Meet Our Volunteers & Partners

Refuge International attracts some of the most dedicated, compassionate and resourceful medical mission volunteers and partners around.

Our Guatemala medical mission teams are a diverse mix of backgrounds: physicians, nurses, educators, technicians, corporate executives, real estate agents, homemakers, photographers and students. Our amazing volunteers help to dramatically change the lives of Guatemalans through brave and selfless acts of compassion. And they do this working in tandem with an equally incredible team of local partners focused and passionate about community development initiatives here in Guatemala. Together, we are making brighter tomorrows for the communities we serve.  

We are committed to mentoring the next generation of healthcare providers to continue the legacy of care we’re building in Guatemala.

Andrea Libhart, MSN, RN

Andrea Libhart, MSN, RN

Working as an Emergency Department nurse for over 9 years, Andrea Libhart is no stranger to multi-tasking and wearing a multitude of professional...

Marta Alicia Xoc López, Interpreter

Marta Alicia Xoc López, Interpreter

Language interpretation is a vital resource when serving in Guatemala, a country with 25 unique languages. Spanish may be the most common language...

Brenda Itzé Lemus Gordillo

Brenda Itzé Lemus Gordillo

Yo’o Guatemala, our service site partner in Purulhá, is a non-profit organization founded by Brenda Itzé Lemus Gordillo, a dynamic Guatemalan...

Alessa Soto, Interpreter

Alessa Soto, Interpreter

Our local team of interpreters is a vital part of fulfilling our mission in Guatemala and Maria Alejandra Soto, aka Alessa, is a terrific example of...

Dr. Ben Mack

Dr. Ben Mack

Service To Others: A Family Affair Dr. Ben Mack has volunteered with Refuge International on at least a dozen trips over the past few years. A...

Amanda Judd, NP

Amanda Judd, NP

A Life’s Path Transformed By A Global Perspective Amanda Judd, a nurse practitioner from Colorado, did not always intend to go into the field of...

Sue Gillette, RN

Sue Gillette, RN

In 2018, Refuge International was fortunate to meet Sue Gillette, RN from Denver, CO. She attended a medical mission trip to Sarstun, Guatemala and...

Anita Lowe MSN, RN

Anita Lowe MSN, RN

Anita Lowe is a clinical instructor at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Nursing—Longview University Center. I had the pleasure of speaking...

Laurel Zeller

Laurel Zeller

I was privileged this past November to travel to Guatemala with an organization called Refuge International. I was part of a minor surgery team that...

Connelly Cowan

Connelly Cowan

Connelly Cowan started gathering school supplies through donations from her church, family, and friends at the early age of 7. She is now 14 years...

Consider being part of the Refuge International Mission. Whether you volunteer locally, donate valuable resources, or go on a medical mission trip, your help makes all the difference.

Some of our most urgent needs include:

  • Mission Trip Volunteers
    • Surgeons:  General, GYN, Urology, Ortho
    • Nurses: Peri-op areas
    • Clinicians: Adult and Pediatric
    • Lab and Ultrasound Techs
    • Pharmacists
  • Local (Longview) Volunteers
    • Warehouse Help: sorting and packing inventory
    • Hiway 80 Mission:  Clinicians
  • Donations of Supplies and Equipment