Sometimes progress looks like walls going up.
And sometimes… it looks like waiting in line at City Hall with a stack of paperwork. 😅
This week’s update from Centro Médico Vida Plena in Escuintla comes with a bit of both—some exciting news that has us celebrating, and some frustrating news that reminds us how much faith and patience this journey requires.
The Frustrating News: Red Tape and Roadblocks
As we continue preparing to open Centro Médico Vida Plena, we’ve started the long process of securing all the government licenses we’ll need to operate. That includes a license for the medical center itself, plus individual ones for the pharmacy, laboratory, and even a sanitary license for bio waste disposal.
Each of these licenses is issued by the Guatemalan federal government—and as you can imagine, the process is both time-consuming and expensive.
But that’s not the most frustrating part.
We recently learned that before we can even apply for the federal licenses, we must first get a city permit from Escuintla. If we skip that step, we could face heavy fines later on. So far, that makes sense… but here’s where it gets a little crazy.
When we went to apply for the city permit, we were told that the application must include the resumes and health exams for all our future employees—the doctor, nurse, receptionist, lab technician, pharmacy tech, and maintenance staff.
Yes, you read that right! We’re expected to hire our entire team for a medical center that technically doesn’t exist yet—then pay them to wait while the licenses are approved (which could take two to three months).
We can only laugh and shake our heads. Bureaucracy doesn’t just test your patience—it builds it!
As Jeff said in the video, “If you think the U.S. is frustrating to deal with, just come on down here—you’ll see how blessed you really are.”
The Exciting News: Equipment on the Way!
Now for the good part—and there’s plenty to celebrate!
All of our key equipment has officially been shipped and is on its way to Guatemala! 🙌
Because electronics here are heavily taxed—often costing up to three times more than in the U.S.—we ordered our systems in Florida. Thanks to our missionaries Dennis and Marty Walker, we were able to ship everything to their home, where they helped us pack and prepare the boxes for export.
Those boxes are now on their journey south, filled with items that will bring this medical center to life:
Security cameras and Wi-Fi systems
Computers, monitors, and barcode scanners
Cash drawers and receipt printers
…and more!
Please join us in praying that our shipment clears customs without delay or added “surprises” along the way. God’s favor in this step will be a huge blessing!
Walls Going Up — Hope Rising
Meanwhile, on-site in Escuintla, construction continues to move forward beautifully. Carlos and his team have begun building the office space, and the sight of new walls going up fills us with excitement and hope.
Every block laid brings us closer to the moment we’ll open the doors of Centro Médico Vida Plena—a place where families will find healing for their bodies, hope for their hearts, and the love of Jesus in every interaction.
Yes, the process can be frustrating. But even in the delays, we can see God’s hand at work—reminding us that His timing is always perfect, and His plans are always good.
Faith in the Frustration
So this week, we celebrate progress. We laugh through the red tape. And we keep moving forward, trusting that every challenge is preparing us for something greater.
Thank you for walking this journey with us—for praying, giving, and believing that what God has started in Escuintla, He will carry to completion.
💛 Partner with us to help bring Full Life — Vida Plena — to families in Guatemala.
Together, we’re not just building a medical center.
We’re building faith, hope, and healing for generations to come.
