More Pictures from Nicaragua

Walking along Lake Nicaragua

Out for a fun day!

The end of a busy day for Dave

Some of the people attending the meetings in the Barrio

Brenda and Carol running the Medical clinic

The Dental Clinic

Derald enjoying a treat on a hot day.

God is blessing...

There are three evangelistic meetings going on each evening.  Ron gives a health talk at the one in the Barrio--a rather rough area.  He, along with some other medical people, have held several clinics in that area as well.  The needs are so great.

One experience:

The first night of the meetings in the Barrio there was a very drunk man who showed up and was yelling and trying to disrupt the meetings.  Friday night he came again but this time he asked for prayers to overcome his alcoholism.  He said he wanted whatever it was that he saw in the lives of those presenting the meetings.  A group gathered around him and prayed for him.

Our Vision clinics continue.  We have distributed hundreds of eye glasses, Readers, and sunglasses and every person received literature.  

Today we took the day off since Dec. 31 is a big day of celebration here and they figured no one would come to the clinics.  Most of us rested, did laundry, and some went for walks by the lake.  We had our first rain today.  It was very refreshing. 

Most of our team has been down sick since we came.  We figure it is a reaction to the typhoid pills we took before we came.  Thankfully we have been able to have enough each day to run the clinic.  We are hoping and praying that we are all on the mend now.

We miss our families very much, but God is blessing and using us here.  Thank you for your continued prayers.

Vision Clinic Continues

We are in day 4 of our Clinics.  We are all situated in the school in Rivas, near the building site of the new church.  We have a Dental Clinic, Medical Clinic and Vision Clinic going while a Village Health Training Seminar is going on too.  So far our Vision team has dispensed over 250 pairs of glasses.  It is so exciting to see the expressions on faces as people can see and read again.

Tuesday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day

Setting up for a Vision Clinic at our Hotel

Dianne getting things ready!

Some of the 54 people from the local community who came for  eye examinations.

A little girl receives a pair of eye glasses.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM NICARAGUA

Our hotel

It does not feel like Christmas here in the tropics.  Actually yesterday was Christmas here.  As we drove through the streets of the nearby towns Feliz Navid was loudly playing.  We visited the school where we will conduct our Dental, Medical and Vision Clinics as well as do our Village Health Training.  It is a local Public School that has been turned over to us for two weeks, while the students are out for vacation.  In the evenings evangelistic meetings will be held there under a big canopy.  Then we went to see the site where a new church will be built.

School where clinics will be held.

Site of new church in Tola

Arrived Safely in Nicaragua.

All our luggage arrived and we cleared immigration with no problems.  We loaded into 4 vehicles--all 49 of us.  Twenty-four people plus all of our luggage (on top and inside) crammed into the bus.  We drove for 2 hours on a smooth road.  The countryside looked similar to other Central America countries.  Our driver drove very carefully and safely.  We saw several volcanos.  One was still active and we could smell fumes as we drove past it at distance of several miles.  We particularly noticed how clean everything was.

We arrived at Hotel Dalinky outside of Rivas in Tola.  It is cute and clean, and our team has completely occupied every room. After unloading all the vehicles and getting situated in our rooms, about 13 of us walked to the nearby restaurant for our second meal of the day.  We are right across the road from Lake Nicaragua--the only freshwater lake with sharks!!

Tomorrow is Christmas Day here in Nicaragua so we will not try to open our clinics or begin training.  We will spend the morning getting organized then possibly take a boat out to an island in the middle of this very large lake.  There are several SDA churches out there.  Dick and Brenda Duerksen are part of the team here and want to take us out there.  It should be interesting and colorful. Maybe I'll have some pictures of it tomorrow.  It has been a long day so we are all heading to bed.  Thank you for your prayers.  God bless.

Nicaragua Here We Come!

Our team flew out at 11 pm from Seattle last night.  We had a safe trip to Miami and met up with the rest of the Maranatha team.  After a 3 hour flight we arrived safely in Managua, Nicaragua.

