108 Academics Medical Missions Nursing program provided students medical missions opportunites in Monte Llano, Guatemala. Harding’s Nursing program provided students with the opportunity to travel to Monte Llano, Guatemala through the medical missions organization Health Talents International. Two nursing majors, seniors Caton Adair and Weston Knott, visited Clinica Ezell for a week in February and received handson experience in their field. Knott shared how this experience was set apart from any other international travel opportunity. “I’ve done a lot of travel in my life,” Knott said. “I’ve been all over Europe with study abroad [trips,] and then I’ve been to Honduras a few times and Mexico a few times on mission trips, but this was the first time I was able to go out of the country and use what I’ve learned in being able to help others, so I was excited to be able to put into practice what I’ve been taught in a way to serve others that need it as well as experiencing a new place.” Many of the patients who came to the clinic were severely dehydrated and malnourished, but seeing their conditions improve over the course of his time there was one of the most powerful experiences Knott took with him. On the other hand, this was Adair’s first international mission trip. “I’ve done local things with my youth group growing up, but I never got to go out of the country,” Adair said. Both Adair and Knott were able to observe surgeries and care for patients as they recovered. Knott assisted in four hysterectomies over the course of the week. Adair described the responsibilities of having her own patients in the recovery ward. “I was the one choosing which medications to give them, and it gave me a lot of experience for when I graduate and become a nurse,” Adair said. “I’ve already kin The most difficult challenge students faced at the clinic was communicating with the patients. Their understandings of English and Spanish often did not overlap. “It was easier than I expected to form relationships with them,” Adair said. “It just took a little bit of effort and getting out of your comfort zone to try to communicate in Spanish or getting a translator when you needed to.” Translators played a crucial role in keeping communication open between patients, doctors and caretakers. However, the bonds that students formed with their patients transcended any language barrier. “There was one night when there was a younger patient who was not recovering as smoothly as some of the others, and at one point we were just kind of sitting around, and all of a sudden, three or four of the patients got up and started praying over [the patient],” Adair said. “I think getting to see people who aren’t as blessed as we are but just as happy and bold with their faith was really encouraging spiritually.” Knott considered the most rewarding part of this experience to be using the skills he developed as a nursing student to serve God. “Here, I’m working towards a degree,” Knott said. “Once I graduate, I’ll be working for money, and yes, I’ll be using my skills to help others and glorify God, but [for] this, I had to fundraise . . . I took time out of my busy schedule to go do it . . . for the benefit of helping others. It sounds selfish when you put it like that, because it’s like, ‘I’m feeling better about helping others.’” Adair and Knott expressed interest in returning to Guatemala in the future. “I was only there one day and already knew I wanted to come back,” Adair said. “It’s a great experience for your studies, obviously, but also just in life, especially if you’ve never been out of the country or on a foreign mission. It really just opens your eyes, and it gives you an idea of ways you can still serve on missions once you’re in the healthcare field.” Written by Cassidy Tucker
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