Medical Mercy - Let's work together to provide health and hope!

 People say that knowledge is power. When we know what the problem is, we can begin the process of fixing it. In many cases, Honduran culture does not think that way. The thought process is—we know what the problem is, so now we can learn how to live with it.

This mentality often comes from the simple lack of resources. For example, what good is it to know that you have cataracts if you can’t afford the procedure to have them removed? This is exactly what happened with the caregiver of a child registered in the Manna program. She has been gradually losing vision for five years. Now she is practically blind. For all of these years, she knew the problem, but learned how to live without her sight because the resources to save her vision were completely out of reach.

As a result of the recent Medical Mercy Mission, Jonathan and I, along with Allen, Kirstin, and Rachel, have been evaluating each medical referral we received from the doctors from a “how can we fix this” perspective. We have been lining up doctors visits, scheduling surgeries, visiting potential patients in their homes to hear their histories and evaluate their needs, talking with local medical professionals and other missionaries to arrange treatments, and more!

We already have success stories. One child had a painful cyst removed from the top of her foot. One child has received formula to help him grow big and strong so he can have surgery for his cleft palate. We also provided formula for a baby whose mother is not producing milk and can’t pay for formula.

Three little patients received orthopedic surgeries last month. The first child came to be evaluated by the Medical Mercy Mission. He is only three years old, with one surgery for his club feet behind him. He required another surgery, but the cost was completely out of reach for the family. The other two patients did not come to be evaluated by the Medical Mercy team. These two children, who both had broken arms which healed badly, were told by their doctors that there was no hope for a normal arm again. They would live with the pain and the disfigurement forever. These children received the help they needed simply because they are known by Manna staff. When the orthopedic brigade came, we thought of them, went to their homes, talked to their parents, and did what we could to sow a seed of hope in their hearts. Even though the orthopedic brigade did not have room to see any more patients, God miraculously opened a door for these children to be seen and operated on. They are now in the process of recovery with a good prognosis!

Another child has been receiving life-changing help for his vision. We have been taking him to the eye clinic in El Progreso—approximately five hours from Gracias—to receive ongoing care to ensure that he does not lose his vision. We also took the caregiver that was mentioned earlier, but unfortunately, due to the advanced stage of the problem, there is now no help for her. She will live blind for the rest of her life, not because there was no solution, but because of extreme poverty and a fatalistic mindset that has been ground into the poor of Honduras by that same poverty which keeps solutions out of reach.

We know the problems that these communities must overcome, and we have the ability to facilitate many of the solutions, and there is power in that. However, without resources, we can not help. Here are the specific needs that we have at this moment:

3 orthopedic surgeries: $400 per child

40 patients who need eye exams and glasses: $125 per child

Dental clinic: we want every child to be evaluated, receive fluoride treatment, and have decayed baby teeth extracted as necessary. Children with adult teeth in need of repair will receive a referral. The dental clinic will cost us $350 per day, and we need 7 days for all of the Manna program to be seen.

10 children with specialty referrals, including cardiology, ENT, etc. We don’t know the costs of treatment, but the initial visits and exams cost about $50 per child.

Please help empower these children and families to receive help for life-changing medical needs! And please pray with us for their healing.

- posted by Kim Hall