Day 1: Clinics
After waking and eating breakfast, we started the day with a devotional led by Brian Parsley. We read Matthew 13:31-32:
“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
“Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (KJV).
Parsley shared how Faith In Practice began like that mustard seed—a small idea sparked by two non-medical volunteers—but has now grown into a large-scale operation that has impacted thousands of lives. As I reflected on the parable, I realized it mirrors our own experience as volunteers. A single choice to serve for one week might seem small, but its effects ripple outwards to touch both others’ hearts and our own.
After our devotional, we proceeded to the hospital, Las Obras Sociales del Hermano Pedro, to begin our work. Following a quick orientation, we split into teams: wheelchair assembly, inventory, and patient evaluations with physicians.
I spent the morning building wheelchairs and watching patients, young and old, line up outside the mobility clinic. Each face lit up with joy as they emerged with a brand-new wheelchair.
In the afternoon, I was able to assist Dr. Matt Rowan, an anesthesiologist (and also my dad), with patient evaluations. The patients were from all walks of life, but a kindness and gratitude shone through all of them. Among them, we met Rosario, an elderly indigenous woman. Dressed in colorful clothing, she spoke Tz’utijil—a Mayan language spoken in the regions surrounding Lake Atitlán—so her son translated for her. Originally scheduled for hip surgery, Rosario had fractured her femur before her appointment and was now confined to a wheelchair, leaving her unable to perform basic functions like going to the bathroom.
At one point in the evaluation, her son paused and asked for the English translation for “loose teeth.” He later shared with me that he works as a cleaner at a hospital similar to Las Obras and has interacted with many American volunteers, through whom he’s slowly picking up English. He hasn’t been able to visit the United States yet, but he hopes to one day.
Ultimately, as Dr. Rowan said: “Volunteering is simple: helping those in need.” This truly was the mantra of the day. All volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure hundreds of patients were cleared and scheduled for surgery. We anticipate a busy day of procedures tomorrow—but a happy one.
-Isabel Rowan, Blogger
While some teams assembled wheelchairs and others conducted patient evaluations, I had the incredible opportunity to work in the sports medicine clinic alongside Dr. Joseph Hsin and Dr. David Lintner. It was a packed day—one filled with stories, resilience, and the kind of quiet miracles that define this mission. Some patients had traveled over 12 hours just to be seen, a testament to both their determination and the deep need in these communities.
Sports medicine is one of the newer specialties within Faith In Practice, and I feel honored to be part of this growing branch. Many of the patients we saw today had been living with injuries for years—some as long as 27 years. Most sustained their injuries playing fútbol or through manual labor. Despite the pain and limitations, every single patient exuded patience, joy, and overwhelming gratitude. It was truly humbling.
One of the most meaningful parts of the day for me was being able to act as a bridge between patients and providers—translating both language and emotion. Being bilingual allowed me to help ensure that nothing was lost in translation, especially in moments that mattered most. It reminded me how language, like faith, can connect and heal.
The devotional this morning spoke about the mustard seed—how something small can grow into something deeply impactful. Today felt like that. A simple clinic visit became a powerful exchange of trust, compassion, and hope. I look forward to seeing the continuation of this journey later in the week as many of our patients begin rehabilitation just hours after surgery. These are the seeds we’re sowing, and through faith, they’re already beginning to take root.
-Isabel Angola, Blogger
