May 24, 2026
East Texas Baptist University biology pre-med students joined students from Spanish 2311 and 3309 on a recent medical mission trip to Guatemala focused on serving local communities through healthcare, education, and ministry. Led by Associate Dean and Professor of Biology Dr. Roy Darville, Assistant Professor of Spanish Blanca Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Biology Jennifer Hudnall, and Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Antay Waters, the team spent the week ministering to patients and families in San Raymundo through hands-on medical care and community outreach.
Throughout the week, ETBU students from multiple academic disciplines worked alongside healthcare professionals at a local hospital, assisting with surgeries, patient care, laboratory procedures, and ministry opportunities while demonstrating Christ-centered servant leadership.
On the first day of the trip, students began serving at the hospital in San Raymundo. While some team members assisted with surgeries, others worked in patient intake, pre-operative and post-operative care, and laboratory services.
“God is moving on this trip. This is true love: to find a need and meet it.” junior biology major Emily Lamb said. “We are grateful to spend a week of our time and efforts for healthcare that can change the lives of so many Guatemalans.”
The team continued their work on the second day, helping care for 86 patients while surgeries and hospital operations remained ongoing. Students also spent time ministering to children and families waiting at the hospital by distributing toys and coloring books and spending time playing with the children.
On the third day, students in ETBU’s Spanish courses visited a local school where they taught children colors and anatomy in English. Students also shared worship songs and played the ukulele for families waiting for loved ones receiving medical treatment.
“It’s so special to see how even though many of us came on this trip with different majors, skills, and experiences, we all have the common mission of wanting to serve God's people,” senior Christian Ministry major Chesni Speaker said. “Each person plays a vital role in caring for the patients and their families, even if the role seems small.”
Students wrapped up the week assisting with surgeries, laboratory procedures, and patient care before spending the evening walking through the village and connecting with local residents.
“From sterilization and setting up, to performing surgery, every detail matters in order to properly serve God and His people through medicine,” junior biology major Rebecca Schmidt said.
The Guatemala medical mission trip provided East Texas Baptist University students with the opportunity to integrate faith and learning while serving communities through healthcare. Through each interaction, students reflected ETBU’s commitment to servant leadership and the University’s mission of preparing graduates to live out their faith in a global community.
As part of ETBU’s Global Study and Serve program, the trip exemplified the University’s dedication to providing transformative, Christ-centered experiences, and reinforced the importance of preparing compassionate, service-minded individuals to care for and support communities both locally and around the world.