On a Mission to Save Lives and to Save the Clinic
June marked the annual St. Peter’s Mountain of Hope mission to Quince de Enero, Honduras. 22 missionaries from Lake Mary, Florida and as far away as Anchorage, Alaska traveled to Honduras for a week-long mission. Team members conducted Bible School for the children, assisted in the medical/dental clinic, and drilled a well in the nearby village of Al Mango.
The mission began almost 25 years ago with a church St. Peter’s helped to build in the rural village of Quince de Enero, and like the mustard seed, has grown into an ongoing mission that has spread throughout the region.
Underscoring every aspect of the mission is the desire to glorify God and share the good news of Jesus Christ with our Honduran brothers and sisters. Every day upon arrival in the village, locals from the village join the mission team for a time of worship and scripture. This year, our prayer-team leaders were Fr. Wes Sharp from St. Peter’s and Fr. Francisco of Honduras, assisted by Adriana Christenson’s fluent translating skills. We close with the Lord’s prayer in English and Spanish before going off to our respective assignments for the day.
A major component of the mission is Bible School. Each afternoon about 200 eager children line up every day at the end of their school day. A typical day includes theme-based Scripture, singing, crafts, snacks and games. Children ages 4 – 14 walk to the church to hear about Jesus and His love for all of God’s children. Over the 20+ years that St. Peter’s has been going, we’ve watched children become adults, marry and start families. Many remain active in the church, and have assumed a position of leadership in the village. This has yielded a positive impact generationally; strengthening families, reducing domestic violence and improving literacy in the village.
The Mountain of Hope well-drilling team has drilled dozens of wells in and around Quince, with the goal of preventing and eliminating waterborne diseases. The result is a regional improvement in health, and a dramatic reduction in infant mortality. This year, the team drilled a 200′ well in nearby Al Mango. The community’s water supply had become contaminated, and this new well is supplying safe water for the entire community. Keith Ratchford of Sanford and Dean Byers of Oregon led the well drilling, which is now assisted by Henry and Louis Miguel – two local men – who are able to continue the effort in our absence.
Another way St. Peter’s Mountain of Hope seeks to empower Hondurans is by training local midwives. This small group of dedicated women are responsible for delivering babies throughout the region. Thanks to materials generously donated by Florida Hospital, each midwife received invaluable equipment and supplies to assist in their work. Training was conducted by Heather Millonig, RN (Alaska), Elise Caraker (Lake Mary) and translated by Adriana Christenson.
A major focus of the mission is the medical clinic: Clinica Montaña de Esperanza. Operated year-round, Dr. Waldo Madrid and Dr. Magda Garcia provide medical and dental care 2 days a week. The clinic is the only healthcare facility available to most who live outside the big city. During the mission, Dr. Steve Knight of Ormond Beach, Dr. Alvan Barber of Sanford and Dr. Mark Caraker of Lake Mary enable the clinic to be open all week.
Shortly before this year’s mission, a desperate mother got a ride into Quince de Enero, carrying her sick baby. She needed to see the doctor at the clinic. But the clinic was closed that day. She was frantic, but managed to beg a ride to a distant city. We never heard the fate of her child. Imagine rushing to the emergency room with your child in your arms, only to find it closed. Imagine being told to come back later in the week.
12 year old Gleniss is suffering from a ‘failure to thrive'; cause unknown. Gleniss is unable to stand or walk unassisted. She’s about the size of a 6 year old and weighs only 29 pounds. She is unable to attend school. A separate effort is being undertaken to get permission from the government to bring her to the US to try to diagnose and correct the source of her affliction. Pictured with Dr. Mark Caraker.
For more than a decade, the Mountain of Hope clinic operated 7 days a week, treating thousands of patients every year. Sadly, the downturn in the economy and loss of a major donor caused Mountain of Hope to lose a significant portion of funding for the clinic, forcing operations to be reduced to only 2 days a week.
Here’s the good news: it only costs about $600 per day to operate the Mountain of Hope clinic. $600 American pays the doctor, the dentist, the pharmacist, the staff and the light bill.
16 year old Johnathan was near death, hospitalized from seizures caused by a parasite in his brain. Honduran doctors were having difficulty diagnosing the cause. Mountain of Hope arranged for CAT scan and MRI images to be sent to a neurologist in Florida for evaluation. Johnathan was correctly diagnosed, has received treatment and is recovering. He now aspires to become a doctor to help his people. Pictured with Dr. Steve Knight.
Here’s the challenge: Mountain of Hope needs 300 people who will each give $600 annually, and the clinic can reopen on a full-time basis. That comes to only $50 per month, or less than $12 per week. Will you help fund the clinic for 1 day _a year? Would your company be willing to underwrite the cost of 5 days? Would you be willing to ask your friends to help?
How you can help: Please log onto mountainofhope.org to read about the clinic and other efforts to do God’s work in Honduras. Click the DONATE button, and prayerfully consider your gift of support. Be assured that 100% of all monies donated goes directly to support the Mountain of Hope clinic. Thank you and God bless.