Day 6 – Full Circle
Faith in Practice – Team 860 Robinson | May 16, 2025
This morning began just like all the others, with an early breakfast and sleepy conversation as we packed our bags and prepared to get started with our day. But this time, we weren’t headed to the clinic. At 7:30 AM, instead of unloading medical supplies or checking triage stations, we boarded the bus for our final journey together: a five-hour ride back to Antigua.
The bus ride was long but peaceful, winding through green hills and vibrant villages, past volcanoes and valleys, offering time for quiet reflection. Outside the windows, Guatemala unfolded in all its beauty. Inside, we carried the stories, memories, and emotions of the week, knowing that even though our work in the clinic had ended, the impact would continue to echo long after we returned home.
By early afternoon, we arrived at our hotel in Antigua, a peaceful and stunning building wrapped around a flowering courtyard. We said goodbye to the Faith in Practice staff who had traveled and served beside us all week, thanking them for their unwavering support, leadership, and hearts. Their presence grounded us throughout the trip, and parting ways with them made the end of this journey feel even more real.
From there, our team scattered into small groups for one final afternoon of exploration and connection. I joined a group for lunch at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the ruins of the original cathedral of the city. Between bites of delicious food and sips of cold drinks, we laughed, swapped stories, and soaked in the view—a quiet, sacred moment of joy and reflection.
Others spent the afternoon wandering the colorful streets, shopping in the bustling markets, or savoring these final hours with new friends and old teammates. Then some of us chose to visit a local orphanage, an annual tradition for many members of the Robinson team.
The orphanage is run by two nuns from Spain who moved to Guatemala nearly 30 years ago with a vision to care for the most vulnerable and to fulfill their calling. What began as a small mission has grown, thanks in part to the Robinson team’s support, into a thriving home and school for 52 children. We were welcomed warmly and taken on a tour of their stunning grounds: classrooms, bedrooms, a theatre, two soccer fields, and a chapel that echoes with song and prayer. Outside, they’ve created a full farm, complete with goats, pigs, chickens, and a garden overflowing with avocados and mangoes. A pregnant horse walked quietly by as we listened to the sisters speak about their work. It was humbling, beautiful, and a powerful reminder that love, when nurtured with consistency and faith, truly transforms lives.
By evening, we returned to our hotel as the sun began to set. Some of our teammates were already heading to the airport, their flights departing late into the night. Final hugs were exchanged in the courtyard. More tears, more laughter. The rest of us regrouped for dinner and drinks, closing out our final night together with celebration, gratitude, and the glow of something truly special.
As the evening wound down, we reflected on the fullness of this week. It’s hard to put it all into words, but I’ll try.
This trip was more than a mission. It was a movement of hearts. It was an orchestra of compassion. Each station, each person playing their part to create something larger than themselves. From triage to pediatrics, ultrasound to education, mobility to pharmacy, and more—every role mattered. Every hand made a difference. And every soul showed up with grace, grit, and unwavering kindness.
The Robinson Team 860 was something rare. In just one week, we became more than a team, we became a family. We supported each other, leaned on each other, and lifted each other up through every challenge and triumph. There was a bond between us that I believe only service can create—the kind of connection forged not through comfort, but through purpose. Through giving.
As someone who had the chance to float between stations all week, I had a unique perspective. I got to see it all—from the exhausted smiles of doctors skipping lunch just to see one more patient, to the joyful tears of someone receiving their first pair of glasses, to the laughter of children chasing balls on the playground field within the clinic walls. I saw the big picture, and what I saw was beautiful.
To everyone on this team: thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice, your skill, your time, and your heart. Thank you for showing up fully, for each other, and for the patients who needed us. This week lit something in me that I know will never go out. As Cindy said last night, this trip “set her heart on fire” 20 years ago. And now, that fire burns in me too.
Though the bags are packed and the buses are leaving, this is not the end. The memories, the lessons, and the love we’ve shared will follow us long after the airport gates. And I hope—with all my heart—that I’ll have the chance to return and serve again with this team in the years to come.
Until then, I carry this experience forward with gratitude, humility, and a fire that will keep burning.
With all my heart,
Miya
