2007 Medical/Community Outreach Report

Dear friends,

In June/July of this past summer Amigos hosted its second Medical Community outreach team to Valle de Angeles, F.M., Honduras, Central America. The team consisted of 17 volunteers from various parts of the USA and different Christian denominations.

This year we worked together with the evangelical and Catholic churches of the town, Ministerios Vision Cristiana (MVC) and St. Francis of Assisi parish.

Two doctors, one PA, two RN’s and other volunteers ministered to over 350 patients in various clinics around the Valley and its surrounding mountains. Members of the team also assisted in various building projects, clothing distribution and outreach to the children of orphanages Casa Cielo (ROC ministry) and La Finca (Evangelistic Missionary Crusades).

All team members attended and ministered at adult, senior and youth services at MVC and St. Francis parish. Jeremy Sabella (M.Div., Yale) spoke at the MVC Sunday service with Rev. Emilia Florio (Alexandria, PA) speaking at the Thursday evening service. Gevan McCaughey of Jacksonville, Fl and Ana Anderson of Baldwin, NY shared personal testimonies of God’s goodness at these services.  The Thursday evening MVC service included a prolonged and powerful ministry time with many falling under the power of the Holy Spirit. Friday morning team members attended a special Mass for the elderly and we fellowshipped with Padre Paolo and the elderly who participate in our lunch program. The week ended with Jeremy Sabella (New Haven, Conn.) and Chris Schrum (Jacksonville, Fl) sharing and ministering at the MVC youth group with several youth rededicating their lives to the Lord.

Despite the diversity of the team members we worked well together and were very united. Our theme for the week in addition to unity was from Isaiah 61, walking under the anointing of God. In addition to working and ministering, team members took Spanish lessons at the local language school, some of us hiked into the local rain forest and many of us visited the local internet café keeping in touch with loved ones at home. Relationships with the locals and each other were forged in the main square at Café Americano (their equivalent of Starbucks) and shopping at the many beautiful shops of this tourist town. Mornings were spent in prayer and evenings fellowshipping over card games and watching various DVD’s (including “Facing the Giants” and the latest season of the TV series “24”).  We even had our taste of city life visiting an equivalent of Costco in the capital city of Tegucigalpa and eating at a Food court at a local Mall.

We went down with the desire to help those less fortunate than ourselves and share the love of Jesus Christ. As always we returned home having been strongly touched and ministered personally to by God and the people of Honduras. The relationships we developed are ones that we’ll have for a life time. We are blessed!

2007 Team

Ana Andersen, R.N.                           Baldwin, NY                    Point Lookout Community Church

(Rev) Emilia R. Florio                        Alexandria, PA              Waterstreet Evangelical Church

Ilona Florio                                         Alexandria, PA               Waterstreet Evangelical Church

Kain Florio                                         Alexandria, PA               Waterstreet Evangelical Church

Maria Florio                                       Alexandria, PA               Waterstreet Evangelical Church

Linda Hoyler                                      West Islip, NY                 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

Samantha Hoyler                              West Islip, NY Y             St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

Gevan McCaughey                           Ponte Vedra, Fl             St. John’s Vineyard Christian

Dorothy Mock, PA                            Dix Hills, NY                    St. Luke Lutheran

Sandra Wolf, RN                              Jacksonville, Fl               San Juan Del Rio Catholic Church

Pat Elvir, M.D.(Pons)                      Jacksonville, Fl                St. John’s Vineyard Christian

Jim Pons                                          Jacksonville, Fl                St. John’s Vineyard Christian

David Pons                                      Jacksonville, Fl               St. John’s Vineyard Christian

Michael Pons                                   Jacksonville, Fl               St. John’s Vineyard Christian

Jeremy Sabella                                Plymouth, MA

Christopher Schrum                        Jacksonville, Fl             Christ's Church/St. Joseph's Catholic

Stephanie Schrum, M.D.                Jacksonville, Fl             St. Joseph's Catholic Church

2006   

On June 23, 2006 our Amigos team traveled to Valle de Angeles, Honduras in what I consider our "inaugural" medical mission trip. The team was a diverse group of 21 people, ranging in age from 10 to 70 years, and representing 6 churches from New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. It was amazing how God brought us all together and how compatible we all were. Our medical team, which consisted of me, a Physician’s assistant and an RN, saw approximately 300 patients over the course of four days. We treated patients young and old at the town clinic, a local school, and at another school in a poorer section of the mountains. Some of the team members assisted us with the pharmacy, giving out medications and taking care of patients. Others distributed clothing, toys, toothbrushes and other supplies.

    There were many opportunities to love and pray for people. In addition to the medical  outreach some members of our team worked on a building project, others assisted ROC ministry with their outreach to unwed mothers teaching them practical skills such as crocheting. We were present to facilitate and witness the approval of ROC’s orphanage, Casa Cielo by the Honduran Government. One evening we showed the Jesus film in the town cultural center. Many saw and heard the message of salvation for the first time in their own language, and we had the  opportunity to pray with, and minister to several of them.

    We also had the opportunity to minister at the local evangelical church, Vision Cristiana with music, sharing our testimonies, ministering from the word, and with prayer through the laying on of hands. During the course of the week some of our team visited and ministered to La Finca, an established orphanage in the heart of the town. We ended our trip with a short trip to Copan, the Mayan ruins.

    Overall, our first trip was a blessing and, by the world’s standard, a success. Not only were we able to make a difference in the lives of some of the people there, the hearts of those who traveled down were touched in a way that will impact their lives forever. From that team we now have people that plan to return and lead other teams.

    Besides the teams that travel down each summer, Amigos de Honduras, desires to make an impact to that community year round. As the Lord provides, we periodically send down boxes of supplies (i.e. clothing, medication) that are distributed by my father, Raul Elvir or ROC missionary Leonard Jones. We send monetary support to ROC ministry and have started to support Vision Cristiana Church in their ministry to the poor of the city of La Ceiba. We’ve started a monthly feeding program for the elderly with the local Catholic Church and have also provided them with clothing and blankets. We also provide uniforms for children of families that are without means. Without uniforms they are not permitted to attend school. These are a few things that we have been involved in. With time we hope to be able to do more and make a greater impact on the community at large.

     I believe that God has created us to “for such a time as this” to serve God’s purposes for this generation (Acts 13:36) for the people of Honduras.

    We are grateful that you consider Amigos de Honduras a worthy cause, and we thank you for your continuing support. It is you who enable us and give us the opportunity to reach those less fortunate than ourselves. God Bless you!

                                       Sincerely,

                                       Patricia Elvir, M.D.

SUMMER 2006 TEAM

Ana Andersen - Johanna Beekman - Laura Dean - Raul Elvir - Julie Fahnestock - Emilia Florio    Melissa Funk - Kathi LoGrasso - Taylor LoGrasso - Bob Meyer - Dot Mock - Patricia Elvir Pons      David Pons - Jim Pons - Michael Pons - Maurice Samples - Cathy Samples - Roxana Elvir Satir    Matthew Satir - Peter Satir - Earliene Shipper - Evelyn Sorensen
Jamie Sorensen - John Sorensen - Mike Vitelli

 For it is God himself who has made us and given us new lives in Christ Jesus,
that we should spend these lives helping others ”.                 Eph 2:10

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