His power is made perfect in my weakness(es)...

In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul asked God to remove the "thorn in his flesh." God replied to him, "My grace is enough for you, because My power is made perfect through your weakness."
Several times on this trip, we have made mistakes. We are human. Imperfect, mistake-prone, and sometimes, just plain dumb. Because of this, some patients who we have seen this week have been asked to return to Clinica Ezell in November when the next eye surgery team is scheduled to travel down.
One such patient thought he would be able to have his cataract removed yesterday. For one reason or another, he didn't have the cataract removed, but instead, we will be coming back in November for another surgery.
Why did this happen? Why couldn't we remove his cataract and improve his vision? Only one person knows for sure, and it's His will that will be done because we are weak.
One of the nurses and I prayed for this patient last night before we went to bed. We asked for God's power to allow this man to see better than he could prior to the surgery and even asked for Him to allow his cataract to improve until it could be removed in November.
This morning, we removed the patch from the eye we operated on. Thankfully, objectively, his vision was no worse than before the surgery and subjectively, the man told us his vision was better! He was happy! From my point of view, at least part of my prayer had been answered...
Another thought on why this may have happened... What if, in this encounter with the ministry of HTI, The Seed was planted. This Seed is God's love, mercy, peace, and grace with which he has blessed His children. What if, in November when he returns to the clinic, he is ready to confess Christ as his Savior and puts on The Lord in baptism? Could that be a reason this happened?
Of course, none of us know why we made this mistake. But I do know one thing: Because of us, this man has another opportunity to encounter the love, mercy, peace, and grace of our Lord this November. His blessings have allowed us to travel here to minister to His creation, His power is made perfect in our weakness -- in the U.S., in Guatemala, and everywhere we go...

God bless you all...

Mardee O'Donnell

Gregorio

This is my first time in Guatemala, my first time on a mission trip and only my second time outside of the US. I am here as a translator. Before I came I was a little frightened as to whether or not my spanish speaking would be worthy of anything other than "how are you?" and "where is the bathroom?" It has been thirteen years since I took a spanish class and four years since I spoke it with any regularity. I was really hoping that it would be like riding a bicycle and if not that hand motions and other people's ability to speak spanish and english would suffice for my rudimentary skills. I needn't have worried.
At the clinic we treat patients who cannot see out of one or both eyes because of cataracts. Some have pterygiums. One little girl had been hit when a melon fell on her. He eye was so damaged that she lost her sight and it was irrepairable. She came with her mother and showed gratitude to God even though the result was not what she had hoped it would be. In fact everyone who comes to the clinic is so gracious and understanding. They have been laughing at me when I correct my spanish or say something a little awkwardly. They have been helping me!
They come to the clinic from far away. They come here by chicken bus, walking, or by car. One women started her trip to the clinic at four in the morning! They come to the clinic and then they wait. They wait in our waiting room for hours, standing, sitting on chairs, sitting on steps, never on the floor. They wait patiently for their turn with the doctor and show gratitude to God no matter the outcome.
On the first day things get a little crazy. The doctor is operating on today´s patients, while the rest of the staff starts taking a patient history, doing vision checks, eye pressure checks and dilating eyes for tomorrow´s patients. The first patient arrived and everyone was waiting to see who would help him. I decided it was time to sink or swim with my spanish!
Gregorio and his wife came to the clinic because he could see cloudy in one eye and nothing in the other. He clearly had a cataract and was a good candidate for surgery. Throughout the day I spoke with Gregorio and his wife, despite my ability to understand or speak well. She told me he had trouble hearing and asked if there was anything we could do about that. After telling someone (and writing it in his chart) that he had trouble hearing with his eyes, everyone started laughing. I decided it best then to have someone else explain to them that we only work on eyes.
Gregorio´s wife had to return to their town. They thought he wouldn't go home until Tuesday and when I told him that I thought he would go home Monday he became very nervous because he didn't know his number and was afraid he wouldn´t be able to reach his wife. I reassured him that we would find it and we would call her to make sure she came to get him. Gregorio has two kids, a boy and a girl, like me. He is 85 years old. He has grandchildren and a wonderful heart. During the day Sunday he kept telling me he was afraid, but he knew God was good and would take care of him. He was also telling me something else, but I could make it out. Finally, Gustavo told me what he was saying. Gregorio, an 85 year old man from a small town in Guatemala who lived through civil unrest and changes that I can't imagine, who has been married for almost 70 years and who is kind and sweet had been fasting and praying for three days about the operation. God answered his prayers and he was grateful.
On Monday we spoke many times and had many laughs. We did get a hold of his wife and she and his daughter came to bring him home. He left smiling and praising God. He touched my heart and I touched his.This is why I am here.

Family Tradition

Dee Anderson

This is my second trip to Guatemala, but my first surgical trip. I am in charge of sterilzing the surgical instrumentsthis time around. Today, July 24,I was priviledged to watch Dr. Larry Patterson remove a cateract from a man's eye and give him the hope of seeing better. It was fascinating and I learned how some of those instruments I've been washing are used.

I have been seeing my husband, Alfred, come down to Clinica Ezell and before that to Chocola for a number of years now. His desire to serve the Lord has grown and his skills have increased in the areas of sterilzing surgical instruments and being a general handyman. Now I have begun my own journey with the Heath Talents family following in my husbands' footsteps. Because my husband farms and I teach school, we can't come on the same surgical trips. But if he continues to come on his trips and I come on mine, maybe this will become a family tradition! I certainly hope so.

You can't come herewithout seeing the power of our Lord at work. It is an experience that will change your life in ways that can't be explained. Let me encourage you to volunteer to come. Share your time. Learn a skill, share a smile, give a hug. Read about all the different programs Health Talents offers and see what you and your family can do to participate. Blessings will flow because you did.

HTI Eye Surgery Clinic - July 21-28, 2007

My name is Gustavo Prato, this is the first time that I have participated in a Surgery Clinic in Guatemala with Health Talents International. We are in the Ezell clinic in Montellano doing eye surgery and helping people with different eye problems but mainly with cataracts. I am working primarily as the chaplan of the group, doing devotionals, encouraging the team to keep a spiritual focus in the midst of the phisical healing nature of the mission, and also praying and comforting the patients that come to be treated.
We have been in the clinic for two full days and what an experience has it been! It is so gratifying to participate in the type of healing ministry that Jesus did while He was among us. Most patients come with poor or very bad eyesight and the leave the clinic seeing and rejoicing because they have been healed. The verses that I think describe this work is what we read in Luke 4: 18,19 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor. He sent me to tell prisioners that they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. He sent me to free those who have been treated badly and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show His kindness". Jesus was saying this about himself, it was part of His mission and now we can be a part of it, that is exciting and a privilege as well. I had the opportunity to preach on Sunday morning and to teach a class to a group of men from the same congregation which has been gratifying as well. We will be here until Friday morning, and I just want to ask you to pray for us while we minister to the people in Guatemala.