Day 4
Wednesday’s clinic was a blast, filled with countless small moments that added up to something much bigger. Teri opened our morning with a devotional that set the tone for the entire day. She shared the story of a man walking along a beach after a storm had washed thousands of starfish onto the shore. Ahead of him, he noticed a little girl picking them up one by one and tossing them back into the ocean.
“There are too many starfish,” he called out. “You’ll never make a difference.”
The little girl bent down, picked up another starfish, and gently threw it into the waves. “Well,” she replied, “I made a difference for that one. That simple story stayed with us all day.
It’s easy to look at the overwhelming needs in the world and wonder whether one person – or even one medical team – can really make a difference. But this week in Guatemala has reminded us that impact is not measured by how many lives we change all at once. It is measured one person, one family, one act of kindness at a time.
We are the little girl on the beach, and the beautiful people we are serving this week are our starfish. We may not be able to solve every problem or meet every need, but every patient who walks through our clinic doors matters. Every conversation, every treatment, every smile, every prayer, and every small act of compassion make a difference to someone.
One of our patients this week was an older gentleman with a leg amputated below the knee. He came to the clinic not because he was sick, but because the crutches he depended on every day were old, worn down, and far too short for his height. Something as simple as walking had become far more difficult than it needed to be.
Our physical therapists quickly got to work fitting him with a new pair of properly sized crutches. As he stood up and began walking with them, the difference was obvious. He left the clinic wearing a huge smile, equipped with something many of us would never think twice about but that will make every single day a little easier. One more starfish back in the water.
Our physical therapists quickly got to work fitting him with a new pair of properly sized crutches. As he stood up and began walking with them, the difference was obvious. He left the clinic wearing a huge smile, equipped with something many of us would never think twice about but that will make every single day a little easier. One more starfish back in the water.
Later that afternoon, clinic slowed just enough for families to relax outside the pharmacy while waiting for medications. Children played together, laughter filling the building.
Our pharmacist, Lyndsey C., noticed two young boys entertaining themselves while they waited. The younger one was absolutely thrilled to be covered from head to toe in tiny animal stickers, proudly showing them off with endless giggles. The older boy, however, had politely declined the stickers. They just weren’t his thing.
Then Lyndsey casually mentioned she had a soccer ball. His entire face transformed. Without hesitation, she handed it to him. The excitement was immediate. He hugged the ball tightly, grinning from ear to ear, already imagining the games he would play. His mother watched the interaction unfold and became visibly emotional, thanking Lyndsey repeatedly with tears in her eyes. For Lyndsey, it was a simple gift. For that little boy and his family, it was a moment of unexpected joy and generosity they’ll likely remember for years to come.
Sometimes making a difference looks like providing the right medical equipment. Sometimes it looks like medicine, therapy, or wound care. And sometimes it looks like a soccer ball finding exactly the right owner.
We wrapped up the clinic a little earlier than the previous two days, which gave everyone a welcome chance to rest before dinner. And what a dinner it was! Crispy fried chicken stuffed with melted cheese, a fresh garden salad, and cool house-made drinks awaited us back at the hotel. We have been thoroughly spoiled by the incredible food all week, and none of us are complaining. As we ate, the mariachi band returned to serenade us once again, providing the perfect soundtrack as we shared stories from another unforgettable day.
As we reflected on everything we had experienced, Teri’s devotional came back to mind. It is often the smallest moments that leave the deepest impression – the properly fitted crutches, the soccer ball, the stickers, the smiles, the conversations, the prayers.
None of those moments will make international headlines. But for the people who experienced them, they mattered.
Tomorrow is our final day of clinic, and we are excited to head back to the beach, one starfish at a time. We cannot wait to see who we will meet, what stories they will share, and how God will continue to remind us that even the smallest acts of love can make an eternal difference.
