Steve Moore’s journey to Middle Tennessee is a familiar tale: he relocated from Texas in the 1980s to further his career in the music industry. He helped open and operate Starwood Amphitheatre before supporting some of country music’s biggest names. While his musical legacy is certainly noteworthy, a mission trip to Guatemala would change not only his life, but some 10,000+ others.
On a mission trip in 1998, Steve helped build a school in a dicey area of Guatemala. During conversations with the families that would be attending the school, they realized how much aid was needed in the area, and their attention turned toward homes.
“Then one trip in particular, this woman brought this child to us and she was in pain, she was crying,” Steve recalls. “We found out she had been involved in a robbery and had been shot in her upper leg. The bullet was still in there. Her name was Anna.”
The group brought Anna to the United States for treatment and, thanks to music industry connections, ample funds were raised to support her recovery, and a small army of donors had their lives touched by the young girl and her story.
“God placed on my heart that this is something that happened to her, but what happens to the rest of them?” Steve says. “I asked that question a lot, and after some research, I found out they either live with it or die with it.”
At the time, Guatemala had only three general hospitals in the entire country, and when patients needed care, they were put on a long waiting list. Steve knew his calling wasn’t building the school, it was bringing medical care to this community in desperate need.
It took about five years to complete a hospital in Guatemala, and during the process, Steve was coordinating medical mission trips for physicians – including those from Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital – to drop in and provide care to children in need.
“Since then, there’s been a lot of dramatic, powerful cases of persistence in faith in people and parents trying to get their kids to the hospital,” Steve says, recalling one case in particular. “We had a tween who spent all his years in bed. He couldn’t walk, but his dream was to play soccer. Our surgeons fixed him, and not only did he walk, but he ran. He played soccer.”
The hospital, which is supported by Franklin-based non-profit The Shalom Foundation, recently celebrated a major milestone: the completion of its 10,000th surgery. The organization raises funds through online giving and occasional fundraisers, with 98% of proceeds directly supporting the staff, medicines, and overall hospital operations in Guatemala.
The Shalom Foundation not only supports the hospital in its efforts to provide medical care and surgeries to children in need, but it also works to tackle the chronic nutrition crisis in the country.
And as for Anna? She’s been a pivotal part of Steve’s life since she was four years old, and recently celebrated her 25th birthday. Steve helped put her through school, and she now works at the hospital in Guatemala.
“It’s important for people to realize that small support goes a long way in these environments,” Steve says. “I would impress upon people to think about their legacy and their impact as we go through life. We live so well here and we have so many things we take for granted.” TheShalomFoundation.org
"There’s been a lot of dramatic, powerful cases of persistence in faith in people."