Day 1 – The Journey Begins
Faith in Practice – Team 860 Robinson | May 10, 2025
Today marked the first day of our medical mission in Guatemala with the Robinson Team 860 with Practice in Faith, and while no patients were seen just yet, the impact of the day was already profound. It was a day of movement, both physical and emotional, as we transitioned from anticipation to action, and from strangers to a unified team.
We began our morning in Antigua with an orientation and breakfast, gathering as a team to ground ourselves in the purpose of this week. There was a quiet but palpable sense of excitement in the air, a mix of nerves and eagerness, as we boarded the bus and set out on a three-hour journey through the lush Guatemalan highlands. As we wound our way through the mountains, the scenery unfolded into misty peaks and vibrant villages—reminders of both the beauty and isolation that shape life in rural Guatemala.
Our destination was a small town just outside of Jalapa, where we were welcomed by more local Faith in Practice staff and community volunteers. The clinic for the week is being held in a local school, where each classroom will soon be transformed into a space of healing that includes general medicine consultation rooms, triage and education stations, a pharmacy, gynecology, pediatrics, IVAA, orthopedics, ultrasound, mobility, and referrals. Each room is a space for recovery and prayer as well. But first, we had to make it all come to life.
Together, we unloaded an entire truck of medical supplies, which included dozens of boxes filled with tools, medications, and hope. Then the real transformation began. Doctors and nurses started setting up their clinic rooms with care and precision, organizing instruments, setting up tables, adjusting lighting, and preparing for the wave of patients who would begin arriving first thing tomorrow.
There was something deeply moving about watching each team member jump into action—not out of obligation, but out of genuine purpose. This team, some of whom only met for the first time this week, came together seamlessly with a shared mission. Whether carrying boxes, building wheelchairs, or just helping each other set up each room, every action felt like a quiet prayer for the work ahead.
After finishing lunch and our work in the late afternoon, we traveled into Jalapa to check into our hotel for the next few days and reflect. During our evening orientation, we went over more important details about the flow of the clinic and how we are going to work as a team tomorrow, effectively and efficiently, along with a detailed session about the system and technology we will be using to track, treat, and refer our patients. The session ended with a devotional from one of our team members, Kate, who shared the prayer of Saint Francis.
Over dinner, the mood was hopeful and focused. We know that tomorrow begins the heart of the mission, when the school will come alive with patients, and we begin the sacred work of listening, treating, and walking alongside the people of this community.
As we prepare for rest tonight, there is a sense of readiness in the air. Tomorrow, the real healing begins.
Miya Macnew, Team Blogger
