Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 6

Well today was our last day of surgeries before we head back to Guatemala City, or at least it was supposed to be.  The day began the same - breakfast, devotions, and the team went off to work.  In the mean time, I started exercising to begin my day.  However, just a few minutes into my workout - Coleman came into the room and asked, "Are you working out?"  If I had been thinking, I would have replied (in my sweaty condition as I laid on the floor), "No, I was just laying here on the floor to see if it was cool - here's your sign."  No such luck.

Anyway, he came back in because his final patient - his only one for today - was cancelled because they would not allow the student to leave the school.  So we spent the morning doing inventory and preparing to leave.  The other team did 2 surgeries today, but by noon they also were finished.

The afternoon was spent walking up the mountain to the cross, shopping in the local market, and just hanging out together.  It was a relaxing time of rest and fellowship.  I think it was well deserved.  Tomorrow we head back to Guatemala City in the morning.

Thought for the day:  We are so blessed!  As we walked about the village, we noticed houses in disrepair, and people living in them.  The team, as always, is moved with compassion by what they saw.

However, the conversation turned as we walked to note the relational strength of the area. Families were hanging out together.  People were gathering in the street to talk and spend time together.  During the day, but especially at night, the people were not in their homes watching TV, they were talking, playing, laughing, or just sitting quietly together.

We may be blessed financially, but we have much to learn about true blessing.  Maybe the next time we have the opportunity to spend with our family and friends, maybe we should follow the example of our guests and seek to spend time together.