By Stephanie Rincon, Sales Support Specialist, AMN Healthcare, Irving, TX
I helped build my first stove today -- what an amazing experience! They say you never forget your first stove. I am not sure what made it so memorable: the mother, Isabel, offering me her brother in marriage, or that she took the rosary from around her neck and put it around mine, warmly thanking me with a hug and kiss. It was an experience and special moment that I will treasure forever.
Isabel is the mother of two for whom we built the stove. Little did she know that I was more grateful for the experience than she could ever be for the stove. She didn’t have much but offered my fellow team members and me everything she could think of.
Today I also witnessed dozens of people lined up to receive medical treatment. There are so many wonderful medical staff that are here, giving their time to come and help the Guatemalans. It's unbelievable to see all of them in action. In fact there are more than 100 amazing people here, giving their time. Each person plays such an important role.
I cannot put into words what this trip has meant to me; I am truly grateful and blessed for the amazing opportunity that AMN and HELPS International has afforded me.
I walked through a corn field, crossed (and fell in) a river, almost got married, and I would do it all over again! Did I mention that this was just Day 1 in the field? Tomorrow I get to help the medical team!
Go, Team Esperanza!
By Josh Welch, Recruiting Consultant, AMN Healthcare, Sunset Hills, MI
It’s hard to comprehend the cultural differences in Guatemala. Young kids tend the family shops, dogs freely roam the streets, and cows, sheep and other livestock feed right alongside the road. It’s a stunning green landscape with communities full of makeshift houses and vacant buildings. The hillside are graced with beautiful colors that make for an incredible view. The residents always seem to be on the move; men herding their animals, women carrying baskets on their heads, and kids tagging along for every family affair.
The reality of being in Guatemala is difficult to comprehend when one is passing through aboard bus. The true sense of the country sets in as you walk towards the hospital and see a long line of locals waiting their turn to see a physician or receive medical treatment. Your mission becomes a little clearer with each passing moment, and you finally understand why you’re in this foreign country. For many Guatemalans, medical service is not an option; it’s a luxury seldom received. Thanks to help of AMN and the vision of Helps International, these deserving people will have an opportunity that so many of us often take for granted.
Stay tuned as we explore the nearby communities on our stoving missions.