20 Year Anniversary
On Saturday, July 9th, we celebrated our 20 year anniversary of opening a free medical clinic in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Mission of Hope friends and supporters came from all over Virginia, as well as from Georgia, New York, and Seattle, Washington! Pastor Alex Merguzhis, who was our keynote speaker, was here from Bolivia.
Click on the individual photos below to enlarge them.
Cindy Thacker, founder & director, and Alex have worked together since the clinic opened in 2002.
Dr. Charlie Gross & his wife Cathy brought the first ENT surgery team
Cindy, Dr. Carl Lynch, & Dr. Lyn Wells
Carl has been working with Cindy since 2003 & has been part of all 33 surgery teams.
Lyn has also been part of many teams and will now be helping to organize future teams.
Left to right: Dr. Mac & Ruth Oates with Beth Robbie
Dr. Mac is a general surgeon who has served on many teams.
Left to right clockwise: Kim, Ray, Larry, & Marilyn
Left to right: Cathy, who came from Fairfax, VA and Mary who came to serve us at the party!
Approximately 100 people came to celebrate with us. Many had served on teams together in Bolivia.
Left to right: Beth Robbie, Alex, Timothy Knopp, Dr. Elmer & Marianne Kennel, and Dr. Jill Kastanek served together on the fall surgery teams.
Left to right: Cecilia Miller & Donna Miller came all the way from New York to celebrate with us.
Dr. Elmer Kennel & Timothy Knopp
Dr. Kennel led the very first surgery team in 2003.
Left to right clockwise: Larry, Ron, Rolf, & Stoney
Carl and his wife, Linda with Alex
For Carl and Linda, this was also an anniversary… Five years ago at the MOH anniversary, they “discovered” one another!
John Thacker, Cindy’s husband, who has supported her all these years, served as Chairman of the Board for many years.
Norm Brinkman, presnt Board member, and David Elmore, past Board member
Donna McKinney came all the way from Seattle, Washington to celebrate with us.
Left to right: Donna McKinney, Ariana Webb Loewen & Tonya Showalter
Left to right: Libby, Tonya, & Rob
Ivonne helps by working directly with the administrator and personnel director in the Santa Cruz clinic on a weekly basis.