http://www.missionguatemala.com/

Mission Guatemala, Princeton, IN (2026)

08/31/2026

In this month’s Expectant Mothers Club we welcomed 11 participants!

Quality prenatal care is essential for the health of both expectant mothers and their babies, but in the rural areas of Guatemala many women face challenges in receiving vital care due to lack of access or of financial resources. To help meet this need, we set aside a day each month at our Clínica “La Misión” that is specifically focused on providing a monthly checkup for expectant mothers, as well as lab tests and ultrasounds as needed.

In addition to providing medical care for the expectant mothers, a significant portion of this day is dedicated to providing education on a variety of issues, including potential risk factors during pregnancy, the importance of healthy eating and lifestyle choices for the mother and baby, as well as other topics that prepare the parents to care for their child before and after they are born. This month, Ester, one of our clinic nursing staff, shared with the mothers about activities they can do with their babies to help develop their child's senses and motor skills, as well as developmental milestones that can help them track their child’s progress.

Through the Expectant Mothers Club, it is our goal to support mothers throughout their pregnancy and beyond, expanding access to both quality and respectful care and to the knowledge and resources they need for a safer pregnancy and childbirth experience. To help support this vital program, please visit missionguatemala.com/how-to-help/!

08/26/2026

As our summer continued, we next welcomed teams from LifeJourney Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Elevate Life Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana! This was LifeJourney’s fifth team to serve with us, and the first team from Elevate Life Church, though some members of the team had served with us previously. It was wonderful to once again be able to spend the week with old friends and to make new ones on both teams as we served together!

These teams spent part of the their week continuing the finishing aspects of our kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, building the wood-burning stove in the kitchen, stuccoing, grouting the concrete work table and the serving counter, laying tile, and touching up areas where the paint on the metal roof beams had been scratched during installation. The teams also continued working at our clinic and office space in San Andrés Semetabaj, continuing the fencing of an area to be developed as a playground space for children who come to the clinic or participate in our other programs, as well as stuccoing in the future Reading Room space, and painting the fence that runs along the street.

Our heartfelt thanks to LifeJourney Church and Elevate Life Church for their support for Mission Guatemala and for their selfless service to benefit our friends and neighbors here in San Andrés Semetabaj!

08/12/2026

This month we had 50 participants in our Diabetes Club! And we also had the nutritionist and dietician Kimberly Anerol Godoy Barrera as a special guest to share about the food groups and portion sizes contained in a balanced diet, about the importance of macronutrients and micronutrients, and exposing common myths about diabetes.

The Diabetes Club is held each month to provide a focused day when patients dealing with diabetes can receive their regular checkup, lab tests, IVs or other treatments they need, as well as their medication for the coming month. But a major part of the day is focused on providing education about the causes of diabetes and the role that lifestyle and diet plays in limiting its severity.

Recognizing the integral role that health promotion and prevention plays in any successful health program, Dr. Lidia, our clinic doctor, works to provide this informational component within every patient consultation. However, the Diabetes Club provides an even greater opportunity for education and empowerment of patients by giving them the knowledge and tools to be able to take an active role in their own health.

08/11/2026

We next welcomed a team from Otterbein United Methodist Church in Hagerstown, Maryland and a team from Glenelg United Methodist Church in Glenelg, Maryland. This was Otterbein UMC’s seventh team to serve with us, and it was wonderful to again welcome Carrie Crawford, the team leader, along with her family and the other team members! And we were excited to also welcome Glenelg UMC to serve with us for the first time and for the opportunity to get to know Jennie Bepple, the team leader, and the rest of her team, which included Glenelg UMC’s pastor, Rev. Elizabeth Jackson!

These teams spent part of the their week continuing the final aspects of our kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, laying tile for the concrete work table and the serving counter, stuccoing, and building the large wood-burning stove that the school had requested. The teams also continued working at our clinic and office space in San Andrés Semetabaj, continuing the fencing of an area to be developed into a playground. The team also helped to stucco inside our future reading room space!

We are grateful to Otterbein UMC and Glenelg UMC for their support and for the opportunity to serve together this week! We hope to welcome you here in Guatemala again soon!

08/07/2026

Our busy summer continued with a wonderful team from Zionsville United Methodist Church in Zionsville, Indiana! Zionsville UMC has been an integral supporter of Mission Guatemala since our earliest days—even sending members of the church’s pastoral staff to visit and help prep our clinic space back in October of 2010!

This Zionsville team continued work on our kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, laying tile for the concrete work table and the serving counter, stuccoing, installing the ridge cap on the roof, continuing the electrical installation, and finishing pouring the concrete in front of the kitchen space.

