Jesus Was There
Jesus Was There
A Reflection After Our Return
It was certainly with some trepidation that we launched ourselves into this trip. Back in San Lucas Tolimán for the first time since the pandemic, and only the second medical team to visit San Lucas since early 2020, we were all wondering how things would go once there. There was naturally a lot of uncertainty –the possibility of anyone in our team testing positive immediately before our trip and/or once there (thus jeopardizing the ability of our team to serve) was probably the one fear that loomed larger than any others. But it was God’s plan to grant us a marvelous trip, with so many blessings to count and be grateful for. I am back with the certainty that Jesus was there, right among us, as we served the beautiful people of Guatemala and enjoyed their amazing country.
From our co-leaders, Cathy and Emma to every single member in our team, not only were we all healthy during the length of our stay in Guatemala, but everyone worked with intensity and thoughtfulness to serve the patients we saw during our four clinic days. We were also blessed with tremendous help from the FOSL team: from the Visitor Program Co-Coordinator, Patrick Twomey, and long-term volunteers, Hannah and Sara, to Vicente and each of the health promoters in the different communities; and our wonderful interpreters, Enma and Abraham. Every one of them was instrumental in the seamless ease with which every clinic day unfolded.
But there were other blessings as well. On Saturday (March 26) we had the opportunity to visit three of the main five projects Father Greg started and FOSL has supported for the last 7 plus years: The Hospital, the San Juana Coffee Plant, and The Women’s Center. My last mission trip to San Lucas was in November of 2017, so it was an awesome experience to be back and see the palpable progress there has been in each one of these projects. More on this in a separate blog.
On previous mission trips to Guatemala and to Chiapas, one of mi favorite things to do at some point during the busyness of a clinic day, is to pause for just a couple of minutes and just look around at our team working. This opportunity came during our last day of clinic, at the beautiful community of Nueva Providencia. We happened to be serving almost all in the same room, provider-interpreter teams, pharmacy team, reading glass team, and in-take team, just outside the room. As I looked around, it was rather quiet except for the whispering of the teams and the singing of the birds outside, I saw every one serving with such love and dedication the person in front of them, it was almost as if the rest of the world did not exist… I am certain Jesus was there.
Lía
MDP Interpreter
