Mission of Hope, Bolivia Phone and Fax: 434-977-4748 |
Jose Luis' Story
Jose Luis was born at home. His mother, Lucia, noticed right away that something was wrong. Something was bulging between his eyes and on top of his nose, and he was bleeding from his eye. There was no way to take him to a doctor because it was during the rainy season and the river was too dangerous to cross on foot. One month later, Lucia was able to cross the river, carrying her baby, and walk 5 hours to the nearest medical clinic. The doctor there did a quick exam, prescribed some eye drops, and sent her on her way. Lucia began the long walk home very discouraged. During the 8 years that followed, she despaired for her son. Jose tried to go to school, but the other children made fun of him and called him “monster.” After months of name-calling, Jose quit school to stay home with his mother. In hopes of finding help, Lucia and Jose rode many hours in the back of a truck to see another doctor, who told them that Jose needed a surgery. The doctor said they needed to go to a large city. For Lucia, a mother who could barely feed her children, money for travel was not even a possibility. More discouraged than ever, Lucia was comforted by her friends, who told her that God would help her. In February of 2008, a nurse named Maria, who worked in the Mission of Hope clinic, came to Jose’s village to show the “Jesus” film. Jose went by himself to see the movie, and Maria befriended him. She walked home with him and met Lucia, as well as Jose’s younger sister, Marioli, who had been born with the same problem. Maria told Lucia about the Mission of Hope clinic, where everything is free, and also told her about a surgery team that was coming from the US for a week of free surgeries. In March of 2008, Jose and Marioli came to the Mission of Hope clinic to be screened for surgery. Marioli was able to have surgery with the US team, but Jose’s condition was too advanced. Doctors on the team said he would need to come to the US to have his surgery. Until this screening, Lucia had no idea that this “bulge” between Jose’s eyes was part of his brain and that the only thing protecting it was skin. Part of the skull bone was missing, creating a potentially fatal situation. On October 15, 2009, Jose Luis entered Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, VA, where Dr. Joseph Han, an ENT surgeon, Dr. Vijay Singh, a neurosurgeon, and Dr. Eric Dobratz, a facial plastic surgeon, performed the very delicate 8 hour surgery to reconstruct Jose’s skull and nose. All of the physicians involved in Jose’s excellent care donated their services. The hospital donated the entire cost of the surgery, and American Airlines donated round-trip air travel.
Sarahi's Story
On July 2, 2009, Sarahi returned to Baton Rouge. She had outgrown the shunt and was having severe headaches again. Doctors in Bolivia were not willing to perform the lifesaving brain surgery that she needed. Once again, the hospital welcomed Sarahi with open arms. Within one week of Sarahi’s arrival, her pediatric surgeon, Dr. Robert Upp, and her neurosurgeon, Dr. Allen Joseph, had replaced the shunt, and she was free of headaches! God used this amazing team of doctors and health careprofessionals to not only save Sarahi’s life, but also to greatly improve the quality of her life. In Bolivia, the schools do not make provision for children with special needs. Sarahi had no bowel or bladder control. She wore diapers to school. When it was time to go outside and play, she would sit all alone against the wall and watch the other kids having fun. She longed to have friends, but she had none. In Baton Rouge , an entire community of physicians, physical therapists, nurses, pastors, and friends embraced Sarahi, and she began to feel “normal” for the first time in her life! She began interacting with others, playing games, and even learning English! She amazed everyone by gaining some bladder and bowel control and getting out of diapers for the first time in her life! Her doctors are very encouraged by this, and they now believe it is possible for Sarahi to gain full control with time and training! In Sarahi’s own words, her life has been “forever changed!”
