We woke up just after sunrise. My room faces southward, giving me an amazing view of the Agua Volcano in the morning light. We gathered for a great breakfast and then transitioned into our daily songs and devotional.
Day One is very busy. Today was triage day, which means setting up the ORs, pre-op, and post-op, and meeting with all potential patients. Throughout the day, I got to hear so many stories, and one of the things that really stood out to me was the strength of so many of the Guatemalan people. Traveling six to eight hours to come to see us was the norm, often only utilizing public transport.
In addition to overcoming distance and disability to get here, I was also so impressed by the sense of community shared by the Guatemalan people. The work that Faith in Practice does here outside of the clinical work is very active. There are volunteers spread out across the country that scout out potential cases and help them throughout the entire process; some even travel with the patients they are sending and come to the clinic with them. We have also been blessed to work with the Faith in Practice and hospital staff that so clearly show their love for the people of their country through their words and actions.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the week, and I can’t wait to help make a difference in any way that I can.
Travis Toth
