A different village today, with a bigger school where we could hold clinic. Each clinic had its own room, which were cleaner than Nimina (less dust, as San Marcos is not as remote). I worked in the lab today and learned how to say “Please pee in this cup and bring it back here ( Por favor orine in esta vasa and regreselo aqui)” and “I need to take a little blood from your finger (Necesito tomar un poquito sangre de su dejo).” Although now that I’m writing this I think I said all day to hundreds of people “I need to touch a little blood from your finger.” Oh well.
Again, so many people, probably over 600, and so much need and so many heartbreaking stories. A 7 year old in a body cast whose mother toted him on her back, a child whose family did not have enough money to pay for transportation to the clinic – we are the closest clinic that is free, and it was still over an hour by bus for them – but one of our local nurses asked the country’s security who accompany us (that’s how it works in Guatemala, groups from outside the country going into more remote areas and accompanied by national or local police) if they would pick up the boy on their way to meet us at the clinic, and the men graciously agreed. People are so happy to see us, a sign at the school read in English for us: “WELCOME! Thank you for offering your help and caring for our welfare.” Many of us ask the question, with so much need how can we possibly help in the long run? Is what we are doing just a drop in the bucket? And, how do we not get discouraged when we leave and there is so much left undone? One of the physicians who has been to Guatemala for many many years says this: I do what’s in front of me. I do what I can, because I know I can’t do everything.
It reminded me that when Jesus was on the earth, he did not heal everybody, he healed those who came before him, and even more importantly, taught his friends how to heal and how to love. We do what we can as human beings, and in the midst of doing what we can, with the gifts and skills God gives us, we teach others as we care for them to love and to heal. So then they love and do what they can, and that’s how it spreads. We do what we can, as much as we can, and with our lives we show others how to do the same.
