The days’ devotional is from “The Invitation” by Oriah, Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder. You can find the entire text online.
“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive. . . .
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human. . . .
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else fails away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in empty moments.”
The devotional reminds us that hearts are more important than accomplishments. It’s an invitation to sustain ourselves from the inside out because when we’re full, we’re most able to fill others too.
Soon after our team meeting, Mt. Fuego erupted in the backdrop of breakfast. Reminding us life is active, alive. Reminding us there’s so much more that happens below the surface that we don’t see, that we can’t know if we don’t ask. This reminder Team Wells will take into the next few clinic days where people will receive health care, will be talked to and listened to with compassion, with empathy.
After breakfast we bussed to the clinic site at San Cristobal Acasaguastian in El Progresso where we were met by local volunteers and set up the four-day clinic in a community center.
With everyone working together, we unloaded the box truck and assembled the clinic with tarps and PVC pipe and duct tape. With helping hands and a willingness to take care of all the details from hanging signs to creating exam rooms for privacy. Seeing the large empty room transformed from vacant to a caring place where those who don’t have health care will receive health care is truly remarkable.
One of Team Wells’ outstanding volunteers is Nancy who’s been on 15 trips. She Loves Guatemala because it feels like a small community. Whatever you need, someone will tell you where to find it. She brought a well-loved belt with her in the hopes of finding a leather maker whom she’d purchased from on a past trip. He’s 88 now and not working in the shop. “Go to his house,” the woman in the shop said. “It’s right over there.” And she pointed.
Nancy went. She knocked and rang. He was slow to answer the door. At 88 his back is shaped like a comma. He turned her loved and worn belt over in his hands. “Come back tomorrow,” he said. When she came back, he’d repaired it.
“This wouldn’t happen at home,” Nancy said. “There’s so much I love about Guatemala. Every day something beautiful happens.”
Team Wells is ready with open hearts to serve tomorrow. We’re all looking forward to giving to the people of Guatemala who give so much.
-Annie Gudger
To support this team and their commitment to our patient’s visit:
https://donate.faithinpractice.org/team/455458
