Moments from the Field:
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining a U.S.-based medical team to serve in rural communities in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
It is always such a gift to work alongside medical professionals from my own culture who come here simply to love, serve, and invest in the place I now call home.
Each evening, we gathered to debrief—sharing testimonies and “God sightings,” those unmistakable moments where His presence was clear. It was incredible to hear not only how the communities were impacted, but how deeply the experience was shaping each member of our team.
I want to share a few of those moments with you.
A Hard Moment of Grief
At our first clinic site, a young mother came in already sensing something wasn’t right. She shared that she had miscarried earlier this year, and was now five weeks pregnant again—but she had begun bleeding.
With a compassionate and skilled team, our sonographer gently confirmed what she feared: she was actively miscarrying.
There are no easy moments like that.
No one wants to receive that news.
And no one wants to be the one to give it.
We sat with her and carefully walked through what was happening, how to care for herself, what warning signs to watch for, and when to seek further medical help.
This moment was a hard one.
I found myself quietly trying to hide my own growing belly as we talked.
We talked.
We cried.
Sometimes mobile clinics mean catching something early, or treating a painful infection, or pulling a troublesome tooth.
And sometimes… medically, there isn’t much we can do.
But prayer is powerful.
And presence matters.
I gathered a few of the mothers from our team, and we came alongside her to pray.
While many of these prayers didn’t share a common language—but in that moment, it didn’t matter.
Love, grief, and compassion spoke clearly enough.
Taking the time to be present is so valuable.
A Moment of Joy Restored
While the last story left our hearts feeling heavy, this one helped restore our joy.
Another mom from our first community came in for a simple check-up. She was hoping to find out whether her baby was a boy or a girl, and just to make sure everything was okay.
We learned that in this community, the local health center does have limited access to ultrasounds—and every mom is receiving vitamins. What a win for the community!
At the same time, we were reminded that, like in so many places, the health center is overwhelmed.
With so many patients to care for, visits can feel rushed and, at times, a bit impersonal. This young mom had already had an ultrasound, but she didn’t know the baby’s gender, her due date, or really any details about what had been seen.
So, we showed her.
I will never get tired of moments like that—the pure, unmistakable joy on her face as she saw her baby clearly for the first time. When the tiny heartbeat appeared, it felt like time stood still as we all watched together.
It never stops being miraculous.
Taking the time to share with her- to be present with her, it matters!!!
***image shared with permission***
Seen, Heard, and Sent Forward in Courage
A woman came in to our other location with a lump in her breast. She had already been evaluated by our medical team, and this final patient I helped care for is one who has stayed on the minds and hearts of many of us.
She was first seen by one of our incredible doctors and medical students before coming to our sonographer for a scan. She had found a lump in her breast, and through her history, examination, and ultrasound, everything pointed toward the same difficult concern.
After speaking with her initial care team, we stepped aside to gently walk through what this would mean for her.
With mobile clinics, there are limitations. We can’t bring large diagnostic equipment like a mammogram machine, so follow-up care would need to happen locally—or about an hour away, where she could access specialists and the proper testing to confirm a diagnosis.
But in that moment, the logistics almost felt secondary. The weight of fear had already begun to settle in. Everyone fears the “C word.”
So yes, it was important to explain next steps. But it was just as important to sit with her in the emotions of it all. Honestly, I needed that too.
One thing we held onto was this: even in the middle of fear, God was with her.
He had already shown His provision by bringing this mobile clinic right to her town. While we couldn’t fully treat her here, we could see her, hear her, and help her understand that now was the time to act.
In this second community, ultrasounds aren’t readily available.
To get one requires about an hour’s travel and a referral to a specialist—costing around 400 quetzales or more. When you’re feeding your family on half that (or less) each week, it’s incredibly difficult to justify seeking care when you “just feel a little off.”
She likely would have waited. And waited. Hoping it might go away.
And with something like this, time is precious.
But instead, God brought care to her doorstep—so she would know, now, that it was time to begin this journey, hard as it may be.
And so we began it with prayer.
I invited another woman from the team to join us, and together we prayed over her. There were many tears. This is a heavy story—but even in the heaviness, it is woven with hope and provision.
She was seen. She was heard. And she now knew it was time to act.
Taking this time to be present matters.
An Unexpected Reunion: Dora
In the middle of a busy clinic, in a town I had never even visited before, I received an incredible surprise.
I saw Dora. 💛
Dora has been one of Hope for Home’s sponsored children for over 8 or 10 years. I first met her toward the beginning of that time, when she was just 14 years old and I was serving with our rural village ministry team. From the start, she left a deep impression on every one of us.
