Personal Reflection from Emily Gilliland

emily.jpgEvery time I go out of the country I come back with a renewed spirit and blessed in so many ways. This trip to Guatemala has been no different. It is hard to put into words the many things God showed me throughout the week. It never fails that God is going to humble me everytime I go on a mission trip. When we began planning this trip I was a little nervous for a couple of reasons: 1) We weren’t real sure what we would be doing and 2) because I am a 1st year I am still lacking a lot of knowlegde on how to treat a patient and am not very confident yet in what I do know. However, once we got down there God took care of the nerves and reminded me that He chose us to go for a reason and would use us in a mighty way (even me, a 1st year).
Walking through neighborhoods of extreme poverty, hearing stories of abuse and murders, and seeing patients in the hospital who had been abandoned by their family brings tears to my eyes. But when I see the joy in the smiling faces of the children and am mobbed by hugs from children excited because I came to their country to visit them, it brings JOY to my heart!
Through this trip I realized that even though I may not have the skills of the 2nd and 3rd years, God can still use me to love on the the children and families of Guatemala, all I have to do is simply show up and He will do the rest!
“Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope for.”
Thank you to all who made this trip possible through leadership, donations, or prayer.
Emily