A 19-year-old man injured in a machete fight and a mother who spent two hours carrying her baby up a mountain were among more than 1,700 patients treated by a medical mission team from Adventist Midwest Health (AMH) that traveled to Central America in January. Team members also reconnected with a toddler they met on last year's trip. Little Maria, also known as Suyapa, was 14 months old but weighed less than nine pounds when the team met her in 2008. A year later, she had grown to 25 pounds—still small for her age but much healthier and one of the most social and loving children at the Honduran nutritional orphanage where she lives.
For the second year in a row, AMH partnered with Pan American Health Services Inc. to set up medical centers in remote areas and care for children at the nutritional orphanage, a place where parents leave their children when they can't afford to feed them. AMH sponsors an international mission trip annually for a team of physicians, employees and guests. It's a natural outgrowth of AMH's mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, according to John Rapp, regional vice president, ministries and mission.
"Whether in the Midwestern United States or in a remote village in Honduras, Jesus calls us to fulfill the medical and spiritual needs of all His people," John said.
Among the 32 people on the trip was Gary Lipinski, regional vice president of medical staff services. He said the most challenging part of the trip was caring for patients with the limited medical resources available.
"A patient came in with chest pains, but we only had enough aspirin to help him for a month," Gary said. "We quickly realized that we were not going to be able to cure all the illnesses, but instead, we could offer some comfort to most of the patients."
Gary and other members of the group's medical team traveled to different areas of the countryside to treat patients in churches and community centers. By the time the team arrived on site, there would already be 200 to 300 patients waiting in line. With the closest major health care facility 45 to 90 minutes away, medical care can be difficult to find.
"We in America live a life of luxury, and we don't worry about seeing a doctor because doctors are always around," said Liz Hulford, a chaplain at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. "But in Honduras, there's a real need, and it's our responsibility as Christians to go and serve our neighbors in need."
Common ailments include colds, flu, migraine headaches and parasite infections. Each member of the AMH mission team brought along two suitcases, one with their belongings and a second filled with basic hygiene and medical supplies. The second suitcase was left behind to help those in need.
Participating in the mission trip was something she felt compelled to do, said Cristina Ruiz, AMH's regional director of strategic development. Fluent in Spanish, she helped the medical team by interpreting. She also gave a presentation on abstinence. In an area where the average age of a girl's first pregnancy is 14, abstinence can seem like a foreign concept. The team saw some girls who had given birth as early as age 11. One girl told Cristina she was raped by her uncle.
"That broke my heart," Cristina said. "I was honored that she trusted me enough to share this terrible experience with me. I told her that even though this terrible thing had happened, her heart was still pure. We prayed together. I still pray for her."
Lisa Parro is a public relations specialist at Adventist Midwest Health.
