It is impossible to believe I have reached the end of my time here. As a beaming sun bore down on my last morning up in the dusty hills at Primeros Pasos, I looked around me and pondered whether I had achieved what I would like to here. And I realised that what you want to achieve will always be a step away up the mountain path, your work in a place will never be done, there will always be another stone that can be climbed, but that we have to learn to feel good about where we have got to so far and optimistic about what can be extended over the summit and into the future.
If all I have achieved is a sense of understanding even a little about medicine in another country, of broadening my viewpoint, and of sharing experiences with the people here, I am happy.
And I got to indulge my artistic side, painting educational materials onto the rough block walls with thick, gloopy paints and designing posters to adorn the waiting area. A tiny suggestion, but each tiny change improves the service provided.
Thoughts tumbled through my mind as Carlos, Zach and I tumbled onto an alreading exploding chicken bus headed for Antigua - at one point we were in the doorway, hearts racing with the whistling wind through our hair as we hung onto the bar for dear lives. The rush of adrenaline reflected my mood - a sense of excitement and challenge, but a deeper rooted fear of not overcoming the challenge. But holding on to each other, we survived unscathed, babbling as we fell out of the precarious doorway at our destination.
Guatemalan health is like the chicken bus ride; full of promise of the end destination, but a bumpy, dangerous path to get there. There are many undeniable problems faced by Guatemala if they are to improve healthcare. Decrease the social division between rich and poor. Actively improve women’s rights. Increase access to basic sanitation and potable water. Remove the sort of corruption that allows people to pass degrees if they have the money or the standing to pay examiners off. Work hard at education programmes to widen people’s healthcare beliefs. There are many voluntary organizations working here, providing much-needed services. What needs to be done is to integrate these provisions; to put human enterprise and willingness to help each other into its most powerful position – by uniting its forces. One person can be influential, can be intuitive and devise many fantastic ideas; but it is always the resourcefulness, hope and inspiration created by people working together that moves mountains.
We could learn a lot from this at home. It is rewarding to take the credit for achieving something ourselves, but the real reward comes from being part of that incredible force of nature, humanity.
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