by Sandra Huffman ‘86
When contemplating spending spring break and his 60th birthday alone, Wendell Smith, professor of Spanish, decided to visit Guatemala and Antigua, but this was not your average college spring break. Rather than a relaxing beach vacation, he embarked on a mission to serve as a medical interpreter.
At Wilson College, Smith teaches courses in medical Spanish, a skill he excels at and pursues as a sideline project. To stay current, he seeks opportunities to interpret whenever time permits. He has volunteered at Keystone Clinic and Chambersburg Hospital, but this was his first trip dedicated to medical interpretation.
Opportunities for interpreters to travel on mission trips are rare, as most groups prefer hiring native English speakers. Smith discovered a trip to Guatemala through International Medical Relief (IMR), a Denver-based charity that deploys missions to over 40 countries and includes volunteer interpreters as part of their travel teams. For Smith, IMR’s trip appealed not only in the opportunity to do impactful work with underprivileged communities in a Guatemala clinic, but also in providing a chance to stay in Antigua. He said, “IMR is good at
combining tourism with medical missions, and this was also a 60th birthday present to myself.”
The trip occurred in March during Wilson’s spring break. Because his wife’s spring break conflicted with Wilson’s revised academic calendar, Smith traveled alone, with the aim of also benefiting the College. His goal was to observe IMR’s execution and make recommendations for Wilson’s upcoming medical mission to the Dominican Republic in January 2026, the fourth trip for Wilson students and faculty.
Wilson’s community partner in the Dominican Republic is Good Samaritan Hospital, an extension of the Haitian
Maranatha Missionary Baptist Church. Smith plans to recruit 10 to 15 Spanish and nursing students to run a mobile medical clinic, seeing over 100 patients daily in a remote area with unmet medical needs.
Smith learned that the rhythm of a mission trip is consistent regardless of the organizer, requiring extensive preparation and planning. He gained valuable insights and a list of essential items for missions, which Wilson can now use.
The IMR team stayed in Antigua but commuted daily to a town near Guatemala City known for its furniture factories and strong indigenous cultural presence. Smith’s role as a medical interpreter highlighted the linguistic diversity within the Spanish language. “Even with basic anatomy, the terminology may be different,” he said.
Wendell Smith, professor of Spanish, provides a health talk to patients waiting to see the doctors.
The absence of two English-speaking doctors scheduled to travel with the team initially prevented Smith from interpreting during the clinic; instead, he assisted with health education. He explained, “While patients waited for the doctor, I provided talks on starting the day with stretches, drinking clean water, brushing teeth, and basic hygiene.” He also helped fit people for reading glasses, a crucial need in that region. “It’s a simple, yet impactful task that doesn’t require a medical degree,” he noted.
Smith believes Wilson’s upcoming mission to the Dominican Republic will benefit from the insights gained during his trip with IMR. By comparing IMR’s materials with Wilson’s documents curated by the nursing program based on previous mission trips, he hopes to enhance their preparations.
The International Medical Relief team photo.
While in Antigua, Smith also remembered to embrace his role as a tourist. On his 60th birthday, he embarked on a hike partway up a volcano, relishing the experience and capturing memorable photos along the way. He particularly enjoyed out-hiking the younger members of his group, feeling a sense of accomplishment in his physical abilities and his mission.
