San Lucas 10 Year Anniversary Trip!

And so it begins again…

On Friday the advanced team arrived in Guatemala, two of the “original crew” are still part of the team!

Dr. John Alley has been part of the original Medical Missions Foundation team and has performed over 800 surgeries in San Lucas. But, if you consider all the lives he has improved and the lessons learned from all the volunteers, his impact has been much greater.  We thank Dr. Alley for his hard work and his love for the people of San Lucas Toliman. He even calls San Lucas his second home and measures his time through the lifespan of his own children. When he began volunteering, his youngest daughter was a toddler, and his oldest was a teenager. The youngest is now a teenager, and the oldest is newly married.

And so here I am, Carmen, a Guatemalan native that did not know humility and compassion until Medical Missions Foundation opened the door for me. This is my 10th year coordinating this mission.  For those of you who have followed my past years’ blogs, we have explored and learned together that this is a mission that goes beyond medical; it also touches the human soul and makes us appreciate how truly blessed we are. These missions have also introduced me to many “friends” from the many volunteers over the years who have helped to mold, teach, and make me a better person.

Today, Saturday, the rest of the team will arrive, and some of those “friends” are included. Josie Uecker is returning. She is very special to me as she continues to be a mentor to me and is still showing me the ropes! Her humility goes beyond. I know that her friends in San Lucas are happy to host her back! It’s a special treat for her this year too as she comes back to experience this magical time of service with her daughter Grace, who along with Savana, will be our blogger/photographers for the mission. We look forward to experiencing this fantastic week ahead through their eyes – fresh and new.

This year, there are new volunteers and many who have returned after attending this mission several times. We all look forward to the opportunity to serve a cause that fuels a passion to volunteer and share medical talents while providing Health for Guatemala.

I hope you will follow the San Lucas team’s 2019 journey this week and feel the energy that is building up from these wonderful people that are your Medical Missions Foundation’s volunteers! Without them, there would be no life-changing stories, no legacy, and no patients with new and better lives ahead.

Thank you to the Rudolphs, Rachel, Lisa, Pepper, Kelly, Terri, The Millers, Christopher, Anna, Savana, Katie, Michelle, Dee, Madhuri, John, Grace, Josie, Patty, and Medical MIssions very own Sulamita with whom the mission volunteers have the pleasure to share more than an email or a phone call with on this mission.

On behalf of Guatemala and San Lucas, thank you…and por favor come back!

#MedMissionsFDN #HealthforSanLucas #HealthforGuatemala #Healthfortheworld