A New Adventure

I hardly know where to begin to describe my recent trip, but “Blessed” is the word that comes to mind. This was my 10th trip to Guatemala and, aside from the first one, the only one with a group. It was a real treat this time to spend the first week working with the Health Talents International team at Clinica Ezell, which is located in Montellano, an aldea of San Miguel Panán in the Suchitepéquez department of Guatemala.

I knew about Health Talents and have friends who have served with this ministry, one as a nurse and one as a translator but assumed that with no medical credentials and limited Spanish there wouldn’t be a place for me. Long story short, in search of a reliable place to make a donation following the eruption of Volcán de Fuego, I contacted the organization and was invited to join an upcoming team as a recovery area translator. (Turns out there IS a place for folks with Spanish still in process!) Oh happy day!

Upon gathering at the airport in Guatemala City, our team boarded a passenger bus and traveled about 3 hours to the clinic. As soon as the gates opened and we entered the campus, I was overwhelmed by what a gorgeous facility it is. There is a lush park which serves as a waiting area for families whose loved ones are being treated within.

Waiting is never on my list of enjoyable activities but waiting in a place like this… well, it could be worse.

I was a little apprehensive about “dormitory” living but let me just say that dorm life at Clinica Ezell isn’t bad…not bad at all. The 2 person rooms allow for some personal space and privacy, are very comfortable, and they surround a beautifully landscaped courtyard. We had hot showers, around the clock access to clean scrubs, fresh towels, yummy Guatemalan coffee and a team of cooks who prepared 3 delicious meals every day. My apprehension was quickly replaced by wishing I could move in permanently…haha!

Inside the dorm area:

And… the view out back!

A breezeway separates the clinic and housing areas, and this patio is the perfect place to start any day… rain or shine (with coffee, of course! ) before heading down to greet patients in the surgery waiting area below.

Since 1990, Health Talents International has been active in Western Guatemala, providing services in an area where the majority of people come from Mayan communities and have very little access to health care. In addition to providing medical care, HTI also has a community development program focusing on agriculture, air, sanitation and water projects as well as a child sponsorship program.

Ten surgical teams as well as a couple of mobile medical/dental teams travel to Guatemala each year to be a part of the work being done in this area.

I quickly learned that there are a whole lot of jobs in medical missions for non medical people. The fist of these I discovered while floating around the recovery ward. Few sounds are more disruptive to peaceful recuperation than that of screaming children… and this is exactly how most of the children awake after surgery (not because of pain but because of how the anesthesia works).

On the front end, it’s great. A frightened, angry child who has been carted off to surgery kicking and screaming is transported in a breath (literally) from mid-tantrum to la-la land. All is wonderful.

After surgery, the patient is moved to recovery and allowed to wake up, which they do in EXACTLY the same condition as they went to sleep. Not wonderful.

Upon hearing stories about a former team member who had played soldiers with little waiting patients, marching them around the halls and even having them march themselves off to surgery, I decided to try my hand at romper room… haha! I wasn’t anywhere near as successful as that guy but figured any distraction had to be better than none at all.

These two were a spunky little troop. In fact, that evening these little soldiers were already back up and wanting to march again!

Laughter is contagious and the surgery waiting area was the most contagious place in the whole clinic! Laughter is also good medicine… not only for distracting children so that hopefully they go a little more calmly into surgery, but also adults whether they be nervous mothers of said children or anxious adult patients awaiting their own surgeries

Three Special Patients

This little guy came in (much against his will) a day ahead of his surgery. I tried chatting with him but he wasn’t having it. He wanted nothing to do with me or with spending the night in this strange place …until we convinced him it was an adventure and, with the help of nurse Elizabeth and the toy shelf, turned a hospital stay into a slumber party.

The next day, there was a lot of distracting going on in surgery waiting. For awhile it was working well, but by the time they came for him, he’d gotten hungry and unhappy. He grabbed his mother’s shirt and had to be pried off a finger at a time… all of this with the expected sound effects :(

Not going well anymore.

But everyone was in for a big surprise!

They got him on the the operating table and, just before they gave him the anesthesia, he suddenly stopped crying and announced, “I’m not going to cry; I’m going to be a strong boy.” With that, he fell asleep

… and WOKE UP SMILING!!!

Way to go, Mom!

I’d have loved to had something to do with a child waking up smiling but this clearly was the work of one wise momma. I told her what had happened and said “You must have prepared him.”

