Mission Reports

02/23/2023

We are long past due on updating what we have been doing since COVID-19 gripped the world.

2020:

The worldwide lockdown prevented travel and shipping of supplies to the Philippines mission. In August, a large Balikbayan Box filled to the brim with over-the-counter medications for children and adults was shipped and successfully received.

Our founder seized the opportunity to put her nursing skills into practice caring for our suffering Native American people in Arizona and New Mexico.

2021:

As the lockdown raged on in parts of the world, we focused our efforts on coaching the Philippines mission staff on organizing, creating, and distributing home medication kits. Another fully loaded Balikbayan Box was shipped to continue providing needed medications to the people.

2022:

We quickly sought ways we could help as war broke out in Ukraine. We found a partnership with a like-minded organization, United Help Ukraine. Multiple shipments of requested battlefield medical items, hospital supplies, infant formula, and over-the-counter medications for adults and children were sent thanks to this liaison.

09/13/2019

This is how my day started. At 0735, Kristi, came to me and the other nurse visiting here, asking us to see a baby. This baby was gravely ill in the government hospital, 5 months old, with fever and severe diarrhea. Kristi visited this baby girl and her grandmother in the hospital. This morning the grandmother came to the mission with the baby asking for help. She has full care of the baby whose parents are 17 and 20 and are taking no responsibility. The grandmother who is elderly is her sole caretaker and has no money. No work. No income. No help. The doctor at the government hospital gave the grandmother a can of powdered formula for the baby. She is down to the last scoop and has no money to buy more. It costs $12 USD and lasted a week. This is extremely expensive for her and she has no way to now feed the baby. She cries as she tells us the story. This is a common occurrence here. Because Nightingale Nurses shipped cans of infant formula donated to us by a pediatrician in Virginia, we were able to provide this grandmother with the formula for her granddaughter. We gave her just enough to get her to return with the baby to the clinic here on base so we can check on the baby. We, too, have limitations which is why we need your donations of funds and items. This is what we are doing. This is how you are helping. Together we may have saved a baby’s life and brought hope to a scared and hopeless grandmother. Thank you!

09/14/2019

A great day of teaching approx 50 youth grades 7-12 in the morning and the academy parents in the afternoon. I like to be physically on the same level as the youth and create a conversation with them about their concerns/questions. It doesn’t take long for them to get warmed up and run with it. I always have to cut them off because we go over time! The parents are more reserved, but listen intently and are very responsive. My emphasis for them was “Eating the Rainbow” and how food can cause or cure disease depending on your choices. This message is not something they hear so they are very intrigued and listen intently with many questions and interest in making changes. The younger generation is particularly interested and did

09/14/2019

A great day of teaching approx 50 youth grades 7-12 in the morning and the academy parents in the afternoon. I like to be physically on the same level as the youth and create a conversation with them about their concerns/questions. It doesn’t take long for them to get warmed up and run with it. I always have to cut them off because we go over time! The parents are more reserved, but listen intently and are very responsive. My emphasis for them was “Eating the Rainbow” and how food can cause or cure disease depending on your choices. This message is not something they hear so they are very intrigued and listen intently with many questions and interest in making changes. The younger generation is particularly interested and did

09/16/2019

Today we drove to PaoPao for outreach which included a medical clinic. We took BPs, assessed complaints/concerns, and did skin/wound care. I did the wound care…road rash, infected wounds, and the tip of a toe smashed and partially amputated from a motorcycle accident, many rashes, an open wound on the top of a young teen’s toe from a sharp tool that he was using to cut brush. After all of those were done I circulated through the crowd of waiting people taking blood pressures and listening to the lungs of children with coughs. When I am doing clinic here, over and over, I think if only I had… this person needs… I am very tired tonight.

09/16/2019

Today we drove to PaoPao for outreach which included a medical clinic. We took BPs, assessed complaints/concerns, and did skin/wound care. I did the wound care…road rash, infected wounds, and the tip of a toe smashed and partially amputated from a motorcycle accident, many rashes, an open wound on the top of a young teen’s toe from a sharp tool that he was using to cut brush. After all of those were done I circulated through the crowd of waiting people taking blood pressures and listening to the lungs of children with coughs. When I am doing clinic here, over and over, I think if only I had… this person needs… I am very tired tonight.

09/19/2019

My time here is passing quickly. It doesn’t seem possible that I am already in my final days of this visit. I’m thankful that I have stayed healthy and that I adjusted to the extreme time difference and jet lag so that I have consistently slept well and on an appropriate schedule. I’ve seen more people for medical than I imagined possible. The outreaches brought in big numbers and I saw things I’ve never seen before. There are times when I cry because I want to do more, wish I had what is needed, wish I could send them to a doctor/hospital that would actually help them. The change will be slow and baby steps here, but I will continue to do all I can. I know that even the little things I do help and that brings me great joy. It is, however, frustrating to know there are simple fixes that you do not have available. With your help, we will do more! Thank you to all who are following along. Your comments are so encouraging! I have many pictures to post so stay tuned! There’s still more coming!