18 Jan Meeting Physical Needs Through Medicine
by Donna Waldron
One of the most productive ways for short term missionaries to impact Western Honduras is through village medical clinics. A village is selected, and we set up a temporary clinic that serves approximately 1000 people in 3 days. Each person receives a medical consultation as well as appropriate medications for free. Sometimes we also offer eye exams as well as tooth extractions, depending on the particular group. In 2018, we served more than 6500 people in small villages. The people served would otherwise have to spend time and money traveling to the nearest city, wait most of the day to see a doctor, and then would likely have to purchase whatever medications are prescribed due to a struggling government healthcare system. In
2018 we also served over 100 people in 2 surgical brigades in which a team of professionals from the US came and performed much needed surgeries on folks who had been on a waiting list for numerous months up to a year.
In 2019, we already have 9 village medical clinics scheduled as well as 2 surgical teams. As we serve people by serving their physical needs, we communicate that we are willing to come alongside them, where they are, to share from our abundance (monetary, talent, time). In post clinic interviews with several recipients of our services, the most common comment was, “the care, concern, patience, and love expressed from those who served me left me feeling like I mattered to someone.” Isn’t that the message God would have us communicate to those around us?
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