I travelled to Guatemala for a month with SPRINT the summer of 2010. SPRINT, Seattle Pacific Reachout International, is a student-run program, organizing mission trips ranging from two to six weeks or various service projects during the summer. I stayed with the Alonzo family who warmly welcomed me as their own, while I immersed myself in the culture and language. The eight of us from SPRINT focused on demonstrating God’s love with a medical focus, specifically oral hygiene. We drove to villages, offering fluoride for children’s teeth and showing them how to use toothbrushes. One little boy was scared because he had never seen a toothbrush and didn’t know what it would do.
I used to want to become a pediatrician because I love human anatomy and physiology. But now, after experiencing the close relationships with the children in Guatemala, I’ve decided I will study to become a speech pathologist. I want to fix something for them that will affect their entire lives. I am fluent in English, Korean, and Spanish, which will allow me greater opportunity in this field. After graduating next year, I will likely attend graduate school for speech language pathology, and hopefully travel to Machu Picchu. But ultimately, there is no greater destination than to the center of God’s will for my life.
— Michelle Suh '13