At just 14, Dora was living with severe scoliosis and had been told by doctors that her condition might take her life before she reached adulthood. And yet—her faith was stronger than that of many adults I’ve known.
Every time we visited, she would share how good God had been to her and her family. Her joy was steady. Her trust was unwavering.
Her family loves her deeply and cares for her beautifully, and Dora, in turn, encouraged everyone around her with her faith. Their family stands out as one of the most unified and connected we’ve seen.
Dora also holds a special place in Wanda’s heart (our director’s wife), who would send her science study pages because Dora couldn’t attend school—but absolutely loved to learn.
I knew the ministry was still visiting Dora over the years, but I haven’t been part of that team for some time now. So to run into her—completely unexpectedly, in the middle of a busy clinic—filled me with so much joy.
The reason she and her family were there made the moment even more meaningful.
They had lost electricity the night before, which meant her oxygen hadn’t been running. Yet incredibly, her oxygen levels were still stable without it overnight. They came into town together because there was no point in her staying home in those conditions.
I don’t know exactly what she saw the doctors for that day—but I do know who cared for her, and I know she was deeply loved in that encounter as well.
I also had the chance to talk with her mom, sharing encouragement back and forth—another gift I didn’t expect that day.
I couldn’t help but think of all the times we had sat together in their home, talking about Christ.
To see her again, in a place I never expected, felt like such a sweet reminder of God’s faithfulness.
Even in these friendship reunion moments, being present matters!
Knowledge That Changes a Lifetime
Okay—this one is actually for everyone… but especially for the men. So. Men. don’t check out on this one!!!
A 15-year-old girl came in with a simple concern: she had cramps during her period.
That was it.
(Stick with us men!)
Nothing unusual. Nothing medically alarming. She was just scared—because no one had ever told her that cramps can be a normal part of menstruation.
That stopped me in my tracks.
How does a young woman reach 15 years old without knowing the basics of her own body?
The truth is… it happens all the time. Because “that’s women’s stuff.”
In many places, menstruation isn’t talked about—especially not in front of men. And when leadership, decision-making, and education systems are often led by men, it means these topics don’t even make the list of what’s considered important to teach.
This isn’t some intentional plan to hold women back—it’s simply the result of not realizing that women’s health is everyone’s health.
Our ignorance is devastating however, and we can do better!!
So I had the privilege of sitting down with her and walking through it all.
We talked about the menstrual cycle—what’s normal and what’s not.
We talked about what “heavy” bleeding actually means, and when symptoms move from uncomfortable to concerning.
We talked about things so many women here are never told—things I’ve seen grown women come in anxious and afraid about, only to find out what they were experiencing was completely normal for the life season they were in.
We even talked about how nutrition and daily habits can affect how she feels throughout her cycle- a topic that is NEVER taught.
And as I taught her, I couldn’t help but think about all the other women we had seen—so many carrying fears and questions alone for years, simply because these things aren’t talked about.
This young woman doesn’t have to carry that.
This was my favorite moment because there was no treatment needed.
No diagnosis. No big medical intervention.
Just simple, foundational knowledge.
And it made a difference.
This one girl now understands what happens in her body every month.
At 15, she understands.
At 25, she will still understand.
At 35 and 40, she will understand.
She now knows what is normal—and what is not.
She won’t carry the same unnecessary fears we’ve seen in so many others.
She is empowered with knowledge about her own body.
And that is powerful.
We can do this for so many more! Husbands, learn your wives cycles! Fathers and brothers, learn how to be a place your daughter and sister is safe coming to with her fears!!
You can be that safe person, even with “women’s stuff”.
Moms, Aunts, everyone else- make these conversations welcome– safe for everyone to hear- men and women, so that nobody feels alone and afraid with their fears.
Because when we are present, the impact is profound!!! Let’s be present at all moments God gives us!
Conclusion: More Than Medicine
These stories are not just about medical care.
They are about presence.
About being seen and heard.
About moments of grief, joy, fear, and hope.
About education, dignity, and compassion.
Sometimes we bring solutions.
Sometimes we bring clarity.
Sometimes we can only bring ourselves—and lift someone up in prayer.
But every single moment matters.
Every person matters.
And over and over again this week, I was reminded that God meets people right where they are—in a clinic, in a hard diagnosis, in a moment of joy, in a long-awaited reunion, in a simple conversation that brings understanding.
It is a privilege to witness it.
It is a privilege to be part of it.
And I am so grateful. 💛
