Day Three | Guatemala 2026

Day Three: Monday, March 23, 2026 ⎸ Surgery Day 1

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” - Philippians 2:1-4

This scripture started our day. Our goal today was to remember and respond. Jesus Christ’s coming gives us the opportunity and posture to respond with active hands and feet. 

Surgery Day 1

Walking to the hospital each day has been magnificent!  Bright magenta, fuchsia, and purple bougainvillea flowers are everywhere. Moto and car traffic fills the streets, unlike yesterday when the streets were closed for the Semana Santa processions. Agua, another volcano, towers behind the city buildings in the beautiful morning sunshine, and children make their way to school, filling the courtyards. 

The Obras hospital was already busy with clinics, recovering patients, and its ER when we arrived at 7am. Multiple flower gardens in courtyards grace this open-air hospital. It’s been incredible to watch the entire Hope in Motion team transform chaos into creative problem-solving teamwork in this foreign environment. Each person, an integral piece of this puzzle, comes together in a flurry of activity as organized chaos gives way to the art of caring and healing. Our instrument room guru works with our ZimmerBiomet reps to locate, organize & direct these generously donated implant parts and supplies to the correct operating room, surgeon, patient & procedure. 

By lunchtime, some patients have progressed through their initial recovery in the PACU, post-anesthesia care unit, to the large group patient Salas. Family joins each patient, and physical therapy begins the next step in each patient’s healing. After surgery, they are walking within hours of their procedure. The gratitude we see is humbling.

One of our hip patients, Alejandro, is 28 years old. She is here with her 75-year-old grandmother, who has pledged to be by her side during this procedure and recovery. Four years ago, Alejandro devoted herself to her grandmother’s care as she was going through radiation and chemotherapy for cancer. Their bond is sweet through suffering and recovery. “God is the head Doctor,” her grandmother wisely encouraged.  “I pray for you. I see love in your hearts because you are here.” 

Today, in six operating rooms, our team completed 17 knee, 4 hip, and 8 foot and ankle cases.

Two concluding observations: First, the Guatemalan people are happy, grateful, long-suffering, and joyful. Second, the HIM team truly enjoys difficult problem-solving and collaborating with each other. God is good.

—

Julie Berend

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