Mr. & Mrs. P.M.S.: Guatemala Trip: The Purpose

Monday, May 14, 2012

Guatemala Trip: The Purpose

Peter's dad began going on these humanitarian trips to Central America while Pete was on his mission. I would always hear about them when I visited his family and they sounded so neat. I really had always wanted to do some type of humanitarian work in South America or somewhere similar and when I heard about this group I wanted to go. I was going to try and go just before Pete got home from his mission but his dad told me to wait for Pete and we could go together after he came home. That seemed like a bad idea for obvious reasons, since I wasn't positive that things would work out between us, but I ended up not going because of other reasons anyway.

So Pete and I started saving for this trip long ago and were very excited to have our turn since many of Pete's family members have been and we have heard a lot about what a neat experience it always is.

The group that we went with, called Smiles for Central America, goes every six months to somewhere in Central America where they set up in a local LDS Church building and see hundreds of young men and women who desire to serve missions for the church but have difficulty completing the paperwork that the church requires--mainly the medical and dental work.

Pete and I on our way to the church for our first day at the clinic!

Pete and his uncle Mike

So with the help of the local leaders in Guatemala (and surrounding countries) we set up in a church just outside of Guatemala City and got to help 737 future missionaries prepare to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

(This one's for you Aunt Deby!!)

Me with the area authority's wife, Sister Martino

Pete with the youngest, coolest and most humble Stake President from Honduras

A future missionary, indeed! This little boy was there with his dad (a local leader).

This organization has been operation for around 10 years and this was their 20th trip I believe. They figure that during this most recent trip they reached a total of 5,000 missionaries they have helped! I think this was the largest group of future missionaries they have ever seen on a trip.