The Hours You Don’t See

Our summer nursing intern, Natalie, came to Guatemala expecting to learn how a mobile clinic runs. What she didn’t expect was a front-row seat to how a ministry actually gets built — the research, the meetings, the patient waiting on God’s timing. Here’s what she’s been noticing, in her own words.

By Natalie, Nursing Intern

When I began attending clinics with the God Said Go team, I was amazed by the coordination and agility of their procedures. From the precise organization of supplies to the details of each patient’s care, the team completes every task efficiently — and with smiles.

But I knew the clinics couldn’t always have run this smoothly. It’s clear that the team has thought through every aspect of the care they provide. After years of practice, they’ve become experts at what they do.

As I watch them work — and do my best to keep up — I’ve often wondered what the development of God Said Go’s operations actually looked like. How long did it take to pack the equipment truck just right? How did they organize each patient’s physical records before switching to a digital platform? What kinds of problems did they run into during that first year of clinics?

After a month of pondering those questions, I got to experience a small version of the answer. In addition to running clinics in remote villages, God Said Go recently opened its medical center to the public — a place where Guatemalans can receive quality medical treatment at an affordable price.

The center has been open for about six months, but the team is still working to assemble certain services. The laboratory, for example, hasn’t opened yet. It needs both equipment and trained personnel to run it.

A week ago, I tagged along on a trip to San Lucas to meet with a representative from a laboratory equipment supplier. As Jeff asked about the pricing and quality of each piece of equipment, I realized some of my questions were finally being answered. Behind every clinic and the medical center are countless hours of research and discussion. And once a decision is made, it takes still more meetings and conversation to confirm it.

Yet for all our planning, everything happens on God’s timing. If it were up to us, the medical center would have launched years ago — and when it did, we’d have wanted every project to go smoothly, without a single delay. Instead, the center keeps growing one step at a time. And in hindsight, for all our angst, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28