Head In The Sand

In preparation for this blog entry, I was going to compose an article using an analogy between a fabled behavior of an ostrich and behaviors of nonprofit organizations when facing adversity. It was the concept of what ostrichs do when trying to hide - putting their head in the sand imagining that their whole body is hidden. Well, much to my surprise ostriches, in fact, don't do that kind of behavior.

"There is one interesting ostrich behaviour that comes close to burying their head in the sand. When ostriches feed, they sometimes lay their head flat on the ground to swallow sand and pebbles. The hard grit helps them to grind their food in their crop. From a distance, the ostrich looks like it’s burying its head in the sand." (Karl S. Kruszelnicki Pty Ltd 2006.)

Imagine my surprise (and frustration) as I wanted to make the point that MEDICO is, in fact, NOT burying our head in the sand when facing adversity. My original point was that, unlike the ostrich, we are facing the issues of rising expenses in travel, logistics, and supplies head on. We are not burying our heads in the sand but carefully, and intentionally, pursuing solutions to protect our humanitarian efforts at every bend ~ and every rise in cost.

Back to the ostrich... Upon further study I learned that ostriches are very proactive when facing adversity. They simply do not bury their head in the sand, as once thought, trying to avoid a battle. Sure, they have the option to run and at 65kph are hard to catch, but they will defend themselves and the lives of their offspring when necessary. We are just as agressive at finding solutions and options for providing volunteers the opportunity to serve in Central America.

The road ahead will have its challenges with the rising costs of fuel, food, lodging and supplies but we will endeavor to find the most cost effective means of providing opportunity to care for those who have even less.

Please let us know how you can help. Call us at (512)930-1893 or email at medico@medico.org

Regards,

Brian Crowe

Director of Operations

6 degrees

There is a theory that everyone can be linked by 6 degrees of separation. That is to say, between any two people, the first person knows someone who knows someone who knows the other person, within six people. It's a fun and interesting way to connect people. And, it's a fun and interesting way to connect the MEDICO mission with people.

MEDICO is all about connecting people and missions. For 18 years we have been a vehicle for creating relationship and response both domestically and internationally. It has been one of the greatest strengths of this organization. Our objective is to reduce the degrees of separation between people and mission. The greatest success is putting support and vision in touch with mission. This is where you come in.

Think of your sphere of influence. Does everyone around you know of your connection with MEDICO and the humanitarian service we provide? Whether you are a long-time supporter or veteran of the MEDICO field team efforts or whether you are a new member to this family, you have the opportunity to have a deep and lasting impact in connecting people with our mission efforts. You are the eyes, hands, and voice of MEDICO, connecting our outreach with those who have not yet or cannot experience this effort first hand. It goes well beyond a file of pictures to look at.

Be a part of the effort reducing the degrees of separation of connection between people and mission. Share the story, your story of your connection with the MEDICO mission. And if you need help, please be sure to contact the MEDICO offices for all the tools you need to make the biggest impact.

Threading The Needle

In the last post of the MEDICOblog there was a reference to the primary objective of 'humanitarian aid' as defined by Wikipedia, to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity. This is a broad definition of the work MEDICO offers but the details in the 'picture' of MEDICO is found in the work that is done day by day by the many volunteers who support our mission objective. MEDICO clearly makes a difference.

MEDICO’s mission is to provide medical, eye and dental services to remote areas of Central America where there is little or no access to basic health care. The process of achieving this mission objective is performed not only by the volunteers who travel into the countries we serve, but by the many volunteers who work at preparing these teams for service. There are countless numbers whose quiet efforts have paved the way for effective outreach. Teams of individuals converge at our Central Texas warehouse to condense and pack medicines for shipment. Without this valuable effort our field teams would travel only with a small portion of the medicines needed to support the thousands of patients seen through each brigade. In addition to the warehouse teams that help prepare our field teams, individual donors have seen the need for special supplies, collecting and shipping these supplies directly to our MEDICO office and ensuring that 'no stone goes left unturned'. These visionaries see the opportunity to assist, no matter where they live.

MEDICO has also been supported by those philanthropists who see opportunties to invest financially in solutions provided through our mission objective. These supporting friends enable MEDICO to stretch into the future, offering opportunities for hope for those who see few options available to them.

