by Tim VanFleet, ELPC member
A casual conversation in a church office 20 years ago caused me to re-examine my religious commitment—particularly in the area of mission. As a result of what I thought to be a series of random occurrences, I found myself organizing the first of what has now become 33 mobile medical clinics in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Haiti. I was challenged to use my skills as a physician in ways and places I had not previously imagined. Even more surprisingly, more than 150 healthcare providers and committed helpers have joined me over the years.
Together with CEDEPCA (Protestant Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America) and SETECA (Central American Theological Seminary), diverse groups of like-minded people use their own resources and time to travel to underserved, remote areas, working primarily among indigenous people who have been marginalized and oppressed since European colonialism. We are consistently surprised and blessed that God places us in situations to make significant impacts in the health of individuals and communities. On our most recent trip in December 2018, we cared for displaced victims in refugee camps after the eruption of Volcano Fuego.
Working with local leaders, we offer medical, dental, and optical clinics, as well as provide health education in areas such as prenatal care, early child care, dietary issues, and water purification. We often see people—particularly children—with health issues beyond our abilities, but we’ve been developed relationships with specialists who accept these patients, while we cover their medical expenses.
It has become clear to me over these 20 years that we can’t fix everything, but we must do something—and it can be as simple as “standing with” those who are marginalized, weak, forgotten, or ill. Our next trip is planned for September 2019.
Be careful of casual conversations in church offices. You never know where they might lead!