Day 2: What a Wonderful World
Every day begins early on this mission. Devotional starts at 6 a.m. Loreen, a doctor on the team and our chaplain for the week, always brings a theme for reflection. This morning’s theme: What a Wonderful World.
Her challenge to us was simple but powerful—learn to wonder at the unknown.
Loreen shared where she finds that sense of wonder each year on this trip:
“The thing that I find amazing is in reference to our group coming from the United States. All the different people and age groups that felt the call to come to Guatemala. Different walks of life, and careers. To me, that we all end up in this one place, doing this one thing, is always awe inspiring. We all felt this pull to come and give, and we find ourselves in this place together.”
There are so many unknowns here, both big and small. Whether we’re adventurous or not, most of us naturally gravitate toward what we know: familiar people, languages we’re comfortable speaking, cultures we understand.
But what do we miss when we stay only in the familiar?
For many on this team, this is their first time in Guatemala, and there is plenty to inspire wonder. It’s a beautiful country. I find myself soaking in the differences—the lush vegetation, the mountains and volcanoes, the shift in climate as we travel from Guatemala City to Retalhuleu. We enjoy the food of Guatemala and the rhythms of daily life here.
But the best part?
The people.
The patients and families we meet at Hospital Hilario Galindo are nothing short of beautiful—kind, patient, and deeply grateful.
I’m always in wonder of the strength and resilience of the people we meet, especially in the face of extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
One man I spoke with in the mobility clinic, Remigio, is a double amputee who had just received a wheelchair. Two years ago, he lost his first leg. Just six weeks ago, he lost the other.
By any measure, his path has been unimaginably hard.
He spoke openly about the depression that followed and the fear about what life might look like going forward. Through it all, the team from Faith in Practice helped guide him to this moment.
Sitting there in his new wheelchair, he shared the lesson he has drawn from it all.
“Nothing is impossible. Everything is possible,” he said. “Everything I’ve been through has been very tough, especially the depression that came with all of this. But with this help, and believing that everything is possible, and believing in God—I know I can get through anything.”
I also spoke with Celeste, who brought her two young sons, Mauricio and Manuel, to the clinic. Both boys needed a lingual frenulotomy—a quick, minor surgical procedure that releases a “tongue-tie” by cutting the small band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
Although the surgery itself is relatively simple, the boys needed to undergo the procedure under general anesthesia, which always carries greater risk for pediatric patients.
Celeste’s calm presence and quiet strength were striking. When I asked how she felt as her sons prepared for surgery, her answer was immediate and unwavering.
“First, I put my faith in God,” she said. “I know that He will help the surgeons, the nurses, everyone here, to make this go as smoothly as possible.”
That is one of the things that fills me with the greatest sense of wonder here.
Again and again, the patients we meet face enormous uncertainty with a steadfast faith that God will provide—trusting that He will guide the surgeons, the nurses, and the entire team caring for them.
In a world that can sometimes feel heavy, moments like these remind us why we are here. And they remind us just how wonderful this world can be.
As I leave the hospital today, I keep thinking about the theme Loreen shared with us this morning. Wonder often waits just beyond what is familiar. Here in Guatemala, I see it in the courage of our patients, in the faith that sustains them, and in the unlikely gathering of volunteers who felt called to serve in the same place at the same time.
It makes me wonder—what moments of beauty, strength, or grace might be waiting just outside the boundaries of our own comfort? And what wonders might we discover if we choose to step toward the unfamiliar?
Every day begins early on this mission. Devotional starts at 6 a.m. Loreen, a doctor on the team and our chaplain for the week, always brings a theme for reflection. This morning’s theme: What a Wonderful World.
Her challenge to us was simple but powerful—learn to wonder at the unknown.
Loreen shared where she finds that sense of wonder each year on this trip:
“The thing that I find amazing is our group coming from the United States—different people, ages, careers, and walks of life who all felt called to come to Guatemala. That we all end up in this one place, doing this one thing together, is always awe inspiring.”
There are so many unknowns here, both big and small. Most of us naturally gravitate toward what we know—familiar people, languages, and cultures. But what do we miss when we stay only in the familiar?
For many on this team, this is their first time in Guatemala, and there is plenty to inspire wonder. It’s a beautiful country. I find myself soaking in the differences—the lush vegetation, the mountains and volcanoes, the shift in climate as we travel from Guatemala City to Retalhuleu.
But the best part?
The people.
The patients and families we meet at Hospital Hilario Galindo are kind, patient, and deeply grateful. I’m always struck by their strength and resilience, especially in the face of extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
One man I spoke with in the mobility clinic, Remigio, is a double amputee who had just received a wheelchair. Two years ago he lost his first leg. Just six weeks ago, he lost the other.
His road has been unimaginably hard. He spoke openly about the depression that followed and the fear of what life might look like going forward. Through it all, the team from Faith in Practice helped guide him to this moment.
Sitting in his new wheelchair, he shared what he has learned.
“Nothing is impossible. Everything is possible,” he said. “Everything I’ve been through has been very tough, especially the depression. But with this help—and believing in God—I know I can get through anything.”
I also spoke with Celeste, who brought her two sons, Mauricio and Manuel, to the clinic. Both needed a lingual frenulotomy, a minor procedure that releases a “tongue-tie.” Although simple, the boys needed general anesthesia, which always carries greater risk for young patients.
Celeste’s calm strength was striking.
“First, I put my faith in God,” she said. “I know that he will help the surgeons, the nurses—everyone here—to make this go as smoothly as possible.”
That is one of the greatest wonders I see here. Again and again, patients face enormous uncertainty with steadfast faith that God will guide those caring for them.
In a world that can sometimes feel heavy, moments like these remind us why we are here—and just how wonderful this world can be.
As I leave the hospital today, I keep thinking about Loreen’s theme. Wonder often waits just beyond what is familiar. What moments of beauty, strength, or grace might be waiting just outside our own comfort zones? And what wonders might we discover if we choose to step toward the unfamiliar?