Susana's Story
When the ENTsurgery teamcame to Bolivia in March of 2008, Susana received her first ear surgery. A tiny, prosthetic stapes bone was implanted into her inner ear. One morning soon after the surgery, Susana realized that she could hear the traffic on the street outside of her window! She was so excited! When Susana came back to the Mission of Hope clinic for a follow-up hearing test, she was found to have normal hearing in the operated ear! This year, when Susana came to have surgery on the other ear, she was a different person! Her whole life has changed! She is much more confident and smiles easily. She no longer needs her children to speak for her. She is so thankful for everything that has been done for her at Mission of Hope. News about Susana has spread throughout the Mennonite community. She is known as “the woman who was deaf, but now can hear!” Aguinda's Story
After the birth of her 5th child, Aguinda had a “copper T” intrauterine device inserted so that she would not have any more children. A few months later, she began to feel sick. She went back to the gynecologist who had inserted the copper T, and he told her that she was pregnant. Aguinda, shocked by the news, asked the doctor how she could be pregnant when he had inserted an IUD. The doctor said there was no IUD in place and denied that he had ever inserted one. When Aguinda was lying on the operating table to deliver her 6 th child by Caesarian Section, she informed the surgeon that a copper T had been inserted prior to her becoming pregnant. The surgeon refused to listen to her and told her to be quiet and not talk during the surgery. About 5 years after the birth of this last child, Aguinda began to feel sharp pains in her abdomen. The pain was so strong that she was not able to do her housework. In the months that followed, she went to several different doctors. Each one could feel a mass in her abdomen, but no one could tell her what it was and why it was causing such sharp pain. Finally, she came to the Mission of Hope clinic. On exam, Dr. Luis Tapia was very surprised to discover that this mass was the copper T that had been inserted 7 years before! Aguinda needed an urgent surgery and was immediately put on the list for the surgery team that was arriving from the US. When the team operated, they found that the copper T was outside the uterus and had created an abscess. Aguinda developed anemia and a very serious systemic infection after the surgery. A middle of the night crisis resulted in a decision to give her a blood transfusion. At 2 am, a call was made to the local blood bank requesting 2 units of blood. The blood bank refused to send the blood until someone came with $200 cash to pay for the blood. If the team had not been there, that could have been the end of the story. Later that day, the decision was made to transfer Aguinda to a private hospital, where she could be more closely monitored in an intensive care facility. Before agreeing to receive her and treat her, the hospital wanted a $3,500 cash deposit. Again, if the team had not been there, this story would have a completely different outcome. Aguinda has now completely recovered from her surgery and the complications which followed. She is very thankful to God for using this team to save her life and for all those who support the Mission of Hope clinic in Santa Cruz .
Eynar's Story
As a result of this surgery, Eynar had no voice and was unable to speak. He went to many doctors asking what could be done to restore his voice. He was told that nothing could be done and that he would never speak again. Then Eynar heard about Mission of Hope. He came to the clinic in March of 2007, just as the ENT Surgery Team was arriving from the US. The team examined Eynar and felt that his voice could be restored if a laryngeal stent could be surgically inserted for a time. The team tried to find a stent to buy, but was told that laryngeal stents do not exist in Bolivia! The team prayed and an amazing series of events took place. First, the team contacted a friend in the US named Martin and asked him to locate the needed stent. Two days later, Martin called to say that he had the stent but there was not time to send it by express mail and the airlines would not accept it unless it was accompanied by a passenger. So, Martin drove to the airport, bought a ticket, and personally delivered the stent to the Mission of Hope hospital, just in time for a surgery on the team’s last day! Several months later, the stent was surgically removed, and for the first time in 3 years, Eynar could speak! In March of 2008, Eynar returned to thank the team and Mission of Hope. Now that he is able to speak, he can once again work and support his family. Praise theLord!!
Luis Fernando's Story
When Luis Fernando was 6 months old, Juana noticed that his skin, hands, and fingernails were a purplish color. She took him to a pediatrician who told her there was nothing wrong with the baby. When Juana tried to insist that there was a problem, the pediatrician dismissed her without giving her the help that she needed. Then Juana took Luis Fernando to a government-run clinic to receive his immunizations. The nurse who took care of them saw the problem right away and recommended that Juana take him to a heart specialist. The cardiologist who examined Luis Fernando determined that he had a congenital heart disorder. The doctor told Juana that a very delicate and very expensive surgery was needed in order to save Luis Fernando’s life. This was devastating news for Juana and her husband, José. Luis Fernando was their only child, and they had no money to pay for a surgery. José earns about $4 per day as a taxi driver. As Juana and her husband went about the city looking for help, they heard about Mission of Hope. When Luis Fernando arrived at our clinic, his lips and his fingernails were purple and he was very weak. Mission of Hope staff made arrangements for Luis Fernando and his mother to travel to Cochabamba, Bolivia, to a private hospital that specializes in pediatric heart surgery. This hospital is considered to be one of the best private hospitals in all of Bolivia. Mission of Hope, Bolivia paid for all of the expenses related to Luis Fernando’s surgery and took care of his mother so that she could stay with him. Luis Fernando had a successful surgery, and his life was saved. Praise the Lord! For the first time in his life, Luis Fernando can breathe normally and play as a normal toddler. In time, he will need 2 additional surgeries, and Mission of Hope is committed to helping with those surgeries as well. Each surgery will cost between $5,000 and $7,000. We have a waiting list at Mission of Hope for children with congenital heart problems who need this very same surgery. As we have the funds available, we send them one at a time for this very specialized surgery in Cochabamba .
