Going to Guatemala to help those who are less fortunate. That is the goal of the Moose Jaw International Medical Mission, a team of doctors and nurses getting ready to embark to the poverty-stricken municipality of Patzun in February.

A fundraiser called Gardens for Guatemala will be taking place this weekend, allowing residents to tour through some of Moose Jaw’s gorgeous private gardens and yards on a self-guided tour.

Local nurse Melissa MacNeil will be volunteering for her 5th medical tour. She explains what funds raised will be going toward.

"Everything goes toward the cost of the mission itself; all the medical supplies, the stoves, the water filtration systems, anything we need for the people there. We cover our own costs, flights, food, hotels, all the money we raise will go toward the mission itself."

Moose Jaw's Shauna Sinclair will be on the mission as well. She talks about the satisfaction she received from helping those in need, and why items like stoves are so important in a country like Guatemala.

"I was on the stove team where we went out into the community and installed stoves and water filters for different families. It was a very moving and emotional experience, the whole week was indescribable, its really hard to believe the gift your giving to someone will provide for them and their family, and for generations to come."

"They do have stoves but what they're doing is they're not getting proper ventilation so they're getting bad smokers lung, even though they've never smoked a day in their life. Its all the soot from the stoves coming back into their lungs."

Self-guided tours run Saturday from 10am-3pm. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at Windmill Greenhouse, Hudson’s Boutique, Ellen’s On Main, or by contacting Jackie at 306-313-0158.