This trip to Guatemala was my first mission trip (or any trip) outside of the States. To say the least, it was one of the most wonderful times of my life. Considering I am still a student (a 2nd year at that), I came into the week believing that I didn’t have much to offer to the therapists and children in the hospital; however, after the first day I realized that just being side by side with them was enough. Touching each child’s hands was in itself a simple act, but it was much more than that to me…it was seeing that these children needed love and by touching their hands, I was showing them that we loved them – love is a universal need each of us search for in our daily lives.
The most influential part of the trip for me was when Renee and I were treating a child named Cesar. The therapists in Guatemala explained that Cesar had little head control and he never rolled over or sat up. We decided to see what he could do so we grabbed toys with buttons to push, with music and lights to provide motivation for Cesar to complete such tasks. With some patience, time, and interesting toys, Cesar did many things he could never do before (sitting up, reaching for toys, rolling over, on hands and knees)! I learned that patience is a wonderful yet challenging skill that as a therapist, I must continue to develop. As we asked the Guatemalan therapists to try the treatment we had showed them, the looks on their faces were priceless when Cesar did the exact tasks he had done for Renee and me.
At the beginning of the week, I had made the analogy that the week was like Thanksgiving Dinner – many hours of preparation but only twenty minutes for the meal to be gone. Every one of us put so much time into preparing for this trip yet the week was over in a flash! I had no idea I would learn the lessons that I did in such a short time. This was my first Guatemalan mission trip and it will not be my last. This entire experience left me humbled yet hungry to return. The Guatemalans pressed a lasting image on my heart and when I left the country, I knew I would be back. I look forward to planning next year’s trip with the Belmont team and I hope and pray that our relationship with the people of Guatemala and The Shalom Foundation will grow stronger and will become “mucho bountiful.”
I want to thank all of you who supported me and for all of those who prayed for our mission team while we embarked on a journey to do God’s work for those in need. And to the team: I want to thank each of you for inspiring me to be the best therapist, student, and friend I can be. Each of you brought your own little something to this trip and I thank you for all the laughs, tears, and hard work that were shared between us.
~ Erin