A SHMI team of 8 will leave for Nicaragua tomorrow night to conduct a Vision Clinic and do Village Health Training.  We are taking 3000 pairs of eyeglasses.  We will be meeting up in Florida with another 40 people who will also be doing mission work ( with Maranatha).   Check this blog for pictures and up-dates daily.  Please pray for God's Spirit to use us and be poured out on the people there.

SHMI heads to Nicaragua this month!

A team of 8 from Second Hope Ministries International will join with Maranatha for two weeks.  We have been collecting used glasses and have almost 3000 pairs packed and ready to go along with 600 pairs of sunglasses and another 600 pairs of Readers.  Part of our team will train workers in Village Health Care while the rest of us will examine and fit people with eyeglasses.  Please pray that we won't have any problems getting our supplies and equipment through immigrations going into and coming out of Nicaragua.  We will make every effort to keep you posted as to our activities while we are there.

Shoes for All Nations Center, Yakima

Sabbath, November 10, SHMI joined with North West Mission Institute (NWMI) and delivered over 500 pairs of boots and shoes to the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Yakima, WA.  We set up a distribution center at the All Nations Center.  Thanks again to the donations of Saager Shoe Store in Milton-Freewater, many children and women will have warm, dry feet this winter.

April 7 at 2:30 Walla Walla City SDA Church

Come and hear stories of our trip to Bolivia and see pictures and videos. Also hear about the emergency trip to S Sudan and see pictures from Gatbel.
All are welcome.

Gatbel's Report from Sudan

A mass massacre of Akobo took place March 9, 2012. It was carried out by the Murle tribe of S Sudan toward the Lou Nuer tribe also of S Sudan. Both tribes are nomads with their lives depending on their cattle. Cattle rustling during the dry season has been going on for hundreds of years between these tribes but nothing has happened to this magnitude before.

After South Sudan gained their independence in July, 2011, North Sudan has been arming these tribes to disturb peace in this new nation.

An urgent request for medical assistance was made to Second Hope Ministries International by South Sudan local authorities and the Nuer Community Development Service in USA. SHMI sent out an appeal for medical professionals and associated organizations in the USA to respond to the critical medical needs resulting from the attacks. Dr. Tim Riesenberger, ER Physician from the NW, Dr. Joan Martin, a family physician and Gatbel Chamjock PA (both from Colorado) responded immediately.

Medical supplies were collected: 50 lb. bag of oral medications, 70 lbs of IV antibiotics, IV pain medications and surgical equipment as well as 50 lbs of activated charcoal. Some donated and some purchased.

On March 18, 2012, these three boarded airplanes to Akobo South Sudan. After delays and missed flights, they finally met up in Ethiopia where an United Nations helicopter took them to Akobo, after more problems with customs. God had directed events for SHMI to obtain a NGO (non-governmental organization) status on a previous trip. That made this trip possible. Another asset was Gatbel's ability to speak the local language.

A tour of the hospital revealed that 70 people were severely wounded. Several had minor gunshot injuries but there was not room to care for them all. They were directed to help the children and women first because they were the most affected. As they made their rounds they discovered some laying on the dirt flour, others were under trees with poor sanitation. Several children were malnourished and anemic from malaria and wounds.

They prayed with every patient and witnessed several miracles--not one death took place in the five days they were there. Several people told them that they had slept for the first time after they were prayed for. The doctors shared whatever food rations they had. This was greatly appreciated not by the patients but also their families who had lost everything during the attack.

Gatbel said "I can only thank God for this opportunity to help save my people. I also thank SHMI for their prayers and dedication to serve the Lord. I would like to than our community, Nuer Community Development Services and the local authority in Akobo for their support."

Gatbel has a desire to return and work with his people. SHMI has been given 20 acres on the Nile River to build a clinic. We solicit your prayers for God's guidance.