'Threading the needle' is the essence of achieving our mission and strategic goals. It is putting into motion the passion, the conviction, and the hope of the many volunteers who see the need and respond. We sincerely hope each and every reader of this blog is inspired to find ways to participate further in our humanitarian response. We are limited only by our dreams.

Good Intentions

Recently a question was posed at a MEDICO presentation about the primary objective of humanitarian aid. Wikipedia defines this as: "The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity." Humanitarian aid. (2008, February 27). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:29, March 10, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Humanitarian_aid&oldid=194388452

In our continued efforts to provide care for the impoverished in Central America, MEDICO embodies this primary objective in every clinic, on every field team. Our mission is intentional at providing this care where little to no options are available, answering the call and offering an opportunity for better health. Occasionally we face hurdles that can impede our efficiency. These hurdles are typically bureaucratic related as we are working internationally and the 'rules of engagement' can change as frequently as the governments that change hands. Thankfully, the years of experience and the network of support we garnish gives us a good foundation on which to build upon when facing these obstacles.

The thread that keeps this going is the passionate interests of our volunteers. Without our volunteers MEDICO would have little to build upon and grow. Our success is directly attributed to the the caring hearts and hands who have so faithfully given resources of time and finances over these past 18 years and our future will rely on this continued investment. We need to continue to look forward in anticipation of the successes that will occur through our focused attention on humanitarian aid. We make a difference because YOU have made a difference. Thank you for journeying with us both in the past, the present and in our future.

Investment

With the growing number of volunteers who participate with MEDICO we are continually discovering the depth of opportunity to further our efforts in Central America. The diversity of participants as both medical professional and lay volunteer portray a wealth of passion, interest and talent serving the people of Honduras and Nicaragua with the very best of humanitarian care available. It is exciting to see the culmination of skills and interest making a difference in the lives of our neighbors in Central America.

In this same observation we can see opportunity for expansion of our presence and of our efforts. The vision cast by the co-founders of MEDICO, the past and present Board of Directors as well as many of our Board of Regents members and our staff all illustrate a continual passionate desire to press on toward these goals. The vehicle necessary to achieve these desired goals will take an investment of time and resources.

We are extremely excited about what is poised to be our most dynamic years of humanitarian service yet. For the past seventeen-plus years MEDICO has concentrated on providing the very best care for the many in Central America who have the very least. Together we can truly make a difference for many years to come.

Networked

For many who read this blogsite the history and efforts of MEDICO are familiar. You are aware that we have made substantial impact in the lives of many patients in Central America, to date - 156,323 to be exact. In addition to affecting so many with the highest quality humanitarian care addressing both chronic and acute issues, MEDICO has been instrumental at bringing individuals into the fold of international volunteer care response providing opportunities for experience in this type of effort. We have merged talent and passion into the fabric of humanitarian outreach, shaping lives for a common cause. It has been immensly rewarding to see the effects of this in the work of our volunteers.

One of the great measures of success we have enjoyed has been in establishing relationships with organizations who similarly provide a response to the burgeoning health concerns of our friends in Central America. The strength of our efforts lie in the support we give and receive from organizations that journey with us in humanitarian care. To that end we want to continue to support each other and offer opportunities for our volunteers to connect where their interests develop.

Please contact Brian Crowe at brian@medico.rog in the MEDICO office for opportunities with partnering organizations in humanitarian outreach. Juntos podemos cambiar las vidas para el futuro.

Field Team #113 departs for Jalapa, Nicaragua

February 15 - 25 features MEDICO's presence in Jalapa, Nicaragua. Team #113 will be serving the in this community providing medical, optometric and dental care to the residents living in and around this area of Central America. This team represents a unique opportunity for MEDICO as it is our second year to work in conjunction with a program developed at Moorhead University in Minnesota. We are particularly excited for what this opportunity represents in humanitarian outreach. This team has been serving in the Jalapa area for several years, providing medical and psychological assessments and care. Team #113 will bring the additional dental and optometric clinics, providing a more comprehensive healthcare opportunity.

Be watching for photos and stats of this brigade on our photos page of the website. For questions or comments, please feel free to call us at (512)930-1893.