Today has been simultaneously calm and busy. As soon as we arrived at Hospital HG this morning, the doctors began rounding on patients, writing discharge forms and ordering medications so as to ease each patient’s recovery process.
Each patient starts in Pre-Op, moves to an operating room, and then goes to PACU (Post-Op), before finally moving to a ward to spend a night (or two) at Hospital HG before they are discharged. This morning, I had the privelege of translating prayers for Jon Hurley as he prayed with patients and their families as they were preparing to leave the hospital. We prayed asking God to give each patient a safe trip home, a fast recovery, and a strong faith in Him. As patients left, we told them, “Vaya con Dios” (Go with God).
The people that we’ve been able to serve have shown us incredible love and gratitude. I have heard so many patients after their surgery tell their surgeon, “Thanks first to God, then to you, and also thanks to everyone here.” The sheer volume of faith in God present in this hospital is so inspiring, not only in the people of Guatemala but also in the members our team. We’ve prayed with so many patients before and after their surgery, and one man yesterday asked if pastor Jon would accompany him into the operating room. As he was being moved from Pre-Op to the OR, Jon changed into scrubs and put on shoe covers, a hat, and a mask so as to be in the OR with the patient as requested. That experience was heartwarming for all of us.
No hospital in the USA can boast an interest in the spiritual health of its patients like Hospital HG this week can. The entire hospital has been blessed and brought to life this week by the passion for Christ present in our team.
Yet, of course, we do also care for the physical health of our patients, and our team completed 24 surgeries yesterday and 23 today, bringing us to a total of 68 surgeries. Tomorrow is our last day of surgery, and the rest of the week will calm down from there onwards.
