January 5th, 2019 was the day that surgeon Dr. Paul Burgett first came through the gates of Adonai International Ministries here in Canillá. He joined a team from Prairie Lakes Church in Northeast Iowa. The team performed general surgeries for our local patients that week and also helped build stoves in the mountain homes for women in our widow’s project.
Dr. Paul Burgett helping clear and level a corner of this home for the installation of a new stove.
March 29th, 2025 was the day he left Canillá for the last time with our pilot Duane to fly back home to Iowa after completing his 13th surgical week. In the span of just 6 years, Dr. Paul embarked on 15 trips total, including one where he brought his sweet mother, Jean, to visit for a few days, this past February.
No one was more surprised than Dr. Paul himself that our little mission hospital in rural Guatemala would grow to become a place he visited multiple times a year. We could all count on receiving a big Dr. Paul hug when the surgical teams from Prairie Lakes Church arrived. He would muster the most heartfelt embrace he could give while still holding grip to his Diet Coke and bags full of medical supplies he brought for the week ahead.
Paul was an incredible surgeon. In the span of his 13 surgical jornadas, he has operated on roughly 260 local Guatemalans in the past few years. God used his hands, his mind, and his willing spirit to improve and save so many lives of patients who walked through our doors. None of them were just a number, but a person he cared deeply to provide the absolute best care to.
Paul grew and taught our hospital staff the best practices of running an operating room. Our staff will forever be marked by Dr. Pablo’s expertise. He has given us knowledge and equipment that will continue to impact every patient we serve for the coming years.
What made Paul so special and dear to us all, was that for him, this was about more than just performing surgeries. He was hungry to know Jesus more every time we saw him. Paul asked the most intentional questions. He listened. He cried with us. He prayed with us. He worshiped with us.
He loved our kids, embraced our local “cuisine”, and gave our dogs more attention than we ever have.
On July 17th of this year, our dear friend, Dr. Paul, met the face of Jesus. The One we worshiped together in our hospital prayer room with him so many times, is now the One Paul is beholding and worshipping with his own eyes.
Oh, we cry tears of joy that the God who so tenderly drew Paul closer and closer to Himself over the years is the God who has now called him home.
We cry tears of grief and sadness for his family and that we won’t see our friend for some time.
Dr. Paul,
We love you. We thank you for everything you’ve given to this ministry and to each of us personally.
We cannot wait to see what you are seeing and worship with you again.
Love,
Your family at Adonai International Ministries
- This post was written by Brittany Ficker, who first came to Guatemala on a short term team in 2019 and fell in love with David, one of Duane and Leslie’s sons. They married later that year and lived in Iowa while Brittany finished her nursing degree. They returned to Guatemala in October of 2020 and live on the mission base with their soon to be 5 children. Brittany helps coordinate teams and visitors who desire to come alongside AIM.