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Operation San José, composed of twenty one volunteers, traveled to the highlands of Guatemala from February 5-13 of this year. As usual, the team brought all medicines, supplies and any needed equipment. Thirty patients, ranging in age from two months to twenty three years of age, received a total of approximately ninety procedures.

Most of the patients seen were of Mayan descent. Many of these indigenous families arrived at the Santa Elena National Hospital in Santa Cruz del Quiché by "chicken bus" after first walking long distances from remote mountainous villages. One of the many challenges faced during our trip was a language barrier. These Mayan Indian families speak various dialects, but not Spanish. We needed to engage interpreters to help us with this issue. 

The population of some of Mayan villages, which do not have schools or clinics, is heavily influenced by legends and superstitions. We are grateful to the parents for trusting us with their children in spite of rumors and misinformation that "foreigners", wanted to kidnap their children and/or steal their organs.

The group had completed what it thought was the  last case of the week and began packing everything inside medical trunks when Dr. Cronin, the Medical Director, announced that another young patient with a bilateral cleft lip and open palate had just arrived at the hospital and needed surgery. The team understood exactly what this meant, as the reason why they came to this country was to help the kids.  The surgical and anesthetic equipment was unpacked and the surgery proceeded with each professional volunteer doing his/her part to care for this little girl. No complaints were heard as team members embodied the mission statement of Operation San José, "every child deserves to face the world with a smile."

Bringing hope to the Mayan population was worth all the effort and challenges faced by our team.  Our team and hospital staff, as well as patients and families were all pleased with the results; the Hospital Director invited us to return to Guatemala to visit once again the Santa Elena Hospital. Dr. Patricia Azañon, who for the last twenty five years has been the Hospital’s SubDirector, recently expressed her appreciation to the team with the following statement: “I believe the experience of working with your team was very good. I have worked at this hospital for almost 25 years and have also collaborated in all the projects with mission groups from abroad. Throughout these years Operation San José has helped the most patients compared to other groups and yours was the most organized and supportive at our institution. Our staff was also very happy for the appreciation given them and we hope to have you back in the near future.”

We are indebted to Sister Rachel and Sister Francesa Kearns, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word who provided  initial contacts for Operation San José in Santa Cruz and at the Santa Elena Hospital, including Sisters Miriam Alicia Garcia and Sister Eileen Judge of the Hogar de Ancianos Sor Herminia, their nursing home facility in Santa Cruz del Quiché. We are also grateful to Cáritas Quiché for promoting our mission project among surrounding parishes and villages, and also to Agape in Action International for helping us facilitate the logistics of this trip.

Click here to view the 2011 Mission Trip video.