Lending a hand

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....

LendAHand Missions Teams & Operation Blessing

Unloading the medicines from the busses

Little girl diagnosed with appendicitis, the police escorted her to the hospital where his brother conveniently was employed.

Giving an eye exam

giving patients albendazole for parasites

The albendazole medication did not taste well...

Waiting in line for instructions

Each child got a toy after they received care from the doctors

The pharmacy hard at work

This little girl received a new pair of flip flops and was incredibly appreciative

Praying for those in need

Entertaining the children while their parents visit the doctor

Another line to register for care

Medicine for the body and the soul

These are the wheelchairs Operation Blessing has to give eligible patients!
www.freewheelchairmission.org

Hurricane Irene

The last few days I have been consumed by tracking, preparing, and experiencing Hurricane Irene. Luckily the damage didn't pan out to be as torrential as officials predicted, but it was unnerving none the less. The damage that did occur: many are without power, Norfolk is flooded, and the worst news of all, lives were lost in the mix.

Ben and I went out to 17th street at Virginia Beach earlier this morning as the bands of the storm began to strengthen. It was about 9am when I took these photographs. Winds were estimated at 35mph, waves were 10+ feet.

Notice the palm trees blowing around

17th street beach, 10-12 foot waves here

Doesn't look like much in a photograph, but the waves never hit the pier like that

Remnants from "Isabel" in 2003. Now prepared for "Irene" in 2011. 

"Don't be mean Irene."

One of my favorites, note the target at the top left.

"Go East, Irene"

17th Street before the worst of the storm... LOTS of people out 

"You are in my dream, Irene."  - not sure I understand that one.

We've been watching the news throughout the day and it is said that around noon winds picked up to 65 mph, only 1.5 hours after we left the ocean front. Winds ripped roofs off houses in Sandbridge and did damage to some buildings near the oceanfront. (Looks like we left just in time!)

The worst of the storm was predicted to hit in the early evening with additional issues expected at high tide at 8:30pm. The mixture of the storm with the tide definitely caused a lot of flooding although I can't figure out exactly what damage Norfolk has suffered.

Right now (12:30am) we're experiencing the back part of the storm. Winds are picking up again, but I dare say the worst has passed.

It will be interesting to see the conditions of everything tomorrow morning.

"Don't be mean, Irene!"