First Vision Trip - Dave Russell

A small team of interested folks took off for Guatemala on Wed. the 22nd of August and returned five days later. The purpose of the trip was to go to the very ends of the Vine Pipeline to see first hand the fruit of our labor. I have always seen that fruit in Vine's medical teams, but had never been where our supplies are being used 365 days a year. We covered the mountain region, characterized by Guatemala's famous volcanos and it brightly attired indigenous population. I lost my heart to this part of Guatemala on Vine's first trip 15 years ago.

Pictured on the blog are Dr. Sergio and a midwife. We dropped down to the Pacific coastal plain for a day and visited Dr. Sergio at Hospital Santa Fe. He is the only doctor serving thousands of patients in the little town of Chocola and the surrounding jungle area. He could be lots of othersplaces making a repectable living, but he knows our time is short and he wants to serve his people and reach them with the gospel. He works out of a grouping of former government training buildings that are in disrepair. He could really use a team to help him spruce the place up. Sergio is a remarkably humble man who could not stop thanking Vine for everything he has received. For, me, Sergio alone was worth the trip.
Another stop was in Olintepeque (O-lin-tay-pay-kay) where we met two tiny Indian sisters who started and run a midwife service. Here they provide birthing assistance and train others in midwifery. Of course, they have nothing, and Vine is critical to supplying them with necessary items for their work.

Some words that come to my mind from our visits with these servants of Jesus over 5 days: humility, self-sacrifice, and the abiding life of Christ. I could not be prouder to be yoked with these dear servants. Our hats are off to Dennis and Doris for finding folks like this who partner with Vine to bear fruit for the Kingdom.

If you are a Vine Friend and want to take a foray to the end of the pipeline, please send us an email. dave@vineinternational.org