Los Chiles

Hey there, were back from Los Chiles! We just spent an amazing week with a group of students from Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a group from Open Arms Ministries. It all started with an 8 hr bus ride to Los Chiles(tico time), and a few stops(pollo crispy)...you know. It was incredible to see the need when we got there, we handled everything from burns, herniated colons, and open wounds.

We had the privilege of having Dr. Dionisio Flores, and Dr. Gibdel Wilson two tico doctors who volunteered there time for this clinic. We would also like to recognize the generous contributions from the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy in West Palm Beach, and the Rim Rock Church in Black Hills, South Dakota. Hundreds of uninsured Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans received prayer, free medical and personal hygiene products. Aside from the clinical part, many children were able to hear the gospel through games, arts and crafts, and of course water balloon fights.


Dr. Judith a dentist from the Dominican Republic was on hand to provide free dental care, she joined us from Open Arms Ministries in Oviedo, Florida. This year Global Outreach combined three teams to carry out this medical mission, Palm Beach Atlantic University provided the pharmacy, Open Arms Ministries, the evangelism teams, and Global Outreach, the medical staff.

This clinic was a special one because it was the first clinic that Katherine and I were completly responsible for. Our first night began with a blackout, no water, no fans..nothing. We had to move half of the team to another hotel during the night, and leave the other half in rooms that had power. We thought we had solved the problem only to find out that two of our mini-vans were broken into during the night. As day two began, we found out that the team that stayed behind, woke up to flooded rooms, so once again we moved half of the team to the closest hotel, 45 minutes away! Despite the bumps on the road the entire team kept there focus on what we were here for, we stuck togather and God glorified himself. We attended 415 people in two and a half days, many accepted the lord, but the most amazing part was that many of them were entire families coming to Christ.

As with any missions trip there are always ways to improve. We desperately needed equipment, we had a hard time not being able to help certain people because of the lack of equipment. We need a portable; ultrasound, fetal monitor, infant scale, ECG, vaginal speculum, exam tables, head lamps or exam lights, and auto clave all portable. We also need more, stethoscopes, electronic stethoscopes, tympanic thermometers, otoscope/opthalmoscope kits. However, this is a good problem it clearly shows the need for more resources, to run a evangelistic medical clinic. We have some equipment, but as the Lord opens doors the demand also rises.

We will be posting video stortly of this trip, but we hope that this brief summary would give you an idea of the ripe harvest waiting to be harvested.