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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September 2007 Surgery Trip
On September 1, 2007, the 9th US surgery team arrived at the Mission of Hope hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia to perform a week of free surgeries.
September 2007 Surgery Team
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The team was led by Dr. Larry Whitten and Dr. Elmer Kennel, both of Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, VA. Team members came from Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, South Dakota, and New York, many of them meeting for the first time in the Miami airport. The team worked beautifully together for many long hours at a stretch to help as many patients as possible. Many of the patients who came in for surgery had been with their problem for years, and many had been living in pain without hope of ever getting better. What a blessing it was for them to receive an excellent surgery that was absolutely free! Many lives were totally transformed as tumors, cysts, and gallstones were removed and hernias repaired. Here are some of their stories:
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Patricia, 11 years old, is one of seven children. She lives with her mother and father in the poorest neighborhood of Santa Cruz. She is in 5th grade and is a very good student. Patricia has never been able to participate in physical education at school because of a painful hernia. Now she looks forward to playing soccer with her friends!
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Petrona is a 62 year old lady who had 12 children and earned her living washing clothes until she was in too much pain to work. She did not have money to go to a doctor. When she heard of Mission of Hope, she traveled several hours by bus to our clinic. She came in with a large and dangerous hernia. Here she is having her hair brushed by team member, Donna Miller, while recovering from a successful surgery.
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Eduardo plays the guitar and sings for the patients during a time of praise and worship.
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Praise and worship with the patients
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Ana, 68 years old, has been a widow for 25 years. She lives with her daughter, who is one of 11 children. After suffering with a large hernia for 5 years, Ana is very greatful for the excellent surgery she received.
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Sandra, 35 years old, was abandoned by her husband and works as a seamstress to support her mother and 2 children. She lives in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and rode the bus for 14 hours to come for a screening appointment. She lived in constant pain from gallstones for many years. After a successful surgery, doctors removed more than 650 gallstones!! She is pictured here with her nurse, Ronda.
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Nieves is a 58 year old lady who lives about an hour away from Santa Cruz. Her husband abandoned her 15 years ago and left her with 9 children. She has been ill for 5 years but did not have the money for treatment and surgery. She earns money by washing clothes and selling food in the street. She has been on the waiting list for surgery since 2006 and was very happy to finally receive an excellent surgery at no charge.
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Ana Karen is 7 years old and in 1st grade. She lives with her mom and dad and 3 brothers. Her father works as a plumber. She has been in a lot of pain for 3 years from a hernia. Here she is pictured after surgery. She is very happy because the pain is gone!
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Antonia is a 40 year old lady who has been in terrible pain for one year from a large gallstone. She had no money for surgery. She heard about Mission of Hope when Pastor Ruben Baldiviezo spoke in her church in Cochabamba. She rode the bus for 14 hours to come to Santa Cruz for the screening. Pictured here after a successful surgery, she is now pain-free!
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Jorge is a 34 year old man who lives with his wife and 5 small children. He works in construction building houses, earning about 10 dollars per day. He has had a hernia for 13 years, but did not have money for surgery. Pictured here, he is going home to his family after a successful repair.
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Miguel, 46 years old, lives with his wife and 4 children in the poorest neighborhood of Santa Cruz. He works in construction and earns about 10 dollars per day. His wife also sells food in the streets. He was in pain from a large hernia for 13 years, but he had to keep on working to feed his family. Surgery was not even an option for Miguel until this team arrived!
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A patient being comforted before going into surgery.
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Brayan is a 9 year old boy who came in for a hernia operation. Brayan lives with his mom and dad and 3 brothers and sisters. His father works as a night watchman and his mother earns money by washing clothes. Pictured here, Brayan is all smiles, dressed, and ready to go home after a successful surgery.
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Aurelia is 40 years old. She lives alone and has no family. She came to the clinic with a uterine mass and heavy bleeding. As she recovers from a successful hysterectomy, she is helped to walk by Luci, another patient who had surgery for gallstones.
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Norah is a 51 year old lady who has been working as a maid since she was 12 years old. About 5 years ago, she started having pain after eating, but she was not able to go to a doctor. Then a friend told her about Mission of Hope, where she received an ultrasound exam and was diagnosed with gallstones. Norah waited on the list for surgery for 3 years. Finally, with this team, she was able to have the much-needed surgery and is pain-free!
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Harol, 13 years old, and Miguel, 10 years old, enjoy coloring with their new coloring books and crayons while recuperating from hernia surgeries.
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Lucinda is a 27 year old single mother with 2 young children. At the age of 10, she had to quit school and go to work as a maid. She started having pain 7 years ago, but continued working. Two years ago, her husband abandoned her and her pain continued to worsen. She has been unable to eat or sleep because of the pain from many gallstones. Pictured here, she is happy to go home to her children without pain!
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Inocencia is a 42 year old single mother of two children. She arrived at the clinic with acute pain. She had been bleeding for 2 years from a uterine mass. She is unable to read or write and is very poor. She earns money for food by picking up empty soda bottles that are left in the streets. Pictured here, she is all smiles after a successful hysterectomy.
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Gertrudes is a 48 year old mother of 12 children who lives in the poorest neighborhood of Santa Cruz. Her youngest child is 4 years old. Her husband comes to visit from time to time but is not a reliable source of help or income. She was very thankful for her surgery and for all the special attention she received from members of the team.
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Andrea is a 24 year old young woman with 2 small children who was in terrible pain from gallstones. After a successful surgery, she is pictured here with her nurse, Genny.
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Lidia is a 42 year old lady who has suffered with the pain of gallstones for 5 years. She was unable to eat or drink without problems and the pain caused her to leave her job as a maid. Her husband works as a plumber when he is able to find work, but life has been difficult for Lidia and her 3 children. She is very happy to be pain-free!
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Patients enjoy visiting together while they recuperate from their surgeries.
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Rosa is a 63 year old woman who has been in a lot of pain from a very large hernia. Her husband also has a hernia, so neither of them have been able to work for quite a long time. They are dependent on their grown children for food. Rosa says she is so thankful to God because He has sent good people to take care of her.
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Eulogia is a 44 year old woman who has been in constant pain for 2 years from gallstones. She and her husband are very poor. They have 2 children and earn their living selling ice cream in the street. Pictured here, she is all smiles and pain-free after a successful operation.
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Donna (rear) and Genny (front) giving manicures to the patients as they recover from surgery.
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Christina having her hair done by Gloria as Cecilia looks on in the background. Christinia had surgery to remove a gallstone.
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Dr. Elmer Kennel (left), general surgeon from Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, Va, and Dr. Luis Tapia (right), general surgeon on staff at the Mission of Hope clinic in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, take a break between surgeries.
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Julia is a 42 year old woman who lives 4 hours away from Santa Cruz. She came to the Mission of Hope clinic with a uterine mass in 2004 but was not able to get on the schedule. Even though it was a long distance to travel, she persevered and prayed and was finally able to get a place on the surgery list this year. Pictured here, Julia is very happy after having a successful hysterectomy.
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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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