During their week the team also worked at our clinic and office space in San Andrés Semetabaj, beginning the fencing of an area on our property that will be developed as a playground space for children who come to the clinic or participate in our other programs.

The Zionsville team also brought several boxes of children’s books and gave each member of our staff the opportunity to choose books for their children and families. The team shared the remaining books with us for future use in our reading room!

Muchas gracias, Zionsville UMC! We are grateful for your love and support for our friends and neighbors here in Guatemala!

07/29/2026

This past month we had the privilege of welcoming two teams in one week: one from Northwoods Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, and one from St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Carmel, Indiana. Amy Adams, the St. Mark’s team leader, and several of the team members—including Aaron Carlisle, one of Mission Guatemala’s board members—had served with us in years past, but this was the first opportunity we’d had to serve alongside a team from Northwoods Presbyterian Church. We were thankful for the opportunity to get to know the church’s Director of Youth Ministry—and the team leader—Mary Meghan Schnittger, along with the rest of her wonderful group!

The teams worked on a variety of aspects for our kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, helping to stucco, grout tile, install the electrical wiring, and cut and tie rebar for the concrete work table. The team finished out their week by pouring the concrete table top!

We greatly enjoyed the week serving alongside these two wonderful teams! Hasta pronto, amig@s!

07/15/2026

We next welcomed a team this summer from Meridian Street United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana! This was Meridian Street’s fifth team to serve with us, and we were excited to once again welcome David Gordon, the team leader, as well as the many other familiar faces who we’ve gotten a chance to know over the years.

The team continued the kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, continuing the building of the concrete work table, laying and grouting tile, beginning the electrical installation, and working on a final area of stuccoing. The team also got an opportunity at the end of the week to try their hand at making tortillas!

We are grateful to Meridian Street UMC for their continued support and to this wonderful team for the opportunity to serve alongside them this week!

07/10/2026

To kick off our summer teams, we were excited to welcome once again a team from Johns Creek United Methodist Church in Johns Creek, Georgia! Johns Creek UMC sent their first team to serve with us in 2011, and they have been an integral part of Mission Guatemala’s story over the past 15 years since! This year’s team was led by the church’s Pastor of Youth and College Ministries Philip Galyon, and also accompanied by Johns Creek UMC’s Associate Pastor Pam McCurdy, as well as our good friend John Hawkins, who had led the majority of the teams over the past years.

The team worked on a variety of aspects for our kitchen construction project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, helping to lay and grout tile, begin building the base for the concrete work table, and prepping for and pouring concrete in front of the kitchen. The group also planned and shared in activities with children from the nearby community of Chuisajcap!

We greatly enjoyed the week serving alongside this wonderful Johns Creek team are grateful to them for their dedication and support!

06/30/2026

We were grateful for the opportunity to welcome back a team from Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, Kansas! Led once again by Teri Waters, the team was made up of both old friends who have served with us in the past as well as some new faces who were joining us for the first time!

The team’s week was primarily focused on continuing to lay tile for our public middle school kitchen project at the INEB Telesecundaria public middle school in the town of Godinez, as well as to begin grouting the tile that the previous team had laid. The group also planned and shared in activities with children from nearby community of Chuisajcap.

Thank you, Old Mission UMC for your support! We look forward to seeing you again soon!

06/23/2026

Earlier this year, we had the opportunity once again to work with two professors from Baldwin Wallace University as they led a service-learning trip to Guatemala! The group, led by Dr. Javier Morales-Ortiz and Dr. Kelly Coble, had the opportunity to tour the city of Antigua, the archeological sites at Iximche and San Andrés, and to spend a day in San Juan La Laguna. The group also spent time at Mission Guatemala’s clinic and office space in San Andrés Semetabaj, where our staff shared about our work in the areas of health, education and nutrition.

An additional focus of the trip was to deliver the approximately 1,100 books that had been gathered in a book drive led by Berta Gashi, a BW senior majoring in international business and business administration, who was also a member of the team. The books were being donated to Mission Guatemala in support of our new initiative to create a reading space to help foster a love of reading and where children can have greater access to books. In addition to bringing the books, the students also helped to cut out, sand, paint and assemble pieces for bookshelves and reading nooks for the Reading Room!

We are deeply grateful for Mission Guatemala’s relationship with Baldwin Wallace University, dating back to their first visit with us in 2013! And we’re thankful for this opportunity to once again partner with Dr. Morales-Ortiz and Dr. Coble to provide this group of students with such an in-depth learning experience!

Mission Guatemala

08/31/2026

08/26/2026

08/12/2026

08/11/2026

08/07/2026

07/29/2026

07/15/2026

07/10/2026

06/30/2026

06/23/2026

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