Another Perspective

Rotaplast missions, like life, become whatever you make of them. I came to Guatemala for adventure, and to help people. This trip has evolved into so much more.

The medical people who have accompanied us are such compassionate, dedicated individuals. They give up two weeks of their precious time to help children and families they will never see again. All in the hopes of making the world a better place. Most have done these missions many, many times. Doctors, nurses, speech pathologist, and dentists use their combined talents to fix what fate and environment have created. They are the type of people you hope your children become. To give, and ask nothing in return, is how this world is supposed to work.

To give a child a normal life is a beautiful thing. The parents, who somehow know the possibilities we provide, have come from far away. They have no way to pay for these operations, and most never will. They smile at us, even though deep inside they are frightened. Small people, mostly under nourished and uneducated, who place their trust in the doctors from the United States. It is a big responsibility, and a special privilege to be able to help them.

We will come away from this trip changed. We have learned a lot about each other, the people we are helping, and the people helping us make this possible. As we step through this journey, doors open. New people appear, and they are wonderful. What we are doing here seems trivial to us, but it is a god send to the people we serve. The new friends we have each made will be remembered a lifetime. I will miss them.

I hope God will give me the strength, and the opportunity, to do this again. What started out as an obligation has turned into an adventure. I have laughed; I have cried; I have worked hard, and I have enjoyed myself immensely. While I miss my family, I would not trade this experience for anything. Thank you to everyone on our team for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful experience.

Paul