Ariadna Waleska Perez Tash, a 7-year-old girl from Santa Catarina Palopó, presented with a 24-hour history of fever. On physical examination, she was found to have a high fever, raising concern for an underlying infection. During her visit, she received an antipyretic injection in the clinic to help reduce the fever.

During further evaluation to identify the source, she reported bilateral flank pain and a burning sensation during urination. A urine dipstick test revealed positive nitrates, supporting the diagnosis of a urinary tract infection (UTI). She was treated with antipyretics and antibiotics, and close follow-up was arranged to monitor her progress.

Five days after initiating treatment, we contacted her family again and were pleased to learn that her improvement had been significant. Ariadna was afebrile and in good general condition, and her family felt reassured knowing that she had received timely and appropriate medical care.

Luis Humberto Ochoa lives in the Agrarian Community of La Bendición, in San Miguel Pochuta, Chimaltenango. He is the father of five children and earns a living selling cacao and chocolate to support his family. For nearly nineteen years, he lived with a mass beneath his ear that continued to grow over time and caused constant pain. Although he underwent some medical tests, he was unable to access surgery due to limited financial resources. His condition worsened to the point that he could no longer sleep on that side. Over the years, a second, smaller mass appeared, increasing his concern.

His situation changed when he connected with the International Esperanza Project and the medical mission held in San Felipe, Retalhuleu. With the support of the medical and patient care teams, he was evaluated and successfully operated on. The surgery lasted approximately three and a half hours, and although his initial recovery was slow, his progress was positive. Follow-up studies confirmed that both tumors were benign.

Today, Luis is free of pain, able to sleep normally, and has returned to work. He is deeply grateful to God and to everyone who made his recovery possible, restoring not only his health, but also his peace, dignity, and hope.

Heysel Anyeli Priscila Pinzón Rivera, a 9 year old girl, presented to the clinic in Santa Apolonia on March 9th with an 8 day history of left foot pain after sustaining a fall while jumping from furniture. Immediately after the injury, her father took her to a local traditional healer, who manipulated the foot, applied a bandage, and reassured them that she would recover. Despite continued use of ibuprofen at home, her parents did not notice any improvement.

After hearing about the medical outreach, her family decided to seek a second opinion. On evaluation, she was found to have significant swelling, pain, and bruising over the second and third toes of the left foot, with limited mobility. Given these findings, she was promptly referred to the hospital for further assessment. X-rays confirmed fractures of the second and third metatarsals of the left foot, and she was admitted for surgical management.

She subsequently underwent osteosynthesis of the affected metatarsals. After five days in the hospital, she was discharged home. At present, Heysel is stable, pain free, and in good condition. As a foundation, we continue to follow her case, supporting her with pain medications and antibiotics according to her in-hospital prescription. Her mother and grandmother expressed deep gratitude for the timely and appropriate referral, which made a crucial difference in her outcome.

During Team Heart trip, our volunteers from the Impacting Homes pillar met a young mother whose story touched all of us. She is expecting her third child and spends her days caring for her two little daughters, while her husband works long hours away from home.

For years, she cooked every meal over an open fire inside their small house. When her daughters were babies, she would carry them on her back as she prepared food—meaning they spent hours each day breathing in the thick smoke that filled their home. She knew it wasn’t healthy, but there was no other option.

That afternoon, our team installed a smoke-free stove in her kitchen. This simple change will protect her older daughters and ensure her new baby will be born into a healthier home—free from the harmful smoke that once lingered in the air.

The very next day, this same family came to our Impacting Health medical clinic. There, Dr. José welcomed them for routine checkups. He measured the girls’ height and weight, listened to their hearts and lungs, and made sure they were healthy and strong. For the mother, he provided prenatal vitamins—giving her the nutrients she needs to prepare her body for her baby’s arrival.

In just two days, two of our pillars came together to change the course of this family’s future—building a safer home, supporting their health, and giving their newest little one the best possible start in life.

Through our Health Pillar, the Diabetic Club Program allows us to provide ongoing medical follow-up, comprehensive evaluations, and personalized treatment adjustments for individuals living with diabetes mellitus. We support our patients by facilitating transportation from Tecpán to Universidad Francisco Marroquín, where they receive specialized care through the university’s diabetes program. On January 16, 2026, seven committed participants joined us for this clinic visit, demonstrating dedication and consistency in managing their health.

The visit was conducted in an organized and efficient manner, allowing us to complete full evaluations for all participants. Five patients presented blood glucose levels within appropriate ranges and continued with their current treatment plans without modification. Two patients required additional laboratory studies to support more precise therapeutic adjustments. Through initiatives like the Diabetic Club, we continue to expand access to quality healthcare, strengthen early intervention, and empower individuals to take control of their long-term health, helping build healthier and more resilient communities.

During Team Hope 2025, we witnessed not only life-changing medical care, but also the powerful impact of everyday interventions that often go unnoticed, clean water, safe air, education, and improved living conditions.

Dr. Jeff beautifully captured this vision in a reflection he shared with our team. His words remind us that while surgeries and medicines can transform lives in visible ways, it is often the quieter, long-term efforts that shape healthier futures and save lives.

A Reflection from Dr. Jeff

The recent Project Hope trip to Guatemala was an amazing testament to great people accomplishing great things. Piece by piece, it may not seem that significant, but as a whole, it is an important and impactful body of work. It is more obvious how medicines prescribed from the clinic or surgeries in the OR can change lives. It might be harder to see the enormous impact of the education or home environment work.

Education….especially reading by 8-9 years old ….can markedly improve the long-term health of the individual. Adults learning skills that lead to better housing and nutrition have a huge impact on the family’s health. But it might be easy to overlook the life-saving work of those that provide clean water and smoke-free air for many of the poorest families in Guatemala. Worldwide and in rural Guatemala, diarrheal illness and lung problems are major killers of children. These illnesses are common all over, but if you add terrible nutrition , parasites from water, and lungs working poorly from smoke and limited access to care….instead sick for a week or two ….many die. Clean water and clean air always matter…but for those we are serving, it can help them learn and grow…or often make the ultimate difference of life and death. Your work on water filters and stoves may not seem as glamorous as clinics and surgeries, but it is a critical part of our whole package of promoting health and treating illness. The water, the air, the education, the clinics, the surgeries…. All a strong set of overlapping circles that will have an immense long-term effect on the lives of those we serve.

Your work inspires us all.

Thank You,

Jeff

Last week, Team Hope — our largest service trip of the year — brought together doctors, nurses, and volunteers from around the world to serve families in Guatemala. Over the course of four days, lives were transformed through access to health care, surgery, and healthier homes.

Together, we accomplished:


• 154 life-changing surgeries

• 997 patients were seen in our medical clinics

• 126 families received smoke-free stoves and clean water filters
  

Every number represents a powerful story: a mother cooking without smoke filling her home, a parent receiving long-awaited surgery, and a family finally gaining access to safe drinking water.


We are deeply grateful to every volunteer, partner, and supporter who made this possible.