She just smiled and nodded.

Meet Alex

I believe he is seven.

Hydrocephalus may have inhibited his physical growth but his social skills are off the charts

Alex is super friendly, polite, talkative, intelligent and cheerful.

When Alex went back to surgery, I went to the door with him and promised to have a popsicle waiting when he got through (not that he needed “bribery”; he was such a little man.) His mom, who had been calmly blowing bubbles for him in the waiting room, had quietly followed us and taken a seat in the hallway outside the surgery area. I turned around to find her sobbing.

It probably shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did. I asked her why. Was she afraid? Nervous? Sad? As much as anything, I think she just felt overwhelmed about all her brave little man child had already faced and what lies yet before him. I offered to sit with her or give her time alone, whichever she preferred.

She was glad for the company but not as glad as she was when I suggested coffee and maybe something to eat. (She’d missed her breakfast that morning since Alex had to miss his.)

In this way, I discovered another job for us non medical folks.

Later that day I was informed that one of the moms on the ward was asking for me. I had no idea why but went to see what was going on. Mrs. Alex had found another mom in need of a missed meal, and they were looking for the lady who would go find food… There’s a very good job!

(Which leads me to say one word about a gracious group of ladies. While the medical professionals were treating patients and the cooks were busy making three meals a day for our team plus food for the patients on the ward, I was in the kitchen pestering said cooks, and they never failed to provide each special request with a smile.)

And last (but certainly not least) is Wilson. He is 17 and has Cerebral Palsy. I noticed that, though unable to participate verbally, Wilson was tuned in to all the conversations and laughter going on in the waiting room. He is very intelligent and was, watching, listening and reacting to everything that was happening. I was impressed by his outgoing personality and friendly disposition and very touched as I observed his mother at his side, attending patiently and calmly to his every need.

Caring for someone who cannot manage even his most basic needs is a demanding and tiring job, even when that person is an infant who 1.) is tiny and flexible and 2.) on the way to independence. Wilson’s mom has cared day in and day out for Wilson, who is no longer small and will never be independent …for 17 years and counting.

Wilson was out of surgery and doing fine in the recovery area. As he lay quietly sleeping off the anesthesia, his mother began to cry. In 17 years of being his mom, she had never had one of those “magical” moments of watching her son sleeping in total peace and tranquility. Even asleep, Wilson is moving and twitching constantly and this was the first time she’d ever seen him perfectly still.

Families are not permitted to stay with adult patients (or even accompany them to surgery waiting) and there are strict visitation rules. Children are accompanied by 1 parent at a time, almost always the mother. Wilson’s dad came in to take a turn. This shouldn’t seem unusual but it did. I watched him dressing Wilson and was touched by his faithfulness. In a place where there are an incredible number of single moms and absent fathers… even in normal situations, I’m glad that in Wilson’s very “not normal” situation, there’s a dad who chooses to provide, to participate and to be present.

Everything about Wilson’s family touched me.

On the way out, they stopped for a picture.

I don’t think any of us will forget Wilson or his enormous smile.

It was great being with a team of dedicated professionals who were there to minister not only to the physical needs of people but also to their souls. Each night in our devotional we prayed for the patients that had had surgery that day and one evening, after devotional, we went down to the recovery ward to sing and pray there.

For many reasons (beginning with MATH…hahah!) I could never do the technical and demanding work they do, but I’m so thankful for all that came “built in” to the role I played on the team.

Be it stopping for a joke in a hall lined with patients who would wait hours to be seen and hopefully approved for admission, or performing crazy antics to distract children, there were so many opportunities to bond with people right from the beginning of their experience.

But there was more than just fun and laughter.

For moms who had to be strong and put on a brave face for their children, I could, once their little one was off to surgery, give them a hug... or better yet, bring them food!

Whether through offering a listening ear, a nurturing touch or a word of reassurance, encouragement or prayer, any time I had a chance to be kind, I had a chance to show someone just a little bit of who Jesus is.

The Future:

The past four years have been filled with wonderful adventures going back and forth to Guatemala, strengthening friendships, and exploring various ministry opportunities. This was my first experience with a medical team and I loved every single thing about it.

As with every experience, it’s always interesting to see where it leads and what doors God chooses to open next. My goal is to let God do the directing but I sure do hope the road ahead holds more opportunities, if not exactly the same, at least similar to this one.

Until next time!

Thanking God for an Unforgettable Week