You will find pictures from my trip on my facebook page.
Thank you for following this blog and for all your prayers.
In His Service and To His Glory
Jackie
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day in the life of a Mission of Hope Surgery Patient
All the surgical patients arrive the night before surgery. Prior to this they have been through a screening process by the Bolivian Clinic doctor and Cindy. They have meet all the necessary criteria. There are hundreds of patients on the waiting list to have surgery.
Once they arrive at the clinic they sit in a waiting room and hear the story of Jesus. After this they are talked to by the surgeon and anestheologist who will do there surgery and anesthesia. Then they are taken to their room or mattress in the hall if all the room beds are full. They are given showers and a place to sleep. The Bolivian clinic staff become the night nurses during surgery weeks. Their IVs are started and they get a good nights sleep (hopefully) prior to their surgery.
The next morning surgery begins around 0730. Two operating rooms run simultaneously. From the OR they go to the recovery room and from the recovery room to their post op rooms. At 1000 every morning the patients are required to attend praise and worship if able. A local Bolivian team come and sing and the Word of God is preached to them again. The patients are also presented with Bibles. The patients receive post op care as long as medically necessary and sometimes as long as socially necessary. They receive love from the surgery team, pampering from the hair and nail specialist and we receive sincere love and graditude in return. Discharge instructions are given, often tears are shed or at least in my case they were, patients are sent home and will return the following Tuesday for post op visits. And to the clinic as necessary after that. The patients will then spread the good news of Mission of Hope and the cycle repeats itself.
Once they arrive at the clinic they sit in a waiting room and hear the story of Jesus. After this they are talked to by the surgeon and anestheologist who will do there surgery and anesthesia. Then they are taken to their room or mattress in the hall if all the room beds are full. They are given showers and a place to sleep. The Bolivian clinic staff become the night nurses during surgery weeks. Their IVs are started and they get a good nights sleep (hopefully) prior to their surgery.
The next morning surgery begins around 0730. Two operating rooms run simultaneously. From the OR they go to the recovery room and from the recovery room to their post op rooms. At 1000 every morning the patients are required to attend praise and worship if able. A local Bolivian team come and sing and the Word of God is preached to them again. The patients are also presented with Bibles. The patients receive post op care as long as medically necessary and sometimes as long as socially necessary. They receive love from the surgery team, pampering from the hair and nail specialist and we receive sincere love and graditude in return. Discharge instructions are given, often tears are shed or at least in my case they were, patients are sent home and will return the following Tuesday for post op visits. And to the clinic as necessary after that. The patients will then spread the good news of Mission of Hope and the cycle repeats itself.
An Extension of Mission of Hope
As a result of Mission of Hope a church was planeted in a village outside of Santa Cruz. This is the story of how Ingesia Evangelica Cuadrangular Plan De Dios church came in to existence.
During the surgey event of this young man he and his mother heard the story of Jesus. The mother was touched by this amazing story and wanted to know more. She returned to Mission of Hope some time later and asked to see Cindy. She handed Cindy and envelope, which Cindy didn't open till later. Inside Cindy found 200 bolivianos (almost $1400 dollars), what an awesome gift. More important than that the mother wanted to hear more about the Bible and this Jesus. Roberto an employee of Mission of Hope began going to this woman's home and teaching her about the Bible. Neighbors began gathering when they would see him in the front yard. 7 miles from the clinic this was happening in a neighborhood that many of the patients now come and are treated at Mission of Hope. This gathering grew and grew and a church was born.
Sometime later a United States Faternity Ki Nu was looking for a project and Cindy heard about it. Immediately she contacted them and they agreed to come start the church building project. The faternity raised all the money to pour the footings for the church. They came and poured all the footings for this church and today others have been able to complete the building.
We were able to worship there on Sunday during our trip what a blessing it was for me. Enrigue another employee of Mission of Hope is now the minister of the church. He is an awesome man of God.
During the surgey event of this young man he and his mother heard the story of Jesus. The mother was touched by this amazing story and wanted to know more. She returned to Mission of Hope some time later and asked to see Cindy. She handed Cindy and envelope, which Cindy didn't open till later. Inside Cindy found 200 bolivianos (almost $1400 dollars), what an awesome gift. More important than that the mother wanted to hear more about the Bible and this Jesus. Roberto an employee of Mission of Hope began going to this woman's home and teaching her about the Bible. Neighbors began gathering when they would see him in the front yard. 7 miles from the clinic this was happening in a neighborhood that many of the patients now come and are treated at Mission of Hope. This gathering grew and grew and a church was born.
Sometime later a United States Faternity Ki Nu was looking for a project and Cindy heard about it. Immediately she contacted them and they agreed to come start the church building project. The faternity raised all the money to pour the footings for the church. They came and poured all the footings for this church and today others have been able to complete the building.
We were able to worship there on Sunday during our trip what a blessing it was for me. Enrigue another employee of Mission of Hope is now the minister of the church. He is an awesome man of God.
History of Mission of Hope
This is the story of how it all began. Cindy had a dream after adopting her children from Bolivia. In her dream God told Cindy to open a hospital in Bolivia. Cindy believes with all of her heart this is because of the devastating results of her son's injury prior to his adoption.
Cindy's son had a nail in his leg that became very infected. After being seen by the medical system in Bolivia his parents were told to go buy antibiotics to treat the infection. His parents were unable to afford the medication so he went untreated as a result he had to have his leg amputated. What a price to pay for being poor. The loss of his leg and his family.
