This quarter has been a busy one, yet rich with opportunities to serve the community around us and share the gospel. We are thankful, not only for the chances God has given us to spread His hope, but also for the means by which to do so.
In April, a dental technician, Alex, and his wife, Cynthia, finished setting up our three dental chairs. They connected the oral suction and air compressor devices that Sharing Resources Worldwide donated. We are very grateful for their work, which enabled us to host more effective dental brigades later on in the summer.
On May 3rd, we were thrilled to welcome the newest member of our team, Dr. Grace Iyamu. She is a family medicine specialist from Texas who has a long-term desire and call from the Lord to serve as a missionary doctor. The Lord has been so gracious to work everything out so that she can serve with us. Please be lifting her in prayer, as she still works part-time in the States to support herself, and the back and forth can be exhausting.
Please keep Nikoah, one of our volunteer nurses, in your prayers during this time, as she is undergoing tests for medical issues in the States. Please pray that the Lord would give her peace and strength in the middle of unexpected health issues and that the diagnosis will be identified and addressed quickly.
In the Lord’s kindness, we were able to host several brigades this summer, and we are very grateful for the teams from the States that helped make those possible.
At the beginning of June, Jeremy Thomas, as well as his son and two of his dental assistants, came from Integrity Dental in Pueblo, CO to help lead a three-day dental brigade at the clinic. They also helped with a one-day brigade in the community around El Camino de Cristo, a church pastored by one of SEPE’s graduates, Noé Argueta. We provided dental care for 101 patients and medical care for 95 patients, and shared the gospel with the patients at the clinic and from the Ocho de Mayo community.
On June 13, a team from Grace Community Church in Jacksonville, FL helped host a one-day medical brigade at the clinic. We reached 153 people with basic medical care and the gospel. We are also thankful to the Lord, for the fellowship we had with the brothers and sisters from Grace Community, we look forward to serving with them soon!
At the end of June, we served alongside the Living Hope Bible Church team from Issaquah, WA, offering a dental and eye brigade at the clinic. During this week, 77 people were given dental, and 280 the ophthalmology care they needed and told about the good news of Jesus’ salvation. We are grateful for this church's serving hearts and their recurring support to the clinic through the years.
From June 17-24, a team from Bible Church of Little Rock, AR came and constructed the outdoor steps to the basement level at the clinic. We did not previously have easy access to the basement, but once Alex and Cynthia installed the compressor and suction equipment there, we soon realized that we would need the stairs. We are thankful this need was met so quickly by the team, and that Faith, an engineering major and one-month intern also from Bible Church of Little Rock, could help design the blueprint for these stairs.
For six weeks, beginning in May, we welcomed the GO team from The Master’s University. Several of them served with us at the clinic during their time here, using their specific interests and gifts to help our staff and incoming teams. Tiffany, a pre-med major, helped as a dental and medical assistant, taking vitals, performing minor procedures, and helping the clinic and brigade staff wherever needed. Keyla, a kinesiology major, helped with dental ministry and day-to-day duties, especially helping the dental team with patient cleanings during dental brigades—both in-facility and mobile. Naomi was always to ready to serve in anything we needed especially during brigades. Rachel and Trevor, accounting majors, helped organize the current inventory of resources, and Jonathan, a biblical studies major, shared the gospel with our patients. We were blessed by their readiness to serve wherever needed and formed life-long friendships through the work we did together.
Aside from dental and medical brigades, on our day to day activities we have been able to care for 503 patients these last three months. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve these people and be an instrument that God has used to expand His kingdom.
We are thankful for God’s faithfulness to us as He continues to provide the means to continue His work through ClÃnica Betania. We are especially grateful for the servants who came down to encourage us in our ministry and provide practical help in serving our community.
If you would like to learn more about any of these projects and how you can get involved, please visit our Opportunities and Projects pages. For more information, you can also reach us at clinicabetaniahn@gmail.com or follow the Contact link on our menu bar.
To God be the glory!