Day 1 – Team Thompson 881 – Sunday, November 9, 2025
After a week filled with daunting travel warnings, Team Thompson touched down safely in Guatemala late Saturday evening — and to everyone’s relief, without a single issue along the way. The joy of reuniting with familiar faces and welcoming new volunteers set the tone for what promises to be a meaningful week ahead.
This year’s team is made up of 34 dedicated volunteers, who journeyed from across the United States and even Mexico to be part of this mission. Early Sunday morning, our group boarded a small plane to the department of Petén, in northern Guatemala, heading toward the town of Poptún — our home for the week.
Work began immediately once we landed. We were transferred to our clinic site; a private school – Colegio CEIC. As always, the Guatemalan based staff expertly orchestrated turning the school into a short-term medical clinic, where classrooms become doctors’ offices, a wheelchair clinic, a pharmacy, a lab, and even a kitchen. Volunteers pitched in to unload trucks and set everything up for a productive and efficient week of delivering healthcare to this local community.
This year, Team Thompson is thrilled to welcome Lawren Mundy, Program Director at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Joining her are three of her graduate students — Stephanie Baglia, Megan Lance, and Grace Wallace — who are nearing completion of their master’s degrees. As part of their Synthesis Course, they’ll be working alongside Dr. Angela McDowell in Gynecology, while also gaining hands-on experience in Primary Care, Pharmacy, Education, and Ultrasound.
Each student brings her own motivation and heart to the mission:
Grace is eager to learn as much as possible and help anyone she can.
Stephanie arrives with an open mind and heart, ready to support her team.
Megan is thrilled to be in Guatemala and excited to serve the people of Poptún.
Their enthusiasm and compassion embody the spirit of Team Thompson — a group united by the desire to bring care, comfort, and healing to communities in need.
There’s work to be done, and Team Thompson is ready.
Ruth Lacey, Volunteer & Blogger
