Our church, Door Creek Church, has a partnership with Los Olivos church in Sumpango, Guatemala. The desired long-term outcomes of this relationship are to further develop church and community relationships in the city and surrounding villages and to create a long-term strategy to assist Los Olivos in the development of leaders that will plant, grow and lead churches in the surrounding area.

In October 2007 after much planning and preparation a small group of us were able to set up a primitive dental clinic on the third floor of the church. Though it amazingly served its purpose, this little makeshift clinic lacked almost every resemblance to Door Creek Dental you can imagine except for its great patients! Though the days were long, and filled with some very difficult appointments there was never a minute that we questioned Gods placing us there for the task. We learned just how lucky we are to live in a place of preventative dentistry.

Due to lack of eductaion and exams nearly every patient, even kids less than 5 years old were suffering from dental or gum infections that affected their daily life. But our newfound patients and friends in Sumpango also reminded us of the joy and happiness we can have even when we have so very little. Faith, family and relationships seem to run so much deeper there. There was a great satisfaction found in knowing each culture had something to learn from each other.

Sincerely, Dr. Scott Kirkpatrick DMD and Krysta Wetzel RDH.