16 Jul January 2009: Haiti Medical Team
The United Brethren Church in Canada is organizing a medical mission team to go to Haiti January 23 – February 3, 2009. They’ve got slots for more team members.
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The United Brethren Church in Canada is organizing a medical mission team to go to Haiti January 23 – February 3, 2009. They’ve got slots for more team members.
Today is the birthday of Bishop Emeritus Paul Hirschy. He is…well, we’re not sure how old. But you could send him birthday greetings. He would enjoy hearing from you. Paul now works as a development officer at Huntington University.
The United Brethren Church in Canada is organizing a medical mission team to go to Haiti January 23 – February 3, 2009. A number of experienced volunteers have already signed on, but they have openings for additional volunteers.
They will conduct 4-6 clinics in “triage” style. The most common problems relate to stomach and head maladies. Based on the doctor’s findings, appropriate medicine is dispensed as available, or treatment is administered. A month’s supply of vitamins is also provided. After each patient is seen, a Haitian pastor or church leader prays with them before they leave.
If you’re interested in participating on this team, please contact Joan Sider at [email protected].
A medical team traveled to Honduras June 20-28. It was the fifth UB medical team in five years. Global Ministries has worked with Francisco and Maira Raudales to set up clinics in a different area each time. This year we went to the Copan region, where Honduras Conference has started a number of churches in recent years. It was my first visit to that area.
This year’s trip was phenomenal. Everybody gelled. We conducted clinics in five locations, and saw a total of 1945 patients.
The team leaders were Robert and Fonda Cassidy (right), who are from the Mount Olivet UB church in Mount Solon, Va. Robert and Fonda have been on a lot of trips, both with UBs and other organizations. Fonda is a trauma care nurse, and for a while she worked as a first-responder on helicopters and ambulances. Now she works in obstetrics and gynecology.
Robert and Fonda oversaw the setup and flow of the clinic, made sure the team members remained healthy and hydrated, did advance work with room preparation for our lodging, arranged for meals, and helped with transportation.
We usually do team-building events prior to trips. Because this year’s group was spread out geographically, we held two team-building gatherings–one for team members in Ohio and Indiana, and one for those in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. They came together on a Saturday to go over what to expect, have Bible study and prayer together, and do basic preparations.
We left on Friday, arrived in Honduras that afternoon, and drove to Santa Rosa, where we did a clinic on Saturday. We took Sunday off, and had a chance to visit the Mayan ruins at Copan. Then, Monday through Thursday, we held clinics in four different locations. We arose early, traveled to the site, and were ready to go by 9 a.m.
Typically our clinics started at 9 a.m., and we worked until at least 6 pm., with just 15 minutes for lunch. After each clinic the team met for a time of debriefing and to have devotions together.
At 9 a.m., people would already be lined up. The local pastor would normally give each person a number as they arrive, and we would go right down the line. It was quite organized.
Bus troubles.
We set up various stations people would go through. I worked with Maira Raudales in registering. She would ask their name and age, and about their physical problem. It ranged anywhere from headaches, to much more serious ailments. We took their blood pressure, and then sent them to one of the nurses or doctors who would give them a physical and ask questions via a translator. We prescribed medications which we dispensed either at the stations or at the pharmacy we set up at each clinic.
This is the first year we didn’t run out of medication. For just $35, MAP International provides a box of medications designed specifically for the locale we would be going into. The box includes antibiotics for parasites and other medications. Every nurse or doctor on the team acquired one of these boxes. Then we took additional vitamins, plus basic hygiene supplies such as soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, which we handed out to people.
After receiving medical attention, people met with the pastor of the local church, who talked to them and prayed with them. So we ministered not only to their physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well.
Pastor Rubenia Bomatay was surprised, during my June 11 visit, when I told her they are the only United Brethren church in Massachusetts.
They feel very isolated in Jamaica Plain. The last visitor connected with the denomination was Billy Simbo, who was the cluster leader for that region. He visited Jamaica Plain three years ago. Finances prevented anyone from Iglesia Reformada Emanuel from coming to last year’s national conference.
They told me they needed help obtaining materials to teach their children. I sent an email to Jeff Bleijerveld, who found some materials to send. She also needed pastor’s card to prove that she is a licensed minister. I emailed Cathy Reich, our administrative assistant, and she took care of sending that to Rubenia. I hope these services helped them feel part of the larger church.
