Welcome to the new online Nebaj Newsletter which you will be receiving each month   to keep each of you who have supported various aspects of the work in Nebaj updated on what is happening with Juan Pablo and Carolina, the hospital and its staff, and the nursing school. Some of you are long time prayer partners for the work of MVI in Nebaj and some of you have visited on teams.  Many of you have provided financial support for special equipment and projects, and some of you provide monthly support for Juan Pablo and Carolina.  Each of you is a very important part of the work in Nebaj and without your prayers and support the outreach of this ministry would not be where it is today. You are all a vital part of reaching the community of Nebaj with the love and message of Jesus.

Larry and I have been working with and mentoring Juan Pablo since he assumed his role as Medical Director in Nebaj in July of 2005 and then with both he and Carolina since their marriage in December of 2006. We have spent a great deal of time with them in Nebaj and it has been a huge blessing to us to see the new younger generation assume the leadership role in the work there. Their energy and dedication to the Lord's work with the people of Nebaj warms our hearts, as it should yours. Their vision and calling is taking the work in a new and exciting direction, one that will nationalize the work and staff so that the ministry will function as a self-supporting national outreach.  There is no doubt they are well on their way to this goal but still need our prayers and help as they go forward.

Through this newsletter we want to share their ministry with you so you too can be encouraged and can pray for them and the staff.  Many exciting things have happened in 2009 and for those of you who have not been there in a while you would be amazed at the progress that has occurred in the last five years. This newsletter will bring you up to date on what is happening and has happened this past year.  In future newsletters you will hear directly from Jaun Pablo and Carolina and individual hospital staff members. We will have links to photos so you can see first hand what is happening

At present the biggest news of course is that Carolina is pregnant and due to deliver in early May. They have prayed that the Lord would bless them with a family and He is answering that prayer for them.

The nursing school graduated its third class of students in December and they are presently blessing their community with skilled and loving medical care.

Milady, our previous dentist, accepted the Lord and was baptized last April. We were thrilled, as many people have ministered to Milady since she first came to Nebaj. We will be sharing her story in one of the future newsletters.

Dr. Juan Lopez, husband of Milady, is now on staff and working with Juan Pablo seeing patients each day.

The services of the laboratory continue to grow and one of our medical teams this past year provided the funds to finish the purchase of a very important piece of equipment for our lab. We are thankful for their gift as it allows the hospital to take one more step toward self-sufficiency. Many people in the Nebaj area can now afford to pay for laboratory services and those paying patients give the hospital an income that allows patients who cannot afford care to be seen without charge.

Another team gave us funds to purchase a new EKG machine. This is another donation that gives the hospital income from patients who can afford the service and allows for the hospital to care for those who cannot pay.

One of the earliest gifts the hospital received was a portable ultrasound machine. This piece of equipment has been a blessing beyond measure to many.  Few doctors in Nebaj have equipment of this quality and because of that private physicians send their patients to the hospital for sonograms. This is another source of income for the hospital that moves them toward self-sufficiency and gives them the ability to see patients who cannot afford care.

Pastor Noe continues to shepherd the hospital staff and each patient that comes to the hospital.  His little congregation continues to minister to our patients and have been actively involved with our medical teams. Under his leadership, Cristo Salva Church and their outreach is growing.

In June, Dr. David, our newest dentist completed his year of government service and is now working with us.  He has blessed us by accompanying our medical teams when they ministered in outlying villages.

In August, Juan Pablo and Carolina led a small medical mission team made up of hospital staff to the Peten area of Guatemala. Each hospital staff member who went on the trip paid their own way and the hospital purchased the medications the team took with them from the proceeds of paying patients who received medical services at the hospital over the last year. It is a blessing to see the excitement of the hospital staff, as they themselves are now able to take teams to remote areas. This is the second mission trip the hospital staff has made.  The previous year they went to Honduras and held clinic with MV staff in Honduras.  Both of these trips were self- supporting mission trips.

In 2009 two medical teams ministered along side of the hospital staff in Nebaj and the surrounding communities. Click to see Photo Gallery from these trips.

Juan Pablo and Carolina both send their love and greetings to each of you and want you to know they and their staff are thankful to each of you and are praying for you.They ask that you continue to lift them in prayer for wisdom in leadership as they lead the medical and evangelical activities in Nebaj.

Again, thank you for your love and support of Hospital Vida y Esperanza, a project that is near and dear to our hearts.

Donna & Larry Capps

Missionary Ventures International

Medical Directors