Recently I was invited by my one sister, Stacy, to a medical/dental mission trip in Guatemala. Neither of us had ever done such a trip and she had always wanted to. So we headed down and had an incredible experience extracting teeth, providing medical assistance to those in need, and listening and learning about the Mayan people deep in the jungle away from civilization. For me not having a medical background, it was surreal to watch how the doctors improvised and managed to perform their procedures safely and with the same quality they upheld in the United States while being in the outdoors and with limited supplies.
In one case, a 102 year old woman visited. Walking on her own she only wanted some eye drops and for her blood pressure to be checked. Other than that, she was great and walked herself back up the mountain home after socializing with us. The year prior, she had fallen off her own roof while repairing it…herself.
The sheer beauty of these people who had no money, little access to clean water and medical attention was just heartwarming to experience. Despite these challenges, their spirits were high, their smiles full and sincere, and their curiosity in us just as authentic as ours in them. This was a trip to be remembered for myself and for my sister. I thank her deeply for inviting to be a part of this experience and encourage anyone to do good in other countries in whatever group makes sense for you!
