A Decade of Healing and Hope: The Story of Our Clinic

Ten years ago, this clinic was only a dream — a dream that God planted long before any of us could imagine what it would become. As we celebrate a decade of service, healing, and transformation, we look back with gratitude at the journey that brought us here. Below is the story told in the voices of Kim Delp and Lucy Maldonado.

The story starts far from Ecuador — in Bolivia. Joel and I were on a mission trip, visiting several medical clinics. As we walked through their spaces and saw the impact they were having, a simple question stirred in our hearts: Why can’t we do something like this?

That question followed us home.

Not long after, we began serving as short‑term missionaries in Ecuador. On one of those trips, we visited Cayambe and saw a church that had built a clinic, but it sat empty. No staff. No equipment. Just brick and mortar waiting for purpose.

And in that moment, we felt God nudging us: This is where I’m leading you.

But from the beginning, we knew something important: this wasn’t meant to be an American‑run project. Nothing was broken. Nothing needed “fixing.” The vision for community care was already alive in Ecuador. Our role was simply to come alongside what God was already doing.

That’s why the clinic began with an all‑Ecuadorian team, and why it continues that way today. And at the center of that team was someone who would become the heart of the clinic: Doc Lucy — the original leader, and still the leader today.

Our opening wasn’t a grand launch. It was gradual, humble, and deeply relational. We were already doing medical caravans in the surrounding communities. I was working once a week at the Compassion Center. We were seeing children regularly, learning their needs, and slowly building trust. But opening the clinic doors came with challenges. The building wasn’t on a main road. There was no public transportation nearby — a challenge that still exists today. Resources were scarce. Medications and equipment were hard to come by. Some days it felt like we were piecing together care with whatever we could find. And yet, God kept providing.

I’ll never forget the day we saw our first full patient — a young girl. We were able to diagnose her, treat her, give her the medications she needed, and watch her get better. It was simple. But it was everything. For the first time, we could care for a patient holistically — fully — with dignity and compassion. That moment confirmed that this clinic was exactly where we were meant to be.

Originally, we imagined a small, basic clinic. But under strong Ecuadorian leadership, the vision grew — naturally, beautifully, and far beyond what we expected. The need for specialties in this region was overwhelming. Families had nowhere to go for accessible, high‑quality care. So the clinic expanded — not because we planned it, but because the community needed it. Today, the clinic offers thirteen medical specialties, turning the traditional idea of a clinic in Ecuador on its head. While nationalized medicine provides access, we wanted to offer something more: high‑quality care that was still cost‑accessible.

There are moments that remind me exactly why this clinic matters. During a medical caravan, we met a family facing deep struggles — depression, domestic violence, trauma. Mental health resources in Ecuador are limited, and without that caravan, we might never have known what they were going through. But that day, something beautiful happened. Our U.S. team, Ecuadorian doctors, pastors, and social workers all came together to support that family. It was a picture of what this project truly is: a partnership, a community, a shared mission. Even a few years earlier, we wouldn’t have had the tools or awareness to help in that way. But the clinic made it possible.

And now, the story continues in the voice of the woman who has carried this vision from the inside — Doc Lucy.

When I think back to the early days of the clinic, what I remember most is the faith that held us together. We didn’t have much — not in resources, not in space, not in certainty — but we had a burning desire to serve the families of Juan Montalvo with dignity and compassion. We planned, we prayed, we worked late into the night. And even in the hardest moments, there was this quiet confidence that we were building something meaningful.

Those first months were not easy. We had to earn the community’s trust. We had to stretch every resource. We had to learn how to organize ourselves so that every patient felt seen, heard, and cared for. But those challenges shaped our identity. They taught us resilience. They taught us humility. They taught us to lean on one another.

Some of the most vivid memories I carry are of the children and families who came to us in those early days. Many arrived with urgent needs — illnesses untreated, worries heavy on their shoulders. I still remember the relief in a mother’s eyes when her child began to recover. I remember the gratitude of families who finally felt supported. Those moments changed me. They still do.

As the years passed, the clinic grew in ways I never imagined. We expanded our space, strengthened our programs, and welcomed more patients than I ever thought possible. One of the milestones I’m most proud of is the growth of our services. What began as a small clinic offering basic care has become a center with thirteen medical specialties — a place where families can receive comprehensive, compassionate support under one roof.

In the beginning, many people didn’t know who we were. But over time, through consistent care and genuine love for our patients, the community began to trust us. Today, families see the clinic as a safe place — a place where they will be treated with dignity, respect, and kindness.

I’ve seen children grow stronger, families find hope, and lives change because they finally have access to timely medical care. Without the clinic, many would have faced long distances, high costs, or no care at all. Knowing that we’ve helped remove those barriers is one of the greatest joys of my life.

One of the surprises of this journey has been the spiritual and emotional impact the clinic has had. People come for medical care, but they often find something more — comfort, encouragement, a sense of belonging. I never expected the clinic to become such a source of hope, but it has, and that fills me with gratitude.

Our staff is extraordinary. Their dedication, empathy, and love for people are what make this clinic special. Every day, they show up with open hearts and willing hands. They are the reason we’ve grown, the reason families trust us, the reason this dream continues to flourish.

As I look to the next ten years, I dream of a clinic with its own dedicated space — a home built for healing. I hope we continue expanding services, especially in mental health and prevention, and that we reach even more families who need support. Most of all, I hope the clinic remains what it has always been: a place of hope, compassion, and community.

This milestone is deeply personal. It represents years of learning, growing, and trusting. It represents the fulfillment of a calling — a dream that became real through God’s grace and the love of this community. To me, these ten years are a reminder that when we serve with love, lives change — including our own.

And I will never forget the day we blessed the clinic. It was filled with joy, hope, and faith. We stood together, dreaming of what this place could become. And now, ten years later, I see those dreams unfolding in ways I never imagined.