Wednesday, February 25, 2026
We finished the “4 H’s” in our morning worship, ending with hope. Isaiah 40:31 states, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”
Pastor Dave defined “hope” as “confident expectation in the Lord.” Faith in Practice patients come to us with faith-based hope. They may have suffered with an illness or condition for years, and their hope and prayers come to fruition when their day of surgery finally arrives.
God also provides strength for our team as they work long hours in an unfamiliar environment and face the challenges of a different language and culture.
SURGICAL PROCEDURES
The PACU group shared a heart-warming story about their post-op care of Luis, the burn victim who had his surgery Tuesday. Kesla, one of the PACU nurses, was singing quietly to herself. As Luis was coming out of the anesthesia, he heard her singing “Alleluia,” and he awoke feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit telling him he was where God wanted him to be. He asked her to sing more, which was echoed by all the patients, and she sang a praise and worship song for all of them.
Eva Cornelia at only 13 years old is having her 4th surgery, removal of an orthopedic implant used to stabilize bone fractures. At age 7, Eva was at a party with other children attempting to break a pinata. When the pinata broke, the children all dove for the toys and treats on the ground. Eva found herself at the bottom of the pile and unfortunately broke her right arm.
She had 2 procedures at the hospital in Guatemala City, but both were unsuccessful, leaving her with an arm that was twisted instead of straight. Eva struggled with everyday activities that required use of her right arm, especially writing in school. Her mother Caroline was referred to Faith in Practice. Eva then had a third surgery, which was successful. Today Dr. Howard is removing the hardware, and Caroline hopes that this will be Eva’s last surgery.
Josefina, 64 years old, has a pinkie finger on her right hand that has become useless due to years of overuse in washing clothes and performing other household duties. Dr. Apel’s team performed a Dupuytren’s contracture release, a procedure designed to straighten a finger that has curled toward the palm, often referred to as “frozen” or “bent” finger.
We enjoyed talking to Maria del Carmen, age 73, who is undergoing a bladder repair with Drs. Eisenberg and Bailey. She has five children, 8 grandchildren (one of whom accompanied her) and 4 great-grandchildren.
Back at our Quinta de las Flores hotel, we had a retirement celebration for Jack Freeman, who has been an integral part of our team for 17 years.
Sometimes hope is all we have in tough life situations, and the hope and trust our patients put in us is inspiring. This week is flying by, but the memories will be lifelong.
Therese Casterline Kiernan – Team Blogger
