Tenn. Mission Team Offers Medical Service in Rural Community Near Casa Hogar La Familia
July 2014: Palmarito and Quecholac, Puebla, Mexico —A mission team from Signal Crest United Methodist Church in Signal Mountain, Tenn. traveled to Southern Mexico to serve the needs of the children of Casa Hogar La Familia.
The services this team provided ranged from painting the walls and ceiling on the second floor construction project to giving each of the children a pair of Crocs to going out into the community to deliver medical services. (See Crocs photo)
Team leader, John Williams, reported that his team got a lot of work done on the second floor to prepare for laying the ceramic tile this week. As soon as the windows and the plumbing fixtures are installed, Williams believes the second floor will be ready for occupancy. (See photo below)
Among the missioners from Signal Crest UMC were two Registered Nurses and a Physician’s Assistant, so this team (pictured below) walked out into the countryside near Palmarito and delivered free medical services and medical products to the local farmers and their families. The children of La Familia went from house to house and spread the word that the medical personnel were setting up shop at a designated area.
Folks “came out of the woodwork”to receive blood pressure checks, first aid kits, Band-Aids, Neosporin, clothing, eye glasses, etc. Williams estimates that the mission team served in the neighborhood of 75 local residents in one afternoon. Several of the people were referred to a local medical clinic because of blood pressure readings that were quite high.
See the medically-attired medical team below. Included are “Nurse”Silvia, “Nurse Damaly, and “Nurse”Karla who performed translation services for the team.
Of note, especially for those who have not traveled to Palmarito and Quecholac, two communities near La Familia that are located approximately three hours south of Mexico City, this one of the poorest sections of Mexico, so this was one of the few opportunities these people have to receive even minimal medical attention.
The Signal Crest team also donated enough money for Silvia to buy back-to-school uniforms for the children and Fishersville UMC, Fishersville, Virginia donated funds to purchase back-to-school shoes and underwear for the children.
The children return to school on Monday, August 18.
15-Passenger Van Fund: When making decisions about your giving over the next few weeks, please consider donating to the La Familia VAN FUND. Our current van is on its last leg, so we need to replace it.
Please send yourcheck to Embrace the Dream Foundation, PO Box 5558, Greenville, SC 29606. All donors will receive a “tax letter” so you can deduct your donation off your income taxes. Please write “van fund” on your check.
Currently, we have approximately $14,000 in the van fund, but we need approximately $35,000 to purchase a used 15-passenger van that will be dependable for mission teams to get around in when they visit La Familia