People living in rural areas of developing countries have either never received medical attention of any kind or have limited access to healthcare.
People of developing countries are exploited by anti-life propaganda and government sponsored programs which inhibit their choice of healthcare options.
HELPING HANDS Medical Missions provide short-term trips by medical personnel to poor areas throughout the developing world to provide medical attention in the fullness of the Catholic tradition.
Services provided include:
surgeries, dental care, physical therapy, consultations, distribution of medications, house calls, and Natural Family Planning courses.
Our HELPING HANDS Medical Missionaries also take part in the mission’s spiritual program of daily prayer, Mass, meditation, classes on the Church’s teachings in the field of bio-ethics, and door-to-door evangelization visits.
One of the saddest sights you will ever see is a child dying of malaria, lying under a tree because there were no beds.
Progress
Guatemala:
Santa Maria de Jesus
Number of missionaries on this team - 16
Number of patients served - 2,410
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
Number of patients served - 2,100
Surgeries performed - 14
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.
~I Chronicles 16:34 He loves us and because of God's blessings the Scripture makes it clear that our joy is found in Him. For this, we are thankful and are encouraged to sing our thanksgiving to Him. On this trip he kept us safe in our travels and gave strength in our work and joy in our sharing. May you find peace in Christ and I hope that the coming year brings many blessings to you all.
Santiago Texacuangos
Number of missionaries on this team - 35
Number of patients served - 2,600
Surgeries performed - 40
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.
Patient Treatments Statistics
History of HELPING HANDS 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!
2010 HELPING HANDS Medical Missions
PHILIPPINES: TANAUAN-BATANGAS
January 27 - February 6, 2010
QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO: CHUNHUHUB
March 5-14, 2010
GUATEMALA: ESCUINTLA
March 12-20, 2010
AFRICA: GHANA
April 14-25, 2010
MEXICO: COTIJA
May 21-29, 2010
BRAZIL: ITACOATIARA-AMAZONS
July 2-11, 2010
GUATEMALA: Santa María de Jesús
October 22-30, 2010
EL SALVADOR: SONSONATE
Oct. 29 – Nov. 6, 2010
EL SALVADOR: SANTIAGO TEXACUANGOS
November 5-13, 2010
QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO: PLAYA DEL CARMEN
November 5-14, 2010
HHMM Main