Cindy decided to follow God's plan. She began researching and looking for a building to purchase in Bolivia and spreading her idea to raise money. She found a building for sale but it was 1 million dollars. Cindy had only managed to raise $500,000 guess what the person sold it to Cindy for the $500,000. Cindy was told that she would have to charge at least half of the visit fees to make it work but to this date she has never charged a cent and everything she has needed has been provided, somethimes just in time but never the less it comes. Mission of Hope is supported soley by church sponsors in the United States.
Mission of Hope opened in 2003. They have seen 200,000 patients and have done 1,000 surgeries all free of charge. The clinic has 30 employee, a full time pharmacy and lab. Twice a year the clinic becomes a hospital for the week. In the spring surgery is done by Ear Nose and Throat surgeons and in the fall surgery is done by gynecolology and general surgeons.
There are numerous stories of patients being healed both physically and emotionally. This is just an example of one. There was a mother who had been suffering from uterine prolapse for nine years her husband had left her because he felt she was no longer any good to him. She had to crawl out of bed every day after that and hand wash peoples clothes just to make enought money to feed her children. This women had prayed to God to take her or heal her. She finally made it to Mission of Hope where she was accepted for surgery. Today she is reunited with her husband and her family is together.
Mission of Hope - Bolivia an extension of God's hands and feet through his servant Cindy and her marvelous staff and surgery teams. Praise be to God.
Cindy's son had a nail in his leg that became very infected. After being seen by the medical system in Bolivia his parents were told to go buy antibiotics to treat the infection. His parents were unable to afford the medication so he went untreated as a result he had to have his leg amputated. What a price to pay for being poor. The loss of his leg and his family.
Cindy decided to follow God's plan. She began researching and looking for a building to purchase in Bolivia and spreading her idea to raise money. She found a building for sale but it was 1 million dollars. Cindy had only managed to raise $500,000 guess what the person sold it to Cindy for the $500,000. Cindy was told that she would have to charge at least half of the visit fees to make it work but to this date she has never charged a cent and everything she has needed has been provided, somethimes just in time but never the less it comes. Mission of Hope is supported soley by church sponsors in the United States.
Mission of Hope opened in 2003. They have seen 200,000 patients and have done 1,000 surgeries all free of charge. The clinic has 30 employee, a full time pharmacy and lab. Twice a year the clinic becomes a hospital for the week. In the spring surgery is done by Ear Nose and Throat surgeons and in the fall surgery is done by gynecolology and general surgeons.
There are numerous stories of patients being healed both physically and emotionally. This is just an example of one. There was a mother who had been suffering from uterine prolapse for nine years her husband had left her because he felt she was no longer any good to him. She had to crawl out of bed every day after that and hand wash peoples clothes just to make enought money to feed her children. This women had prayed to God to take her or heal her. She finally made it to Mission of Hope where she was accepted for surgery. Today she is reunited with her husband and her family is together.
Mission of Hope - Bolivia an extension of God's hands and feet through his servant Cindy and her marvelous staff and surgery teams. Praise be to God.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
What an experience
Words can not describe what it has been like this week. Everywhere I turn, everything I see, everything I hear draws me closer to God. The work has not been easy, the days have been long but none of the matters because we are doing what we have been called to do.Be unified, let our lights shine, run the race without growing weary, do it for the least of these and that is what this team is trying to do. Tomorrow we will try to finish the race strong and say goodbye without tears knowing that it has been a race well worth running. Thank you all for praying for me and the team here in Bolivia we have felt all of them. Continue to pray for our last 11 patients tomorrow and for the 50 plus who have successfully made it thru their surgery. Also pray for travel safety as we return to the States on Saturday.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday News
It was a wonderful first day. Things went very smoothly. We were able to do surgery on 11 patients today. I took care of two mennonite women who spoke low German which. I thought Spanish was going to be hard enough. Fortunately God put me in a room with Martha from Canada who took care of the other two mennonite women and she, guess what, speaks low German. There was also a Bolivian women that comes just to translate for these people each time the team does surgery so she was a big help.. These people are beautiful...I hope they were able to see the hands and feet of Jesus thru me today. It´s been a long hot day and I need a shower. Keep us in your prayers as well as the 12 others that came tonight for surgery tomorrow.
This morning during devotions we talked about unity...and that is what this team is doing, becoming united. Can´t wait to see all that God will do by Friday.
This morning during devotions we talked about unity...and that is what this team is doing, becoming united. Can´t wait to see all that God will do by Friday.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday
We all arrived safely in Santa Cruz after several dealys and a long red eye flight from Miami. We spent the day at the clinic (now a hospital) organizing the supplies and preparing for the patient´s to arrive tomorrow evening. Jeremy prayed over the entire clinic room by room then over the staff. It is amazing to see what God has provided for the less fortunate people here in Bolivia thru this place. I can´t wait to tell the whole story and how this great ministry started. This trip has definately been bathed in prayer and God is going to do a mighty work here this week. We had a great meal and are all now ready for a good nights sleep so we will be ready to worship in the morning and accept patient´s tomorrow evening. For those of you who went to Mexico it reminds me so much of Ensenda. Please continue to pray for the entire trip.
Until tomorrow.....
Until tomorrow.....
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