healing changes everything
Hello again from the Global Outreach Office! Did you know that April is a really exciting month with lots of things to celebrate? It’s true! April is straw hat month, frog month, amateur radio month, cranberries and gooseberries month, brussels sprouts and cabbage month, and couple appreciation month, but our favorite thing about April is that it is volunteer appreciation month! Read the rest of this entry »
Its January, the beginning of a New Year, and many people are working hard to keep their resolutions. In general, it seems like most resolutions are difficult to keep. Statistics say that 45% of people make New Year’s resolutions but only 8% of people are actually successful in keeping them. If you have made a resolution, I apologize for the bad news. But don’t worry; there is still hope, because CURE is here to help. Read the rest of this entry »
Lia, holding a "before" picture
Earlier this month I had the incredible opportunity to make my first visit to our hospital in the Dominican Republic. During my trip, I was able to spend some time in our hospital and witness the physical and spiritual healing that takes place there every day. I was also blessed to meet our amazing staff face to face and to spend some time learning about all the different needs for volunteers at the hospital.
One of the most memorable experiences from my trip was my visit to Lia’s house. Lia was born with bilateral radial club hands, a deformity that causes the arms to be short and bent. After a series of surgeries to fix her fingers and straighten her arms, beautiful little Lia, who is three years old, is now able to use both her arms to play and dance with her little sister. Lia’s mom was so thankful for the change in Lia that she wrote a nine page letter to the hospital thanking them for healing Lia. It was amazing to see a CURE success story like Lia in person.
At Lia's house
Since I have been back from the Dominican Republic, I have been thinking about Lia and the fact that, although she is on her way to being cured, there is still a lot of work to be done in the Dominican Republic. There are thousands of children like Lia who still need help. There is also a need for help at the hospital. As Christmas quickly approaches and I have turned my attention to gift giving, I have become even more convicted about the real needs around the world. In America, very few of us truly understand what it is like to need something.
The gifts we give are often to fulfill our wants, and while there is nothing wrong with this, I am convinced that the greatest gifts we can give have nothing to do with wrapping paper and bows. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is the gift of our time, our talents, and our lives to others. In fact, the reason we celebrate Christmas is because of God’s greatest gift to us, His Son, Jesus. God calls us to give of ourselves as well. I am humbled by our hospital staff as they give of their time and talents to bring the gift of healing to children.
a patient at CURE DR
As the New Year approaches, I have been challenged by their example to find ways to give more of my time, talents, and resources to furthering God’s kingdom. I hope that as we consider the gift of God’s Son this Christmas and look ahead to a new year, we all can consider giving more of ourselves to God’s work. Perhaps God is calling you this year to take part in fulfilling a need in a child’s life. If so, I hope you consider fulfilling that need in partnership with CURE. There are a number of ways to get involved such, as donating toward a child’s surgery through the CUREkids program. Or, take a more “hands on approach” and consider going on a short-term missions trip this year; there are opportunities for all kinds of volunteers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Let’s all work together to make the world a little better in 2012.
Biruk Tesfaya, before surgery
As an accredited member of the SOE (Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission), our goal in the GO office is to mobilize volunteers with excellence.
In order to execute excellent missions, three things are essential: an enthusiastic goer, an efficacious sender, and an eager receiver.
When all three come together it’s extremely exciting!
Biruk Tesfaye, after surgery
Last month, Dr. Joseph Clawson made his second trip with CURE to our exotic hospital in Ethiopia. During his trip, Dr. Clawson was exceptionally energetic; correcting 18 cleft lips (see the photos in this post for evidence!). Dr. Clawson’s trip was a successful excursion indeed. Upon his return he expressed some encouraging words, about our embracing, efficient and, effective, employees.
Here’s an excerpt:
The staff in the hospital was outstanding. They were well organized and carried out their responsibilities very well. They almost spoiled me as they made sure I had everything I needed to carry out this mission, and I didn’t have to be concerned at any time that something was not being done. Essentially, I could not have had a finer team, not only in the operating room but in recovery and on the floor as well.
In addition their administration was also excellent in arranging all my other needs such as transportation and communication.
Complementing their staff, they had a pediatrician, Judy, and an anesthesiologist, Mary Bernard, who were excellent to have on board. You couldn’t have a better administrator than Eric along with his great administrative staff.
After receiving such a kind exchange of words, we are euphoric and offer praise to God for everyone who helps to make these expeditions easy! Thanks for your engagement in the work of CURE; you always exceed our expectations!
Mesganaw Aregeta, before surgery
Mesganaw Aregeta, after surgery
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For many people the changing leaves and cooler weather of fall are reminders that the holidays are fast approaching. For the GO office, the fall weather means it’s time to attend the Global Missions Health Conference (GMHC)!
GMHC began in 1996 as a way to bring individuals and organizations interested in medical missions together. Since that time, GMHC has grown to be the largest conference of its kind, drawing over 2,000 attendees per year. The conference consists of four plenary sessions, hundreds of breakout sessions, and lots of exhibitors. During the plenary sessions, all attendees gather to worship and pray as well as learn from some of the top leaders in medical missions. Breakout sessions provide a more intimate setting for learning where participants can discuss current issues in medical missions with leaders in the field. During the exhibitor hours, students and medical professionals can connect with various mission agencies to learn about opportunities to use their skills glorifying God in the U.S. and abroad.
November 10th-12th, CURE will be at the conference in Louisville, Kentucky, as an exhibitor! We are excited to share with attendees the many ways they can partner with CURE through volunteering, full-time work, prayer, or community sponsorship. Each year we are encouraged and blessed to meet and worship with so many amazing people with a heart for serving God through medicine.
Are YOU going to GMHC? If so, stop by our booth, we would love to meet you!
Not sure? Visit http://www.medicalmissions.com/GMHC/Home.html for more information on the conference.
We hope to see you there!
Some of the most memorable and exciting moments in life involve firsts. People always remember their first day of school, first job, first car, etc. Each of these firsts is often accompanied by a sense of accomplishment and excitement. As our hospital in Niger approaches the one year anniversary of its grand opening, the CURE Niger team continues to experience many firsts.
Here in the GO (CURE Global Outreach) office, we have been excited to watch and celebrate many of these firsts with our staff in Niger. If GO had to pick the most exciting of our firsts, it would be the first cleft lip and palate team to visit the hospital. Read the rest of this entry »
In Matthew 20:16-20, Jesus exhorts his disciples to GO into ALL the world making disciples of ALL nations. This passage, known as the Great Commission, is at the heart of what CURE does. We work to make disciples of all nations by providing physical and spiritual healing at our hospitals. However, we don’t stop there. Here at CURE, we take the Great Commission seriously, so seriously that we’ve dedicated an entire department to it. This department is appropriately named Global Outreach (GO). GO is responsible for mobilizing volunteers to our hospitals throughout the world and doing so with excellence. Read the rest of this entry »
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