Saturday, January 10, 2015

Giving Thanks

This is our last day in Guatemala and I have to say that it is a little sad.  As we went through Panajachel and listen to music it made me think how blessed I am to go on this trip.  We watched people’s faces as the as the truck passed them.  I see some sad faces, some happy ones even children running happily to their mom.  It reminded me of the people who came to the clinic.  Some were happy and others not so happy.  Some were in very good health with no stress while others’ health was declining because of their stressful situations.

One event that really made me think about this trip was an elderly lady that Dr. Richard saw. She was having issues with her blood pressure and a few nose bleeds.  After Dr. Richard diagnosed her and instructed for her to take her blood pressure medication, I went to pray with her.  As I was praying a Catholic prayer, she was praying with me.  After I was done, she started to cry and told God thank you for her problems and giving her solutions to them.  Thanking God that we were able to come to Guatemala, along with me accompanying her as she prayed.  As she was praying, I was thinking that I hardly did anything and that Dr. Richard was the one working to find a diagnosis.  After she was done praying, I asked her why she prayed at the same time as I did. She said it was a custom to pray and asked God to bless me while I was praying.  At that moment I knew why I was supposed to come to Guatemala.  

That moment with the elderly lady made me think if I pity the people in Guatemala and I don’t.  Every county struggles in different ways.  I admire them and the way the take life, because at one point during the trip I was really sad that we were leaving soon.  I was thinking what they will do for the next year.  How will they take care of themselves and how will they survive.  When that lady was praying, God was showing me that everyone will be fine in Patanatic. That was his job to take of the people in Guatemala because it was his job. With their faith in God they will make it to the next year.  I admire how strong these people are and even though they have a lot of stress, they do what they have to do because it was the life that God gave them.  For that reason they have helped me more than they know.  It was a great privileged to be able to go on this trip and I will take these moments and the memories with me for the rest of my life.


Ashley Carter

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