“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” I cannot remember when I first heard these words, but I have never forgotten them. Better said, I have forgotten and remembered them many times, as is often the case with words that hold truth within. We rediscover them during our life’s journey or rather, they return
to us like a forgotten friend. An old friend welcomed and embraced. Embraced in wonder, for with each remembering, we find ourselves more deeply enriched for their presence. Courage is fear that has said its prayers. This time reminding me that courage does not exist in the absence of fear.
Six months ago, COVID-19 wreaked fear among us. Shocking and sharp. As the months passed, the fear settled in, depressing and dull. There were times, in the early days, I must admit, where my fear overtook me. In me, there was no courage. But not you. Not you. Fearful, I am certain, in your own worlds, you offered your fears in prayer, and up from them rose courage. Courage that buoyed me. That carried me.
How many of you have spoken of the importance of this
mission over these months, the Light through which God’s
love has always shone? How many of you have said regardless of the risk, you will return to Guatemala as soon as you possibly can? How many of you have given to the Light the Fire Challenge generously in a time when so many are cutting back, placing the needs of those in Guatemala above your own?
As you know, today, I am embarking upon the Light the Fire 500-mile cycling journey. Raising funds to fuel this beloved mission into the future, we initially dedicated the ride to honor our Guatemalan and U.S. volunteers who give their hearts and hands to this mission so fully, so completely, each and every year. But, for me, that dedication has deepened, expanded.
In these past months, more than ever before, I have seen God’s Light in and through you. More than ever before, I have seen fear that has said its prayers. In you. So, this ride is dedicated to you. To you and to the One to whose Light you have witnessed so faithfully.
Abundance in a Time of Scarcity. God has already transformed your offerings of trust and prayer, your fear transformed into courage, into abundant and miraculous fruit.
Since the pandemic began, we were forced to drastically shift our efforts, significantly reduce our staff, and reimagine. We have stripped down in such a way that has allowed us to begin
to rebuild current programs with greater efficiency and continuity as well as allow us to expand into new areas. It is allowing us to remain true to what we have always sought to do: provide continuous care to those in need in Guatemala through
a dedicated system of individuals and partnerships, commending the work of our hands, the miracles that flow through them, to the glory of God with a renewed creativity and energy.
These are a few of the ways in which God has taken your faithfulness and turned scarcity into abundant life and hope:
- Telemedicine. We have launched a telemedicine program for internal medicine, which is expanding to orthopedics this month. We are also incorporating remote partner clinics into this new model to expand our reach and increase our overall continuity of care.
- Guatemalan Volunteer Program: COVID Response. Already a robust network of care for those living in remote areas, we have supported our Guatemalan volunteers with food, medicines, and health education materials. With Guatemala beginning to open, these same volunteers are now distributing these gifts to their neighbors in need.
- Guatemalan Volunteer Program: Continuity of Care. Building upon our investment in these dedicated individuals, we are expanding this program to create a stronger link between the Faith In Practice system and rural public and non-governmental health programs.
- Guatemalan Partnership Hospitals. Working closely with our partner hospitals Hilario Galindo and Las Obras, we are developing protocols, expanding clinics, and planning for the future with new U.S. partnerships to further shared knowledge and mutual benefit.
- Symposia. In an effort to share the experience and learnings between our U.S. and Guatemalan partner hospitals, we have launched a symposium program, the first being held with Providence St. Joseph Health and Hilario Galindo Hospital in August with plans to create an annual program calendar. We intend to increase these offerings through additional health systems.
- Expanded Mobility Clinics. Already having resumed these clinics, which have been limited by COVID-19 restrictions, we continue to expand these clinics with current and newly added partners in Guatemala.
- Technology. This time of pause has allowed us to reevaluate our systems to further increase efficiencies and effectiveness across the entire mission, staging us to further deepen our reach and continuity of care model throughout all of our programs.
- Volunteer Teams. The Guatemalan borders are opening on September 18, an encouraging sign. We will begin our volunteer return with small ‘advance’ trips in 2021, to be followed by fully organized medical and surgical teams in May 2021. We now will be facing greater need than ever before, but we also know we will be prepared to meet that need with greater commitment and energy than ever before.
None of this would be possible without you. None of this could have been imagined without you. None of it. You who have continued to witness so faithfully to “the Life who was the Light of all people” (John 1:4). You through whom God’s Fire of the Holy Spirit is burning so very brightly.
The Chapel of the Resurrection. I will be ending this Light
the Fire Ride, now dedicated to all of you, at the Chapel of the Resurrection, the heart of Valparaiso University, my alma
mater. There I will give thanks to God for you, and for God’s faithfulness. And, for God’s Light. God’s warm and fiery and energizing light that has shone in this darkness and has led us and shall continue to lead us together into God’s new dawning. Encouraged, renewed, enlivened. All to God’s honor, glory,
and praise.
With a grateful heart filled with wonder,
Rev. Linda L. McCarty
President & CEO
In the days that follow, please pray for me and for my sister and brother-in-law, Laurie and Stan, who so generously and faithfully are accompanying me on the ride, providing support and gear, setting up our tents, helping with any flat tires, ready with hot chocolate and Gatorade on-the-go, and at times riding beside me. It is just the three of us on the road, so we need your prayers to accompany us!
And, please follow my blog. There you will find videos from Guatemala, pictures and videos from the ride, and my reflections. And, please share this with anyone who you believe might be called to join us in this, God’s new dawning.
Finally, there is still time to be a part of this exciting new future. Consider a gift to Light the Fire today.
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