This past Sunday morning, a Caring Partners medical mission team returned from a time of service this Christmas season with our long-term ministry partner, Sembradores de Vida Church. At the prompting of the Church's pastor, Dr. Fernando Marroquin and his wife Schwanda, our team worked for the first time in a remote area in southwestern Guatemala, in the Department of Retalhuleu.
The Marroquins were first made aware of the need in Retalhuleu (Reu) by a family in their church. Two members of this family, Raul & Roberto, owned a cattle ranch in the area, and were burdened for the needs of the local people. In fact, one local man, Edu, had a tremendous influence on both Raul & Roberto coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
Edu worked on the cattle ranch, and due to a tragic accident, lost his arm. As Raul & Roberto frantically transported Edu to the hospital, they were amazed that Edu was praying for THEM the entire time! His grace & peace dealing with the loss of his arm deeply impacted both Raul & Roberto, and the men credit Edu's Christian testimony as playing a large part in their own acceptance as Christ as Savior.
On the first day of our clinic in Reu, the attendance was light - just under 150 patients. Our team found out that even though the free clinic was advertised among the local villages, the people were skeptical. But word spread, and each day of clinic, the crowds grew!
Many people came to our clinic with desperate physical needs. One young boy and his mother were patients of Nurse Katy Reuter and her assistant, Abby Wackerly. The boy had survived a terrible case of dengue hemorrhagic fever. He had "died" twice during his care at the area hospital, but was miraculously revived. He was in good spirits, but a trach tube had been inserted into his trachea during his recovery, and the family had been told that it was likely that no physician in Guatemala would take the risk to remove it. Katy was amazed at the excellent condition of the skin and surface surrounding the trach opening, and praised the young boy and his mother for their efforts in caring for this difficult condition. Please join Caring Partners in prayer as we investigate some treatment options for this boy. And, by God's grace, CPI's February medical mission team will transport some trach supplies to benefit this young boy's care.
Nurse Jenny Lalli and ophthalmologist Dr. Dan Love also saw a challenging case. A young man of 30 came to the clinic with the films of a scan he received which diagnosed a pituitary tumor. This condition was causing the young man to lose his vision rapidly, and so out of love for this man and his family, his entire village came together to raise the funds to have the scan performed at the area hospital. Dr. Love was able to confirm the diagnosis, and provide the man and Raul's local family with the information regarding a blood test needed to assist in his treatment. Pray for the Lord's mercy and healing for this young man!
All toll, our Caring Partners/Sembradores de Vida medical mission team treated 987 patients, and each one received a clear presentation of the Gospel message in our "Clinic of the Soul". And we praise the Lord for the 14 which made a public profession for Jesus Christ - to God be the glory!
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not."
Galations 6:9
