Winston Daniels

“After my freshman year of college, I went on a ministry mission to Guatemala for 2 years. It was both exciting and event-filled. There, I covered distances anywhere from 7 to 12 miles every day in white t-shirts and slacks. I developed a cyst in my lower back, which was quite painful. I couldn’t sit down or lay on my back. The best medical advice I received was to take very hot showers and hope the cyst ruptured on its own. I didn’t have access to any advanced healthcare. Even though I knew it would resolve in a few days, it was very painful.⠀
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It was an eye-opener for me to live in a third world country with practically no access to advanced healthcare, which was opposite from what I was accustomed to in the USA. I was sick at least once a month while I was there. The hygiene was not always the best. The people were very kind and constantly offered me food and drinks. Even though I knew that the food or drinks would be tough on my stomach, it was tough to decline the kind gestures on a regular basis. The people were not wealthy but they were incredibly generous and shared what they could with me. I remember specifically the time at Chimaltenango, for 3 months, I did not pass a solid stool. During my mission, I lost over 60 pounds.⠀
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The experience opened my eyes to the world around me. People travel but you gain a different perspective when you spend a much longer period in less developed societies. In the 2 years I spent in Guatemala, I did not come back to the US at all. I was only able to make calls on designated days. I lived on the same basic resources as the native residents with no privileges. Guatemala is also one of the most dangerous countries in the world. While I was there, my mom had a support group with other parents who had kids in a mission. Two people died during the mission. The experience really put in perspective for me the things we take for granted in a developed society- clean food, water, healthcare, transportation, security, grocery stores, etc. I even realized how important TV and music are to our lifestyle. Yet this society and many others like it soldier on without amenities we take for granted.”