It’s in the simple moments

From the short amount of time I have been in Guatemala, I’ve experienced heartwarming moments and love from the patients, medical team and my peers. It’s truly amazing to see how this community works and I appreciate every moment I’m here. I was nervous when we first arrived, especially for clinic, but once we started to get patients and seeing how grateful they were to see us completely alleviated my nerves.

On my second day of clinic I had triage and shadowed pediatrics. A highlight about my day was great conversation with older gentleman I was taking vital signs from. He excitedly asked me about me and what my future goals were. I was reminded of my grandma while talking to him and the hopes and dreams she has for me. I was emotional to picture my grandma in his situation. He had high blood pressure but takes no medication because he was unsure what to take. My grandma also has high blood pressure but has the resources to manage it so she can stay healthy. It was difficult to understand that he was not the only one that needed more access to healthcare. Although he was only one person, being able to help him and see him get the doctor visit he deserved makes me hope for a world where there is health equity. 

I am incredibly thankful to be here and be able to share great conversations with people. So far, I have seen the joy and smiles on every person getting healthcare from the getting new glasses to reassurance for parent caring for their children. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip brings. 

Wendy Luna