The Path
The path I was walking was solid and firm.
But I felt there was more I needed to learn.
Ahead I could see my path split into two.
Should I hold my course steady, or should I try something new?
Life has no guarantees, but I was willing to try.
Willing to spread my wings. Willing to fly.
For life is meant to be lived, and there is no better way,
Than to step from the known path, take a chance and be brave.
For the next eight days, 24 people will take a chance and be brave. Today we embark on a trip that will change us all. Some of us have walked this path before, but for others – including myself – this is our first journey. We trust in each other and in ourselves to live up to Dr. Pogodzinki’s team motto “Adapt and Overcome.” Just as the people we seek to help continuously adapt and overcome.
As I write this, we still haven’t made it to our destination, (still two hours to go of the seven-hour bus ride) but I felt compelled to begin based on the experiences of the day.
The magnitude of this trip sprang on me during the early morning shuttle ride to the airport. We are going to Guatemala. A place that until now seemed so far away. Welcoming team members eased the butterflies as they spoke fondly of past trips and the patients they have met. Our plane took off without incident, and after a four-and-a-half-hour flight that took us 1900 miles away from home, we landed safely in Guatemala City.
Stepping out of the airport was an amazing experience. What seemed like hundreds of people were gathered in celebration to welcome home their family members. Colorful Guatemalan dresses and balloons saying, “bienvenido,” adorned women and children. Families shrieked and ran to embrace their loved ones. I couldn’t help but wonder how long it had been since they last saw each other. It was a beautiful sight. A wonderful welcome to Guatemala.
Our drive to Retalhuleu is a beautiful one. The hustle of Guatemala City turns into vast spans of trees, valleys and mountains that rise into the clouds. But we also see the reality of life in this beautiful place, and it brings us back to why we are here.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know we will all bring our best to the day and the people of Guatemala.
**Note: Total travel time – 11.5 hours
-Shari Lau
