Catholic World Mission
Conquering poverty with the richness of our Catholic Faith
Medical Missions
Catholic medical professionals providing health care services for the poor in rural areas of developing countries
The Need
One of the saddest sights you will ever see is a child dying of malaria, lying under a tree because there were no beds. |
Ghana Medical Supplies
As people of faith we must ask ourselves, how does this happen in the modern world? How, in a world of high-speed connections and super-sonic jets, do children still cry with no one to hear? We can take solace in knowing that our Lord gives us hope and Good News. He gives us what we need to make a difference.
Catholic World Mission has been privileged to ship containers of urgently needed medical supplies to this area of Western Africa. In a country in which 80,000 children die each year due to preventable and treatable diseases such as malaria and typhoid, basic medical supplies are imperative to life. The supplies are critical for stocking hospitals and clinics, but also serve a function in short term medical missions in remote villages, where there is no access to medical care.
"We arrive early in the morning to see hundreds of villagers lined up," says one missionary doctor. "The heartache is that when darkness comes there are just as many left behind."
But the Good News is we have a unique opportunity to allow the people of Yiwabra to have a permanent clinic in which families can be seen when illness begins, not when life is threatened. While short-term clinics can save lives, a permanent clinic can save even more.
If we act now, a charitable partner has offered a matching gift equal in the amount of donations we collect for medical shipment.
If we can raise the $40,000 necessary to ship another container of supplies, the matching gift will fund the building supplies necessary for a permanent clinic in Yiwabra.
Our Lord gives us our Daily Bread. With your help, we can multiply our gifts to serve the needy — in perpetuity. For every $25 you donate, another $25 will be available to fund the clinic construction. Catholic World Mission simply cannot pass up this opportunity to do God's work.
The momentum has begun. Villagers have donated the land and are geared up to help with construction. As an added benefit, the clinic will employ local nurses to boost the local economy and continue the effort to help villagers become self-sufficient.
Another American missionary reflects on her clinic work this past year. "About 25% of all those we tested had malaria," says the clinician. "A group of children in clinic who were obviously very sick still managed to smile and giggle at the pictures of my dogs I brought with me to Ghana. It occurred to me how much better care my dogs get than these children. We must do better for God's children."
We urge you to help us with this unique opportunity. Every nickel counts. But the most you can give means even more that can be multiplied for the sick and needy in Ghana.
God Bless your efforts on behalf of these people.
Progress
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Number on medical team – 21 Medical personnel and volunteers departed on April 15 and returned April 24th for our second medical mission to Asafo, Ghana. Some of the people were familiar to us from last year and it made the patients feel special to be remembered. Dr. Matthew Harrison and Dr. Gabriella Nanci worked in the clinic. Dr. John Petros and Dr. Deborah Martin performed surgeries in the existing operating room at St. John of God, and also worked in the clinic after surgery. Two new operating rooms are being added for mission work, but are not yet equipped, so were used for the clinic.
Guatemala: Santa Maria de Jesus Number of missionaries on this team - 16 The chance to visit the local people in their homes provided an opportunity to get a taste of the Guatemalan culture and to see how the people live. One of the teams shared the story of a young lady who hoped to train to become a nurse, but because of the costs of education, this simply would not be possible. However, because of the generosity of the team, we collected enough money to pay for that girl’s two years of nursing education. While we may not see the fruits of this immediately, we should find joy knowing that we hopefully are helping to change this girl’s life forever. Your generosity and kind hearts shined upon the Guatemalan people. |
El Salvador: Sonsonate Number of missionaries on this team - 33 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Santiago Texacuangos Number of missionaries on this team - 35 Do any of you remember reading this from an earlier HHMM letter? "Get ready for a change of pace! Flexibility is an important virtue for a missionary. For some, this mission may require more of a change of pace than usual." Flexibility would definitely be one of the key memories for me for this mission. Whenever we thought that we knew what was going to happen, things changed. It was a challenge and opportunity for us to show our trust and faith in God's plan, and to give more fully our "yes" to Christ. |
History of Catholic World Mission Medical Missions
HELPING HANDS Medical Missions (HHMM) was formally established in 1996 after three years of developing a program for a Catholic medical mission.
The idea originated in Dallas in 1991, when a Catholic priest recognized the need for Catholic medical professionals to provide health care services for the poor in rural areas of developing countries. In Holy Week of 1996, a pilot group of medical missionaries from various areas of the U.S. joined the youth missions in Michoacán, Mexico. |
The mission was a success with a small group of seven medical personnel. In the fall of 1996, the first mission under the name of HELPING HANDS Medical Missions took place in Cotija, Mexico, with 30 participants: doctors, nurses and volunteers serving more than 500 patients and providing 91 surgeries in just 5 days! |
2012 Medical Missions
Philippines: Tanauan-Batangas Quintana Roo, Mexico: Chunhuhub Guatemala: Escuintla Africa: Ghana Mexico: Cotija |
Brazil: Itacoatiara-Amazons Guatemala: Santa María de Jesús El Salvador: Quintana Roo, Mexico: Playa del Carmen |
2011 Medical Missions
Guatemala: Santa María de Jesús El Salvador: |
Quintana Roo, Mexico: Playa del Carmen
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2010 Medical Mission: Cotija
Thank you for making the Helping Hands Medical Missions during 2009-2010 the most successful in our 15 year history!
The eleventh mission of our 2009-10 program took place May 21-29th in Cotija, Michoacán, Mexico. The mission team included 45 people. There were 42 surgeries performed in the newly air conditioned operating rooms of the Rafael Guzal Vencia Hospital. The surgeries included: general surgery, ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat among others.
Medical clinics were held in the Cotija Altius Dispensario and in 3 outlying Indian villages. Over 720 patients were seen at the clinics. For the first time, Billings NFP (Natural Family Planning) method was taught at this mission site, using Spanish language videos, booklets and charts. Close to 20 women in the outlying villages were taught the method, as well as two couples from a parish in Cotija.
We thank all the missionaries who sacrificed their time, talent and treasure, as well as the benefactors who helped make this mission possible! Our 2010-11 Mission Program begins next month in Brazil along the Amazon River…please pray for the missionaries so they can be led by the Holy Spirit.