01/16/2026
A Humbling First Mission Trip: Hearing Care in Belize by Carol Pandis
I was truly honored when Jason Camis, Executive Director of Sertoma, invited me to travel with him to Belize to meet the team from Hearing for Belize, a division of the Belize Mission Project,
and explore the potential for a future collaboration focused on providing hearing aids and hearing care. Knowing how deeply Sertoma values service, inclusion, and hearing health, I felt both grateful and humbled to be part of this experience… especially since this was my very first
mission trip.
From the moment we arrived, it became clear just how meaningful this opportunity would be. Perhaps most striking was the reality that Belize has virtually no formal audiology services available to its people. Although we joined the team only during their first stop, the Hearing for
Belize team spends ten days in the country, setting up clinics in three cities: Belize City, San Ignacio, and San Pedro. Some families traveled four to five hours by bus to reach this annual clinic. During our time there, we met individuals of all ages who had been living with untreated
hearing loss, often for many years. Being able to provide hearing evaluations, fit hearing aids, and offer counseling was incredibly rewarding, yet also deeply humbling.
A particularly moving aspect of the trip was working with both adults and children who were deaf or had profound hearing loss. Many relied entirely on sign language to communicate, often without spoken language. Seeing entire families sign with one another underscored the reality
of what it means to grow up without access to sound and how profoundly hearing loss can shape communication, education, and daily life.
One of the most powerful aspects of the trip was witnessing the emotional impact that restored hearing can have. Simple moments like a smile, tears, or the quiet realization that someone could once again hear a loved one’s voice, served as powerful reminders that hearing
healthcare is about far more than devices. It is about restoring connection, dignity, and quality of life.
This experience reinforced why Sertoma’s mission is so important and why hearing health advocacy matters on a global level. I returned home with a full heart, a renewed sense of purpose, and immense gratitude for the opportunity to serve. This first mission trip will stay
with me forever, and I hope it is only the beginning of many more opportunities to serve alongside Sertoma and the Belize Mission Project.
