Check inside:
Transcription
Check inside:
Needy children find care inside an unusual dental office Challenge Grant Announced For several years, the students at Vose Elementary School in Beaverton, Ore., have called a big white van—supplied by Medical Teams International—their dental office. This van is the only dental office many students have ever seen. It serves as a free clinic to students whose parents do not have insurance for their children’s care. Volunteer dentists have provided nearly $120,000 in free dental care to 400 students at Vose Elementary School in Beaverton, Ore., during the past five years. These services would not be possible without volunteers like Dr. Michelle Crocker, a dentist who has volunteered aboard our Mobile Dental van for six years at the school. “I never knew that there was such a big need for dental care in Oregon. It’s eye opening. You never think there’s that much need right next to you. But there is—especially among families who cannot afford dental insurance,” Dr. Crocker concludes. One of our longDonor asks others time volunteers to ‘plan ahead’ to and his wife heal those in need recently named Medical Teams International in their trust, knowing that their gift will provide vital health care for many years to come. This thoughtful couple also has given us a Challenge Grant to encourage other people to help us improve lives and health far into the future. Mothers and children say thank you If you‘ve considered including Medical Teams International in your will, trust or retirement plan, now is the perfect time. If you have already named Medical Teams in your estate plan but have not yet notified us, your gift still qualifies for this exciting Challenge Grant opportunity. Through your support of our work in Afghanistan, Medical Teams International is: nHelping to improve a medical clinic operated by one of our partners. This clinic provides medical services to more than 1,300 patients per month—the majority of them are women and children. nSending four medical teams to train local health care providers. nDeploying three medical teams to Afghanistan to work at a hospital in Kabul in cooperation with CURE International. Since 1979, Medical Teams International has shipped more than $1.2 billion in antibiotics, surgical kits and lifesaving medicines to care for more than 45 million people in 100 countries around the world. We can do this only because of your heart of compassion for a needy world. War-torn Afghanistan Medical Teams International Summer 2009 Reaching Hands “As Calla and I prepare for our trip to Uganda, please pray that our ministry to the Congolese in the refugee camps will be effective.” —Kathy Holmgren For every new planned gift in 2009, this generous couple will donate an additional $1,000 for up to 20 new gifts. Check inside: Back to Africa— Mother and daughter, Kathy and Calla Holmgren, return to save lives of mothers and children Here at home— children without dental insurance find help from dental volunteers and our Mobile Dental Clinics For more information, please contact Mary Lee Alder, planned giving officer, at (800) 959-4325, mlalder@medicalteams.org or PO Box 10, Portland OR 97207-0010. Contribute to the success of a church mission team Many churches and civic groups send teams to developing countries to improve living conditions and lend medical aid. Sometimes, these teams are already stretching their resources and cannot afford the additional cost of medicines and supplies. Here’s how you can help. Your gift today of $295 puts a Clinic Pack in the hands of that team—providing team members or a clinic with enough medicines to help 1,500 people. Here’s what Annette Johnson of Redeemer Send them out with a Fellowship Church in Roseburg, Ore., says Clinic Pack in hand about a Clinic Pack her church carried with them on a recent mission trip: “The medical team would leave in the morning. Sometimes they’d stay overnight, arriving at a church or school the next day. By early morning people in the village were already standing in long lines waiting for dental and medical care …. “We truly have an amazing God who opens doors for us in ways we could not imagine.” Your $295 donation will provide $5,500 in donated medicines. That’s $18.64 of value for every $1.00 you give. If you cannot provide the entire Clinic Pack, we urge you to give half the cost and find a friend to match your donation. Thank you for your generosity. For details, go to: medicalteams.org/clinicpack In Myanmar— Mothers and children are alive today because of your lifesaving gifts. A donor’s story— “Why we are matching gifts up to $20,000.” Medical Team International volunteer nurse Anne Blaufus prepares to vaccinate a Congolese child in a refugee camp. Reaching Hands is an official publication of Medical Teams International (formerly Northwest Medical Teams) • www.medicalteams.org T he mission of Medical Teams International is to demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world. • 4 | Medical Teams International • Oregon Office P.O. Box 10, Portland, OR 97207-0010 (800) 959-HEAL (4325) (503) 624-1000 Washington Office 9900 Willows Road NE, Redmond, WA 98052 (425) 454-TEAM (8326) • www.medicalteams.org Inside … the latest updates on how you’re saving and changing the lives of mothers and children worldwide Kathy & Calla Holmgren A Message from bas vanderzalm Every minute of every day a woman dies from preventable complications during childbirth and pregnancy. In a minute … the time a television commercial runs by, another mom is gone forever. Another motherless child faces the world alone. Take a minute to consider how you and your