Day 1 – Team Thompson 923 – Sunday, November 8, 2026
Team Thompson Arrives in Guatemala
Team Thompson touched down in Guatemala City late Friday night, and the Faith in Practice week began without a hitch. For many of us, this moment is the one we wait for all year: the chance to reconnect with old friends and welcome first-time volunteers into the fold.
This year’s team is 39 volunteers strong, traveling in from across the United States.
A Day in Antigua
On Saturday morning, we boarded buses for the ride from Guatemala City to Casa Fe in Antigua. There we settled in for orientation and an overview of the week ahead. We also toured Casa Fe itself, a residential home for Faith in Practice patients who need surgery at the local hospital. Walking its halls was a reminder of who this work is for.
Into the Highlands
Sunday started early. We set out on a four-hour bus journey to Totonicapán, in the Guatemalan Highlands at an elevation of approximately 8,000’, where our home for the week is Escuela Tipo Federacion Atanasio Tzul.
Once we arrived, it was time to get to work. The Guatemalan staff worked their magic once again, transforming ordinary classrooms into exam rooms, a wheelchair clinic, a pharmacy, a lab, and even a kitchen. Our volunteers pitched in right alongside them, unloading the trucks and getting every supply into place.
Now the clinic is ready, and tomorrow we open the doors to our first patients, hearts wide open.
Ruth Lacey Photographer and Blogger