Johnny's Story Johnny never knew his mother or his father. He grew up in the orphanages of Cochabamba, Bolivia. When he reached the age of 17, he was told that he was too old to stay in the orphanage and would have to leave. Johnny had no where to go. Johnny had a strong desire to continue his education and attend the university. He sent an email to a man that he knew from the orphanage and asked for his help. This man arranged for Johnny to stay in the home of a friend and attend classes at the university. One day as Johnny was walking home from class, he was attacked by a gang. They beat him up and broke the bones of his nose, leaving him in pain and unable to breathe properly. An American missionary living and working in Cochabamba befriended Johnny and contacted Mission of Hope, Bolivia to see if we could help. At that time, we were preparing to send a team of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons to Santa Cruz to perform a week of free surgeries. Johnny rode the bus for 12 hours from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz to come for the screening. Johnny received an excellent surgery and is now breathing without any problems. The ENT team donated money to fly Johnny home. He is very proud of his “new nose.”
Ruben's Story Ruben is 45 years old and works as a tailor. He and his wife and 6 children live in one room with a dirt floor without indoor plumbing. For 13 years, he was unable to hear out of his right ear. Ruben came to the Mission of Hope clinic and was sent for a hearing test. Based on the hearing test and the physical exam, he was scheduled for surgery. At the end of Ruben’s surgery, the surgeon emerged from the operating room feeling frustrated that the surgery had been in vain. When he got inside the ear, there was “nothing to work with” and nothing he could do. The surgeon concluded that the hearing test had not been accurate and that the hearing loss was nerve related and could not be corrected by surgery. A few days later, Ruben came back to the mission and gave us this testimony. “My right ear was very bad. For 13 years I could not hear, but now, thanks to God, my hearing is back….I say thanks to God because it was His hands that touched me while the doctors from the US were operating on me….When I was taken in for surgery, I saw the bright lights and a voice spoke to my heart telling me not to worry, that everything would be fine…When I woke up, I felt like a different person, and I could hear!”
Carlos Guzman's Story Carlos Guzman is a 39 year old man who came to the Mission of Hope clinic in March of 2005 with a large facial tumor. When Carlos was 9 years old, his father took him to a soccer game. During the course of the game, one of the players kicked the ball right into his face. The blow was so severe that it knocked him out of his seat. A year later, his mother noticed that he was having trouble breathing. A tumor was slowly growing on the left side of his face. During the next 5 years, he had 4 unsuccessful surgeries as doctors attempted to remove the tumor. Finally, when he was 15 years old, his father died and there was no more money for treatment. Carlos wanted to continue his studies but as the tumor continued to grow, he found himself totally ostracized by his peers. When he was 21 years old, he married a woman of great faith. Later, when children were born, he worried that his children would reject him. He began to work as a taxi driver. He worked at night so that people would not be able to see the tumor. Finally, the tumor became so large that no one wanted to enter his taxi. This created an economic crisis for him, and he became very depressed. Carlos knew a family that had an auto repair shop in a very out of the way place. They gave Carlos a job working in a back room where no one would see him. Meanwhile, one our Mission of Hope doctors took his car into that very same shop for repairs. After the car was repaired, Carlos was asked to return the car to the doctor’s home. There he met Dr. Quinteros who told him the good news that a surgery team was coming from the U.S. and that he should come to the Mission of Hope clinic. Carlos was scheduled for surgery, but the surgeons quickly realized they did not have the proper tools to completely remove the tumor. They removed as much as possible and told Carlos that they would be back in 2006 to finish the job. As the tumor grew back as big as ever, Carlos again became very discouraged. So many times, people had told him they would help, but in the end, no one could help. He stopped coming to the Mission of Hope clinic. His wife began to fast and pray for his healing. Two months later, the Mission of Hope staff called Carlos and told him that the surgery team was returning. Carlos had another surgery. This time when the bandage was taken off, tears filled his eyes as he looked in the mirror and said, “this is the face I have dreamed of.” Even more amazing was the fact that Carlos had no pain after surgery. He needed no pain medication. Carlos is so thankful to God that his tumor of 30 years is gone! He laughs and says he can now wear sunglasses for the first time in his life because his nose is not twisted! He says that now his children are not embarrassed to take him to their sporting events. His whole life has changed, and he is so thankful to you, our supporters, for making these weeks of surgery possible. Thank you!!
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