family would survive after a storm washed away your home, all your belongings, clothes and food? Because you care, we can respond to disasters—saving lives so children do not die needlessly after the storms pass. Take a minute to look around your neighborhood. Perhaps some of the children you see are suffering without dental care? Did you know our dental volunteers serve more than 16,000 people—many of them uninsured children—in Oregon and Washington each year? We can make such a difference—in a minute. Take a minute to donate on our website so our volunteers will have the medicines and supplies they need. Take a minute to mail a gift that will help us train local partners to save the lives of pregnant moms. Take a minute to pray for our volunteers, our local partners and the people they serve. Every minute of every day, our volunteers are giving the minutes of their lives to save the lives of others. It may only take a minute to pray or to make a gift, but it may save a life. Thanks for doing what you can to stop the ticking clock of death and disease for millions of people who will receive hope through our efforts this year. A mother and her doctor daughter lend their medical assistance to Congolese refugees “I spent most of 1970 in the Congo as a short-term missionary, just after I graduated from North Park University, Chicago, Ill. I became a nurse so that I could serve as a missionary. “Later, I was able to return to the Congo with my daughter, Calla, in 2006. During that visit, our hearts were touched by the tremendous needs of those who suffered during the war. Bas Vanderzalm, President Prayers and support needed for women and children in Darfur Your prayers and support are needed as Medical Teams International continues to work among women and children in Darfur. We provide health care in the region with the Global Relief Alliance, caring for 60,000 people. Please pray for the mothers and children of Darfur and our ministry to them. 2 | Medical Teams International Kathy and Calla Holmgren previously visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, eager to help those who have been brutalized by ongoing fighting since 1998. More than 5 million people have died in the conflict. Millions more have been forced to find safety in temporary camps and shelters. Now this mother and daughter team return to Uganda to help more Congolese mothers and children survive. In her own words … Kathy Holmgren—wife of former NFL coach, Mike Holmgren, nurse and caregiver to the Congolese people … You helped save lives in Kathy Holmgren, surrounded by her family, helped raise $60,000 in December to keep Medical Team International’s health aid flowing to Congolese refugees in Uganda. In May, Kathy and her daughter, Calla, return to help the very refugees, whose lives they helped save with the money they helped raise. Myanmar Last year, Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar—killing more than 200,000 people. Thousands of families were left homeless and exposed to disease. We joined our partner, World Concern, to provide emergency health care in response to this disaster. Your gifts helped Medical Teams International provide health care, mosquito nets and ongoing medical training to mothers and children in need. Thanks to you … 10,000 families now have access to malaria-prevention supplies and long-lasting, insecticide-treated nets. This help was invaluable Return to Africa… “I remember the Congolese with a special affection—their warmth, their love of Jesus, and their positive outlook, in spite of difficult life experiences. “Once again we’ll have the privilege of reaching out to the desperately needy Congolese people who’ve fled their homes into this neighboring country. “Working with one of my daughters and serving God fulfills my hope as a parent. But … this is a team effort. We have other daughters (and sons-in-laws and grandchildren) at home, holding us up in prayer, supporting us financially, and taking care of Calla’s daughter, Emma. We work together! “As Calla and I prepare for our trip to Uganda, please pray that our ministry to the Congolese in the refugee camps will be effective. Pray that desperate mothers and children will understand we come because we love them and we love Jesus. “Calla and I are happy we can be part of the healing. I simply pray that God will bless our humble efforts.” as malaria threatened many lives following the storm. More than 8,300 women in 71 villages participated in health and hygiene education activities since last year. Health workers taught mothers how to prevent acute respiratory infections, measles (through immunizations), malaria, dengue fever and other diseases. This knowledge helps families survive a disaster next time tragedy strikes. Health volunteers also taught moms about the importance of breastfeeding and a balanced diet. These same volunteers helped families learn how to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, including HIV and AIDS. T hank you Right now, you can help Kathy and Calla prevent mothers and children from dying. For $24, you can supply medicines and long-lasting, specially treated bed nets to protect three people from malariainfected mosquitoes. We need to provide 2,000 of these bed nets immediately for refugees crossing the border. Thank you for your help and support. This Myanmar family now can enjoy a healthy meal—thanks to help you provided after Cyclone Nargis destroyed their home, crops and nearly their entire lives. Your gifts helped moms get immediate care for their children and learn how to feed their children to keep them healthy for years. Medical Teams International | 3