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:

 

 

 January 12, 2023 (update from Eric): 

Two carbon microfiber filled PETG arms ready to deliver!...

 

 

 Update January 5, 2023:

Note from the home office:  Eric now has the laptop he needs to work with the new Desktop 3D Scanner, thanks to friends bringing it with them.  It arrived in great condition, thanks to being hand carried!

 

Updates from Eric:

January 5: Progress on arm #1

 

 

 

January 4: One ready to thermoform and build, and the next arm started! Hoping our box shows up from the USA, I need more of this particular filament.

 

 

January 3:  More parts!

 

 

January 2, 2023:   New Year, new arms started!

 

 December 31, 2022:

New years eve project. Need a flexible mixing bowl for the plaster of paris that will hopefully find us next week. So, it's order one in, or print one with flexible TPU filament, which I just so happen to have on hand. Just getting it started.

 

 

 Update December 18, 2022: (updates from Eric):

December 17:  Our ability to help is growing! Waiting for the computer for it to arrive now.   This will make some harder cases easier and allow us to do some we haven't been able to take on with the help of some great people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 December 12:  Just finished this new hand for a person who was difficult to fit with our standard 3D model. Let's pray this works for him! We are working on a possible better solution next year.

 

 

 

 Update December 7, 2022 (updates from Eric):

Mónica García putting together a special custom hand. This one has been a challenge but we are getting close!

 

 

December 1:

This one is being shipped out today!

 

 

 

November 28:

Today's projects. Finished thermoforming and getting an arm ready for Mónica García to finish building tomorrow.   Been using up some ABS filament that was donated but we don't use a great deal of to makes some toys for kids Christmas toys.   Started printing a cuff assembly for a very challenging hand a few minutes ago.  Always something going on!

 

 

 

 

 Update November 28, 2022: 

A new video about our work here!  Explains a lot about how IMS, and those supporting our work,  is helping by providing free 3D printed arms and hands to those missing limbs... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvTBLqF5Vxg

 

 Update November 26, 2022 (updates from Eric):

November 23, 2022: 

So we are confirmed that this will be our next house rebuild coming up. Right now all that is holding it up is the electric line tied to a tree! This one is in Livingston so there's the added logistics of zero road access. But then moving on the water is sort of our life!

 

This woman is on her own and very exited about the coming help. As always if you would like to contribute to what we do please contact us and we can give you options!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 24, 2022:

 

Some pictures of one of our last recipients! We are happy that Don Emilio likes his new arm! Thank you to Karla Quiroa for all the help arranging this.

 

 

 

November 25, 2022: 

Been a busy day! Delivered two arms and repaired another. Thank you Karla Quiroa for getting these trips arranged!

 

Had a videographer with us (we'll be showing more on this in the near future) and he also did an interview with a past recipient of a traumatic amputation. We did an arm, but his doctor has asked him to wait a little longer before using it.   13,500 volts across both arms is pretty rough and it's a miracle he is alive! 

 

 

 Update November 21, 2022 (update from Eric):

Some slow days and short pieces of filament equals some goodies for an orphans home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Update November 10, 2022 (updates from Eric):

Back from our trip to Belize! Made an interesting connection there at dinner. A doctor who works a clinic there and had just returned from several months in a lesser known conflict area.  He's very interested in what we are doing and we may help get prosthetics to some people in Belize through his work.

 

I also told him about the idea we've had of helping people in places like that start their own efforts doing this. He said he had seen so many missing arms and legs from fighting and land mines there, and no chance at all of prosthetics.

 

Going to be praying and see where this leads. We are tired from the travel and a choppy crossing. But the trip up the Rio Dulce is always so beautiful it makes up for some of it. 

 

November 9, 2022:  Taking supplies for two roofs to Livingston and then points beyond today! More house projects coming up.

 

 

Update November 4, 2022 (update from Eric):

Some days really humble you with the tasks God entrusts you with. We measured the hand for this man who lost three fingers to someone throwing powerful firecrackers. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He also lost his job and some hope for the future. I suspect just paying the bus fare to come was a stretch for them. A wonderful couple, we hope to see that all change. When someone tells you your efforts have given them hope again well, for me that is very humbling.

 

 

 Update November 3, 2022 (update from Eric): 

November 2, 2022:  First new arm finished in Monica's new "space". She has room in the marina where our sailboat is.

Note from home office:  Thank you, Monica, for all your help.  All of us at IMS really appreciate you!

 

 Update October 30, 2022 (update from Eric):

October 26, 2022:   A great day today!

Today deliveries of new arms were made, thanks to the team for making the dreams of getting a prosthetic come true and being able to share with each of them.

@HANDS THAT WORK @- Always Supporting.

United we make a difference!

Thank you to the Guastatoya group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Update October 19, 2022 (updates from Eric):

October 14, 2022:  It's been a bit of a crazy time with the bad weather, but I have got the thermoforming done on the last two arms of the current group and they are now being assembled by Mónica García!

 

October 10, 2022:   It's just a bit wet. Main docks still dry but dingy docks under. Walkways and yard under. But the big genset is keeping us powered and the internet has been restored. We'll see how much it comes up today. Honestly we have it very easy compared to many right now.

Office note:  Many people in the area are experiencing bad flooding in their homes, roads are washed out in many places and people are just waiting until the bad weather passes so they can focus on cleanup.  IMS continues to work on parts for future arms as there's not much else we can do until this weather depression has passed.

 

 

October 8, 2022: A rainy day ahead of a tropical depression. Most likely there will be flooding but being aboard a boat has it's advantages. Printing parts for fourth arm!