A Love Affair with Salud y Paz
The rumpled group in the photo above is our family – my wife Ginny, our daughters, Dori and Sarah, and me, Larry. We had just completed a rural medical and dental service trip during Thanksgiving with a team from Utah’s Great Salt Lake valley.
My faded T-shirt dates to 2005 when Ginny and I made our first trip. My job in the natural gas industry had taken us to Venezuela during 1999 to 2004 where we fell in love with Latin America. We were heartbroken to leave but on arriving in Salt Lake City learned that our Methodist Conference was organizing a rural medical dental team to support the Salud y Paz clinic in Guatemala the following year. We happily signed up and thus began a 20+ year love affair with Salud y Paz and the people of Guatemala. Since then, we have joined or led more than a dozen such trips.
“Twinkling of an Eye” Moments
When Jesus said, “Heal the sick”, he likely meant more than send a check (although checks are much needed), but rather go, touch and heal. As we do so, we are also touched and healed in our hearts. We have the “Twinkling of an Eye” moments that bring us back.
Give and Volunteer as a Family
We make giving decisions as a family and typically give where we also volunteer. This year everything aligned and we were all available to come on this service trip. It was a perfect moment where we all volunteered where we were also giving.
Salud y Paz Seeks Justice
Our Bible tells us to seek justice. We can be overwhelmed by the injustice of the world, but fortunately God is responsible for the outcome, not us. Our part is to be obedient, to serve and give. Salud y Paz helps bring justice to Mayan communities providing medical and dental care and early childhood education. We experience God’s Kingdom as we join that effort. That is why we support Salud y Paz.
Ginny and Larry Hjalmarson, Salt Lake City
Larry is President-elect of the Salud y Paz Board |