The most helpful thing we could do for them, they said, is to keep the connection going. That would be a big benefit to the people, showing that they are part of something bigger. I committed to them that Bishop Ron Ramsey or I will visit a couple times a year just to touch base with them.
Don Ackerman, former UB missionary to Honduras, passed away July 9 in Hastings, Nebraska. He was 87. He is survived by his wife, Leora.
Don Ackerman served as a pilot and flight instructor during world War II, and was discharged as a Second Lieutenant. He then finished his education at Huntington College (which the war had interrupted in 1943), graduating in 1947 with a degree in math and then obtaining his masters degree in education at Indiana University in 1948.
Don and Leora, married in 1947, went to La Ceiba, Honduras, as missionary schoolteachers with the United Brethren mission there. They initially served under James Elliott, a minister from Belize who led the school and a group of five churches which, in the 1940s, affiliated with the United Brethren denomination. In 1953, when they returned from their first furlow, the Ackermans served under the leadership of Archie Cameron.
The Ackermans returned to the States in 1958, settling in Des Moines, Iowa, where Don taught high school until he retired. They were founding members and longtime leaders of the Patricia Park UB church in Des Moines (now closed), and remained very involved in UB missionary work.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. July 14 at the Merle Hay Funeral Home in Des Moines. Memorials may be given to:
Polly Roush passed away early Sundy morning, July 12, at age 86. Her husband, J. Edward Roush, served as a US Representative for 16 years; he passed away in 2004 at age 83.
Polly was well-known in the Huntington University community, and as a member of College Park Church in Huntington, Ind.
In 1940, Polly was certified as a singing evangelist by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The same year, she enrolled at Huntington College, and graduated in 1946 with a Biology degree; she later earned a master’s degree in elementary education from Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.). Much of her career was spent as a public schoolteacher. She was also an energetic campaigner for her husband’s political campaigns.
Huntington University’s site has a lengthy article about Polly Roush.
A few days ago I received this note from Dan Kopp (right), senior pastor and church planter of NorthPointe Community Church in Lewis Center, Ohio, on the outskirts of Columbus.
Just thought you would be encouraged by a note from one of our core gals, Michelle. She and her husband, Craig (along with her mother, sister, and his parents), were both brought to Christ and baptized at NorthPointe Community Church and have risen to quite faithful leadership. Craig had attended church maybe a half-dozen times in his life.Michelle directs a flourishing women’s group, made up of mostly new believers, and helps coordinate our children’s ministries.
Michelle wrote:
“I sense that there is a bubbling up of something exciting happening. Many folks are currently seeking God and looking to be part of the solution. I find it very interesting that within the last week, at least three times I heard folks refer to the current state of our church body in comparison to Gideon’s army. We may be small, but if we all trust God, He can make us strong! I’m excited to be part of the solution and to see what God has in store!!”
About ten people came forward during and extended worship/seeking/invitation time Sunday. They also had a surprise “roast” for their now half-century elderly pastor following the service, during which they raised nearly $1000 for a vitally needed laptop for him. Now if he can just see the screen….
Todd Fetters, Devonshire Church, Harrisburg, Pa.
At a recent funeral, I heard the classic hymn “Amazing Grace.” The familiar second line of the first stanza has since stuck in my mind: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”
While it is true that Christ saved me when I was a mere seven years old, it is also true that Christ is still saving me. And because of God’s amazing grace in the last 12 months, I could easily amend the second line to read, “I was stuck, but I’m progressing, was discouraged, but now am hopeful.”
Okay, so my amended lyrics don’t flow as well. My point is this: God’s grace is always amazing. We make a huge mistaken when we think God’s grace is amazing only in relation to our moment of salvation. God’s grace has got to be amazing to you right now…in the past week…in the past month…in the past year.
I’ll bet you can point to ways in which God’s continuing transformational grace has recently touched and transformed some aspect of your life. You could amend the lyrics to “Amazing Grace” just like I did. Here are a few other edits that I think would be relevant to Christians today:
What lyrics would you choose to describe your most recent encounter with God’s amazing grace?
This Sunday, Josh Kessler will preach his first message as the new senior pastor of Good Shepherd UB church in Huntington, Ind. After the service, the church is holding a community hog roast to welcome Josh and Molly to the church. The Kesslers are moving into their new home today. The church has been without a pastor since last September.