As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.  

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Please read the brief summaries of the past medical-dental team activities to get a sense of the work that is being done unto "the least of these my brethren."

The census at HL was between 60 and 70 patients consistently during the week. We were blown away by the cheerfulness and optimism of the patients and staff members. It was incredible to see the thankfulness that each patient had, knowing they were fortunate to be receiving medical care. On two evenings, the American nurses gave presentations on the chain of infection/hand washing and on IV management. The doctor went over how to read EKGs with the Haitian nurses. An educational session with the Haitian physicians was also given.  

December 2012

CVE, Magdalena, Mexico

Detailed vision screenings were performed for 40 students and teachers who attend the school on campus. A handful needed vision correction, some needed updates to existing eyewear or contact lenses, and one was referred to a doctor in Arizona for intensive vision therapy due to ocular muscle imbalance and visual processing deficiencies. One brother had a small piece of metal embedded on his cornea that was causing irritation and light sensitivity for 7-10 days.  The metallic foreign body was removed using a sterilized sewing needle. A day or two later he was all smiles and said his eye felt great.

Hospital Lumiere - Bonne Fin, Haiti

Terrible cases of advanced cervical cancer have been detected in the past when we have worked in Haiti. Our goal with this trip was to teach Dr. Mario Florestal (Haitian OB/GYN at Bonne Fin) and his nursing staff to do the screening procedures. We screened for 2 days and saw 140 women.  Many screens were positive. Dr. Florestal followed up with biopsies on these and some cases were cancer, one very advanced. Follow up treatment was given for the cancer.

The screening was well received and very much appreciated by the Haitian women and the hospital staff.

Educational presentations were given on the topics of breastfeeding and use of the fetal monitor. A class was given for some of the nurses on how to do an EKG and the very basic information of reading an EKG. Following this class the nurses were helped in doing some hands-on practice.

A lot of time was spent helping organize Central Supply.   The team's plumber tested the water supply and found it to be contaminated with E. Coli. He also checked the area where the spring is and outlined what needs to be done to resolve this issue. Meanwhile, the people are boiling their water.

Over 200 cervical cancer screening exams were performed in 2 ½ days.  40 of those women will now be referred to Dr. Mario (OB/GYN) for additional follow up, due to having positive screenings.  Painting was also done in the new pharmacy.

Ixtlan, Mexico

3 days of exams allowed almost 200 people to be evaluated. 160 pairs of eye glasses were given out.

Approximately 80 patients were seen in 3 days. This included the children and adults which were mostly from CVE. It was nice to use the newly set up dental clinic.  Having a chair that laid the patients back, an overhead light, and suction was a big plus.

The team assisted local practitioners with general medicine outpatient clinic and rounds in the hospital.  Each team member served where they could use their professional talents alongside the Haitian staff.

157 cervical cancer screening exams were performed with 58 of the women having abnormal findings.  These findings were documented and the women were scheduled with Dr. Mario an OB/GYN for biopsies and appropriate care of the findings. 70 patients were seen in the dental clinic.  Services provided included extractions, cleanings, and fillings.  Due to the high demand, treatment was limited to the patient's primary area of concern or pain.

Physician, Physician's Assistant, Chiropractor, Dental Hygienist, Physical Therapist, Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistant, Radiology Technician, Nonmedical Personnel.

A team of medical personnel went to Reynosa, Mexico on May 14-21 to serve the people of Reynosa through the use of health fairs and medical clinics. The primary goals were to encourage healthy lifestyles, provide basic medical education and glorify God through service of others.

The team consisted of 29 medical and non-medical personnel from 15 different Apostolic Christian churches, and worked alongside Isaiah 55 Deaf Ministries to organize 5 health fairs and clinics within the city of Reynosa. Each clinic included medical consults, dental cleanings, occupational therapy, and chiropractic services. Each health fair included specific types of education including mental health, women's health, spiritual health, hand washing, nutrition, and exercise.  

Interactive activities were provided for the children including teeth brushing, exercise, family photographs, and Bible stories. Each participant was given a Bible and health kit, and given the opportunity to connect with a local pastor. About 500 families attended the clinics and 600 children attended the dental education. This was the first team to utilize the health education module of minimal medication prescriptions and focus on health education.   We plan to continue future teams with more focus on education.

We found the physicians to be welcoming and open to working with us. It was valuable to work alongside them in the clinic and the hospital seeing patients.  We were able to share our perspective and do some one-on-one teaching, and also able to learn from them and learn what local resources and practice consisted of.  A two day teaching session, using a curriculum called "Helping Babies Breathe" was held. 

All the physicians and many of the nurses attended. It was focused on resuscitation of newborn babies and seemed very well received. We provided everyone with certificates of completion. The welcome we received from Haitian providers and staff, and especially from the missionaries, was appreciated.