Now that I am back from the trip it has taken me a couple of days to digest what exactly happened and the impact it made on my life. Thinking back to last week it seems like a beautiful dream. There was no way to take in every tear and every smile, I would have been an emotional wreck if I had. Today is different, I can finally look back and shed some tears thinking of the way my small part played in the big picture.
I have taken these days back to really hone in on this amazing experience. I can still feel the suns heat kissing my skin and the breeze coming from the ocean a couple of blocks from the hospital. I see the little faces smiling before surgery and the mothers crying once their babies are back in their arms. I think of the amazing team of people who worked so humbly and hard to change lives and the great privilege I had to work alongside them. I think of the moments we had to troubleshoot and the moments we were able to relax when the babies were able to go home! Every memory makes me realize just how significant and impactful the work Austin Smiles does.
During this trip we evaluated 101 patients and operated on 52. I want to say thank you to everyone who played a part in making every smile happen. Without your contribution we would not be able to continue to create smiles and improve lives! Thank you for your support!
If you would like to support our next trip visit here: Guatemala City, Guatemala!
