My name is Genevieve Burgoyne and my dad and I have been on four trips with SMART to Honduras. My friends frequently ask me when I get home, "What did you do there?" As a 16-year-old high schooler, it's not a silly question. What could a young, untrained volunteer do amongst skilled nurses, surgeons, chiropractors, and dentists? Somehow I find it to be a difficult question because it varies widely. Between circulating the operating room, helping keep track of the flow of patients, translating Spanish, and random odd jobs, there is plenty of work to do. The truth is that every trip is different. I find a niche on each in which I can be the most helpful to the other volunteers and work from there. Although my contribution is much less dramatic than some of the other volunteers, I know that I make an impact each time I go.

SMART provides the opportunity to attain a unique perspective on life that most young people don't have. Each time we go, I make connections with the Hondurans. Although I may never see most of the people again, I'm confident that by doing my part to show them kindness and love, they feel more comfortable and secure about the procedure they are about to have or whatever is going on around them. Besides being a part of a medical team, my role in SMART is to be a positive, cheery, and supportive ambassador, ensuring that there is a real human connection between the volunteers and the people. SMART is an amazing program that has made a difference in so many people's lives. Each trip is conducted with efficiency and focus, bringing to the Hondurans the absolute best in health care..

S.M.A.R.T
Surgical Medical Assistance Relief Teams
PO Box 444 Springhill, Kansas 66083
Phone: 913 338 1234 or 913 814 3700

teresa.searcy@smartteams.org