Trip By: Impact Ministries USA
Location: Guatemala, Central America
When: Customizable: Feb-Oct 2019
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Impact Ministries has custom eye care short-term missions trips for optometrists, opthamologists, and other health care professionals
God wants to use YOU!!! He is inviting YOU to an experience like no other. A short-term mission trip will cause you to:
Be stretched…
experience the rich cultures of the Central American Spanish and Indigenous people.
Be used …
work under difficult and primitive conditions on Christian Schools, churches and medical teams.
Be humbled…
feel the pain as you serve and assist people who suffer under oppressive and relentless poverty.
Be fruitful…
Walk in the power of God’s Spirit and minister to people in ways that will surprise you.
Why?
God wants you to be the hands and feet of Christ. He wants to use you to show the people of Guatemala His “Father” heart in a tangible way. Your participation in evangelism efforts, ministry opportunities and work projects will reflect the compassion of Jesus to people who have physical, emotional and spiritual needs. These efforts will bear much fruit in God’s Kingdom.
WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IN GUATEMALA?
Participants should understand that this experience is not a holiday. It will consist of many enjoyable experiences and activities; however, our primary focus is to be a “missionary” and to give of ourselves to the people of Guatemala.
EYE CARE CLINIC
Impact Ministries’ primary long-term goal is to assist in the development of Christian Education as a means to disciple a generation for Christ. The medical and dental clinic that is attached to our main campus provides care for our students, their families, and others in the communities where we serve. There are typically 4 to 5 clinic days where patients are pre-scheduled based on need. The patient load is matched to the number of medical professionals on the team.
There will be Guatemalans translators and two Guatemalan nurses working alongside the team in the clinic. They are a hard working people. They are thrilled and encouraged when we come and provide the supplies and equipment that are needed for these eye care clinics. The eye care provided is virtually unattainable for families living at a subsistence level. To them, it is a tremendous blessing when they see our love in such a tangible way.
Medical Clinic trip video – https://vimeo.com/78531967
HOME VISITS
While in Guatemala, you will be given the opportunity to visit the homes of children in our schools. If you have a sponsor child, we will make every effort to connect you with your child and take you to their home. If you don’t have sponsors on your team, we will select needy families for your team to visit.
HOSPITAL VISITATION
While in Guatemala, your team will have the opportunity to visit a public hospital. We will visit the children in the Pediatric Ward as well as the new moms and babies in the Maternity Ward. This is often a stretching experience for team members, but it is always a huge blessing to those we visit.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Your team will also be visiting some, if not all of our schools, our medical clinic and possibly a number of churches. All of these activities are designed to give you a picture of the people we are serving here in Guatemala and also to allow you to bless those working with Impact Ministries.
SIGHTSEEING
The team will take time for several “tourist” activities. We will catch a glimpse of the amazing history of Latin America, see the natural wonder of the country, experience the culture as we barter in the market and take photos of unusual sights.
DAILY DEBRIEFS
Most days we will have a short time of group devotions. This will provide opportunity for de-briefing and serve to bring us closer as a team. Our schedule will be full, and often by the end of the day everyone is tired. However, these times of prayer and sharing are essential to provide a cohesive factor to the team and give an avenue for team members to connect their experience with decisions that will affect their future.
WHAT IS THE CLIMATE LIKE IN GUATEMALA?
The climate in Guatemala is interesting in that it is quite varied depending on the altitude. In the coastal lowlands it is extremely hot and humid; however, Tactic is located in the higher altitudes, where the temperatures are comfortable year-round. More specifically, March and April are generally quite warm while the rest of the year tends to be cooler with showers. Team members will need to bring a light summer jacket for the cool evenings and lots of sunscreen for the hot afternoons. It is a good idea to pack some clothing for the extremely hot climate but also pack for the cooler and more comfortable temperatures.