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| sea bags full of medication and supplies |
San Salvador, El Salvador - Twelve volunteers from Virginia Beach flew to San Salvador with
Lendahand Mission Teams, a local non-profit organization founded by Bobby and Kathryn Hoyle with a goal to "
Build, Serve, [and] Heal". LendAHand has been traveling to Central and South America since it's birth in 2001, embarking on 48 missions to date. This week's mission: join forces with
Operation Blessing El Salvador and travel to 5 different villages throughout the country setting up medical clinics to bring aid and care to those with limited access to medical treatment.
Tired from a day of traveling, the group was greeted warmly by customs agents in the San Salvador airport digging through 12 sea bags full of medicines and medical supplies. The LendAHand team brought toys, clothes, toiletries and over $35,000 in medication gathered through donations from King's pharmacy and various doctors and individuals from the Hampton Roads community.
Throughout the week doctors, LendAHand traveled with Operation Blessing to villages anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours away from the San Salvador base location. The mindset was to set up clinics in locations that have limited access to medical attention. Doctors, nurses and volunteers were faced with diagnoses and cases of appendicitis, pneumonia, asthma, autism, malnourishment, high blood pressure, cellulitis, flu, and parasites (to name a few). A total of 1281 patients we screened and treated with the medications provided through collected donations, Operation Blessing and LendAHand. Praise God!
Both LendAHand and Operation Blessing are dedicated to meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the suffering. In addition to the 1281 treated patients, 353 people made the decision to follow Jesus Christ. Operation Blessing had pastors and counselors at each clinic to pray and support every patient. The medical staff worked incredibly hard to see as many patients as possible, as did the volunteers and support staff in setting up each day and meeting every the needs of the people and of the clinic. El Salvador made a lasting impression on the people of Virginia, their welcoming arms made every member of the LendAHand team fortified in the role they played. I can confidentially say the people of El Salvador are not the only ones that felt cared for and loved as a result of the week's mission.
Some photos of the weeks efforts....
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| LendAHand Missions Teams & Operation Blessing |
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| Unloading the medicines from the busses |
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| Little girl diagnosed with appendicitis, the police escorted her to the hospital where his brother conveniently was employed. |
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| Giving an eye exam |
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| giving patients albendazole for parasites |
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| The albendazole medication did not taste well... |
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| Waiting in line for instructions |
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| Each child got a toy after they received care from the doctors |
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| The pharmacy hard at work |
This little girl received a new pair of flip flops and was incredibly appreciative
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| Praying for those in need |
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| Entertaining the children while their parents visit the doctor |
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| Another line to register for care |
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| Medicine for the body and the soul |
