We awoke to a Guatemalan sunrise and the call of the local peacocks. Six of us woke up early to get in a workout led by Dr. Pogo before devotion and breakfast. A healthy body and healthy spirits. Chaplain Liz brought us all to tears with her heartfelt greeting of thanks.
“I am so honored to be here and to be with this team,” Liz said in tears. “You are servants, and you are here to serve. It moves me to what you’re using your life for. You have gifts, and you are sharing them.”
After devotion and tears from many, we gathered to eat breakfast and headed to the bus for the trip to the hospital. We had a hard day’s work ahead. Once we arrived, we could see there were already patients waiting to be seen by providers. Hopefully the doctors would be able to help them. After an introduction to our Faith in Practice partners and hospital staff, the team set to work sorting and unpacking supplies to set up a pharmacy, PACU, and operating rooms for urology, ENT and general surgeries.
The physicians began patient consultations in the clinic and quickly began filling up the surgery schedule for the week. Unfortunately, some patients weren’t eligible for surgery due to the complexity of the case or the limited access to materials and technology. Those conversations proved to be difficult and emotional for the patients and our team.
“Some people had chronic pain conditions,” Dr. Adam Tierney explained. “One person didn’t know they had advanced cancer, and even though I can’t do surgery, there is still something I can do for them. I explained that what he thought he was coming here for isn’t what he needs. You can tell patients without taking away hope. You can reframe their condition in a way that helps them manage it. We can help people even if we can’t perform surgery.”
The patients continued to fill the waiting area, flowing outside. Everyone seemed in good spirits as we visited with them and posed for pictures. The anticipation high. With a long day and a full schedule, we head back to the hotel to prepare for another day.
-Shari Lau
