Mission
of Hope, Bolivia
P.O. Box 4001
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Phone and Fax:
434-977-4748
E-mail: cindytha@cstone.net
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March 2008 Surgery Trip
On March 29, 2008, the 10th surgery team arrived at the Mission of Hope hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for a week of free surgeries. The team was led by Dr. Charles Gross, an ENT surgeon (ears, nose and throat) from the University of Virginia. He was joined by team members from Georgia, Oregon, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Florida and Virginia, who all came together to serve the poor in Bolivia. It was a week of great blessings for the 71 patients who were selected for surgery.
The March 2008 Surgery Team
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Josiah, who is now 1 year old, is pictured here with Pastor Bill. Josiah was adopted as an infant by American missionaries who are living and working in Bolivia. Josiah had a very succesful repair of a cleft palate.
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Ana is a 13 year old girl who lives in a Mennonite colony several hours from Santa Cruz. She had a huge nasal polyp (the size of a lemon), which occupied her nasal cavity. Ana is so happy to be rid of the growth. |
Maria Elena is a woman of great faith. She is 38 years old and came to Mission of Hope with nerve-related hearing loss and a perforated ear drum. The surgeon told her he could repair the ear drum, but that he could not restore her hearing. Even so, Maria believed God would do a miracle. She went into surgery not hearing and came out of surgery hearing!
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Orlando had a large tumor in his neck for over two years. He did not have money to go to a doctor. Because of the heavy rains and flooding near where he lives, he had been out of work for some time. Orlando had a very successful surgery. |
Paulina broke her nose and went to a hospital and had a very bad surgery. She came to Mission of Hope unable to breathe out of her nose. After a successful surgery she was able to breathe again through her nose.
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Jhossel Juan is a 13 year old boy who was in for the second stage surgery of his outer ear reconstruction. When he was younger, he was in a bad accident where he was dragged by a bus across the street, which caused him to lose an ear. |
Zulma, who is 8 years old, suffered for four years with continuous ear infections due to a perforation of her ear drum. Her ear drum has been repaired, and she is now free of ear pain.
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Gerson is pictured here with Dr. Charles Gross. Gerson came all the way from Montero (an hour from Santa Cruz). He had been beat up by a gang two weeks before the surgery team arrived. He had a very broken nose. Now, he is ready to go home after a successful repair.
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Marioli, 5 years old, was missing the part of the bone that supports the brain, resulting in a mass between her eyes and a potentially fatal situation. Her father works in the fields planting and harvesting crops. He did not have money to take her to a doctor. Marioli can now go to school and have a normal life!
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Marioli was everyone's favorite patient.
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Christina flew on a small plane and traveled 15 hours by bus to get to our hospital. At the age of 6, she lost her voice because of polyps growing on her vocal chords. Her surgery means the end of 7 years of silence!
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Christina gets a hug from Dr. Lyn Wells. Christina is an orphan who really responded to all the love and affection during this time of surgery. |
Two new friends enjoy time coloring together.
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Friends who met at Mission of Hope |
Jhonny, who is 6 years old, had a tonsilectomy.
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Olga was 15 years old when she fell out of a tree and broke her nose. She did not have money to go to a doctor. After a successful surgery, Olga can now breathe through her nose for the first time in 10 years! |
Two patients waiting for their turn to go into surgery.
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Surgeons in action |
Dr. Bill Gross in surgery assisted by Dr. Charles Gross as Dr. Scott Stephan looks on.
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Dr. Bill Gross and Dr. Amalia Steinberg in surgery. |
Dr. Scott Stephan with nurse Barbara Moroney assisting.
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Dr. Bill Gross performing ear surgery.
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Joe Duffy assists Dr. Bill Gross with an ear surgery case.
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Dr. Scott Stephan performing a surgery assisted by Dr. Hugh Watkins with Dr. Bill Gross looking on . |
Dr. Hugh Watkins and Dr. Amalia Steinberg in surgery.
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Dr. Scott Stephen and Dr. Amalia Steinberg in surgery of an ear reconstruction. |
Pastor Bill preaching during the morning praise and worship
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Singing during the morning praise and worship |
Pastor Carmelo praying for a patient
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Pastor Bill prays over a patient during the morning praise and worship. |
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Dr. Charles Gross and his wife Cathy with Marisabel (on left) after surgery
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Ana , 17 years old, was born with normal hearing. An infection of meningitis damaged the nerves that affect hearing and left her deaf in both ears. After being fitted for a free, solar-powered hearing aid, she spoke her first words of many years and said, “Thank You!”
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Tax deductible donations can be made
payable to:
Mission Of Hope, Bolivia
P.O. Box 4001
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Telephone and Fax: (434) 977-4748
Executive Director: Cindy Thacker
Mission of Hope, Bolivia is a
501c3 tax-exempt organization.
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