haven't been posted, believe me when I say I'll have A LOT of things to catch up/share when I'm back.  While this blog has been sidelined temporarily, the work that IMS does in that area of Guatemala has not been.  It's been very busy, in fact.  Thank you for your understanding!

 Update February 12, 2023: (updates from Eric):

  A hand ready to build!

 

 

Tension block and gauntlet for the new hand! Just the thermoforming jigs to print after this.

 

Someone has outgrown their first hand! New one started on the printers now.

 

 

February 9, 2023:     Now printing a right forearm. One of our double amputees has been using his arms hard and has requested shorter forearms that he feels will work better for him. Also needs new velcro and he has worn out some pins. No problem, we can do that! Love to see them being used so much.

 

 

 Update February 9, 2023 (updates from Eric): 

So it might seem we are not delivering as many prosthetics as we were. It has been slow around the end of the year, but much is going on behind the scenes as we are expanding our abilities to help people. We now have a 3D scanner, and a laptop with enough video processing power to use it. We have had a struggle making hands for some of the unusual presentations here. The stock models just don't quite work. So we will now be able to make plaster casts, digitally scan them, and then send the scans to a 3D designer in Europe who will then modify our Team Unlimbited design to fit them. 

 

We are also helping a young girl, who has a forearm so short, that our Team Unlimbited design doesn't quite work. But we have met a prosthetecist in England who is helping us with a new, human powered design for just such an instance. Her arm was just cast in Mexico, and it will be sent to us here to be scanned. That will be sent on to him in England, where the parts we can't make here will be made, and the designs for what we can make, sent here! A truly international effort. This will be repeated every 2 years until she stops growing!

 

This design just might help us with some other special cases here as well.

 

We are still pursuing a good above elbow loss arm design. We will see what the next six months brings. We have many, many waiting for this and it's something we are seeking diligently.  Please keep us in your prayers! If you are interested in supporting what we do,  please contact us!

 

 

February 8, 2023: Abelardo's new hand! So glad we could help him. A great morning of working through three languages,  but we do have the people for it. This will mean a lot for his ability to support his family. He said a very nice prayer for all of us before leaving.

 

 

 Update February 1, 2023 (updates from Eric): 

January 24, 2023: Mónica García just finished another one! Ready to deliver now. One more printed and will be built next.

 

January 25, 2023: Another arm done by Mónica García! This one is special. Our recipient has literally been wearing away the palm and fingers! This is the person doing concrete work with it. So the forearm and cuff are carbon fiber PETG and the hand and fingers are carbon fiber polycarbonate. About as wear resistant as we can get!

 

 

January 26, 2023:  First test hand cast a success! This will help immensely with the hands we are having so much trouble fitting.

 

January 28, 2023:

One day shipping and a happy recipient of the new tougher arm. We love our work! Hope it serves him well. 

 

 

 Update January 20, 2023 (update from Eric):

A big day today. One of the people who was a double amputee lost both of his prosthetic arms in an emergency. So we were able to see him equipped once more!

 

 

 

Also had our first visit with a couple. He lost a hand in a robbery to a machete. He has had trouble getting jobs since and has five kids. Hoping a new prosthetic will change that for him. We should have one for him in about a week!      I am always amazed at the difference these can make in a life. Very humbling that we can be used for such a job as this.

 

 

 

 Update January 17, 2023 (update from Eric):  

Learning new skills! Learning to make plaster models for 3D scanning: