Personnel
"It was one of those days in which everything looks and goes as usual. Coming into our Hospital and Clinics for children, Pamela Rundle, an old friend from past encounters with social injustice introduced me to Sam and Julie Hawkins, an American couple that seemed to have stepped down from a Jimmy Stewart movie: nice, quiet and with a beautiful way to understand and relate to others. They asked me to continue the medical treatment of a baby girl they had found in a local orphanage. From experience, I knew these cases usually present themselves as the result of lacerating poverty, inexcusable negligence and official laissez-faire. So for me it's been a matter of personal conviction to do my best whenever I'm asked to participate in caring for them. And there I was, getting into their hospital room with an instant smile and good intentions, shaking their hands after the usual hellos and hi's, after going briefly over the patient's chart. Then, I came to Karlita's side. And from that moment on, our lives were meant to change."
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Sam
and Julie Hawkins have been married for twenty-one years. They are
from Fort Worth, Texas. Sam Hawkins graduated from Texas Christian
University with a degree in Business Administration in July, 1961.
He was on active military duty for two years and in the Reserves for
three years. Both Sam and Julie have been working with malnourished
children in the capacity of Founding Directors since September,
1987. They have trained their nursery workers in the proper care of
malnourished infant babies. Combined experience of the twelve
nursery workers can be found in 30 years of dedicated labor.
Our Pediatrician,
Dr. Rafael Ruiz is a member of the American Academy
of Pediatrics and a staff member of Universidad Salvadoreña Alberto
Masferrer Medical School. He received his training in Mexico City
and in the United States at Stanford University in Palo Alto,
California. Dr. Ruiz wrote this little story, after the loss of
Karla in 1987.
Rocío Rivera is our nutritionist who
looks after the nutritional needs of all of the babies here at Love-Link.
She spent three years of graduate work in Chile and received her Masters Degree in Nutritional Clinic.
She is recognized as a leading authority with ample experience in nutritional management of
babies and children with severe malnutrition. We are very proud and happy to have her on staff here.