The Family Room (The Quest)
Join co-hosts Mari Cleveland from St. Jude the Apostle and John Gordon and Craig Wesemeyer from St. Peter Chanel as they speak with authors, theologians, and local priests and lay leaders to provide your family encouragement, resources, and hope. Enjoy heartfelt stories and engaging conversations with Catholics who are excited to share their life experiences and acquired wisdom to help your family continue to live out your faith with joy.
Apr 2, 2025
A God-sized Faith Project
Dr. Will Boegel, podiatrist and founder of Opal House Guatemala
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus says those who leave everything behind to follow and serve Him will reap innumerable rewards in the present age and eternal life in the age to come. Most know this Scripture promise, but few live it out.
Dr. William Boegel and his wife, Diane, found that God had a plan for their lives only after they let go of their own dreams to follow God’s prophetic nudges. Dr. Will’s early childhood traumatically prepared him to be vulnerable, opening a conduit to God at an early age. He and Diane met over a scrub sink after surgery and, once married, made a commitment to serve God by serving others in the medical mission field.
What they never expected was the supernatural tug to purchase a dilapidated avocado farm in a rural Mayan lake region that has become Opal House, a refuge for medically compromised, impoverished children of Guatemala. There they provide physical, spiritual, and educational nourishment to these children as well as medical and surgical services to the surrounding community. To date, Dr. Will estimates they have performed more than 500 children’s orthopedic surgeries, giving hope of normalcy to these children and their families.
Everyone, including Dr. Will and his board, volunteer their time. All donations go directly to the Guatemalan people through the efforts of Opal House and the many volunteers who visit the farm to help out. Check out their website for volunteer and fundraising opportunities.
Bio: Dr. William Boegel and Diane were married in early 2004. They have always volunteered as medical missionaries and have served in Mexico, Guatemala, Egypt, and Vietnam, performing surgeries for Healing the Children and Operation Serve International. After years of short-term mission trips, they were called by God to make a long-term investment into Guatemalan society for broken and impoverished children. Dr. William Boegel is a Physician of the Foot and Ankle (Podiatrist) and Diane is a Surgical Technologist.
Resources:
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus says those who leave everything behind to follow and serve Him will reap innumerable rewards in the present age and eternal life in the age to come. Most know this Scripture promise, but few live it out.
Dr. William Boegel and his wife, Diane, found that God had a plan for their lives only after they let go of their own dreams to follow God’s prophetic nudges. Dr. Will’s early childhood traumatically prepared him to be vulnerable, opening a conduit to God at an early age. He and Diane met over a scrub sink after surgery and, once married, made a commitment to serve God by serving others in the medical mission field.
What they never expected was the supernatural tug to purchase a dilapidated avocado farm in a rural Mayan lake region that has become Opal House, a refuge for medically compromised, impoverished children of Guatemala. There they provide physical, spiritual, and educational nourishment to these children as well as medical and surgical services to the surrounding community. To date, Dr. Will estimates they have performed more than 500 children’s orthopedic surgeries, giving hope of normalcy to these children and their families.
Everyone, including Dr. Will and his board, volunteer their time. All donations go directly to the Guatemalan people through the efforts of Opal House and the many volunteers who visit the farm to help out. Check out their website for volunteer and fundraising opportunities.
Bio: Dr. William Boegel and Diane were married in early 2004. They have always volunteered as medical missionaries and have served in Mexico, Guatemala, Egypt, and Vietnam, performing surgeries for Healing the Children and Operation Serve International. After years of short-term mission trips, they were called by God to make a long-term investment into Guatemalan society for broken and impoverished children. Dr. William Boegel is a Physician of the Foot and Ankle (Podiatrist) and Diane is a Surgical Technologist.
Resources:
