Field Team 112 Returns

MEDICO's field team #112 returned from service to Monte Verde in the Department of Intibuca, Honduras on Saturday, January 26th. It was an awe-inspiring experience of humanitarian outreach to the residents of this community. The depth and scope of the aid that was provided could not be measured simply in the number of patients seen during this brigade, but in the opportunities for quality of life through better health. This team certainly rose to the occasion to care for each patient seen, overcoming several issues that would have been unsurmountable obstacles for other organizations that serve in Central America.

Be sure and check out our website for pictures from this field team effort. Preliminary pictures will be loaded up this week with more to come in the very near future.

Thank you to all who supported our efforts to Monte Verde! We are deeply grateful to each volunteer and donor who have seen the need and taken action.

Our next team departs February 15th for service work in Jalapa, Nicaragua.

Team #112 Departs

MEDICO Field Team #112 departs Saturday, January 19th for our Adopt-A-Village (AVI) work site of Monte Verde, Department of Intibuca, Honduras. Our return to this site begins our second year of a five year commitment of comprehensive care for this community. Teams provide sustainable response of medical, optometric and dental care through field clinics set up in this community. The host organization, School Sisters of Notre Dame, provide logistical assistance as well as coordinate the community-wide communication for this team's arrival.

Field Team #112 features a dynamic group of volunteers all serving with passionate enthusiasm. Members from this team participate from many different states in the United States that include California, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. Of the twenty-one team members participating, ten are first-time participants. This effort will provide a wonderful opportunity for these new MEDICO volunteers to experience the excitement of serving through a MEDICO brigade. Be sure and visit http://www.medico.org/ following their return for pictures and stats on this field team effort.

2009 is a-comin'! Be watching the MEDICO website for the 2009 calendar of field team opportunities that will include dates, locations, and host organizations that will be assisting. This should be posted towards the end of January. For further questions please contact the MEDICO office at 512-930-1893.

Our Family in 2008

It's hard to believe we are here in 2008, looking back at 18 years of humanitarian service in Central America. The legacy of our efforts is found in the many relationships shared throughout the countries we serve and the many volunteers who provide this care from around the world. MEDICO has established an indelible imprint on the lives of countless people, our friends and...our family.

Throughout 2008 we will be engaging in furthering the relationships we've established and creating new ones along the way. We'll be serving in four different communities in a more sustainable response or more specifically, responding to communities we have served previously within the last year. This is a dramatic impact in the culture of humanitarian service where the 'call' tends to be in favor of more sustainable projects.

In addition to these sites, we will be serving in two communities we have not visited in many years. MEDICO's roots have been grounded in short-term mission outreach. Our success has been in fulfilling this model in the most expeditious and efficient way. In these two communities MEDICO will, once again, address the needs of the residents through our short term field team work.

Throughout 2008 MEDICO will be engaging in our warehouse field team preparation events we call "MEDICO Warehouse Nights". These events foster participation in our humanitarian effort through the volunteerism of local partners who meticulously prepare team for departure by condensing and repacking medicines for transport. These are vital efforts to the success of our field teams.

Our desire is to increase our partnerships in humanitarian outreach. It is to provide opportunity for participation at many different levels, be it as a participant on a field team, a participant in our MEDICO Warehouse Nights, through the procurement of medicines and/or supplies that enable us to reach more people, or as one of our treasured Philanthropic Donors who capture the vision of MEDICO and make it a reality with financial contributions. We encourage you to help us get the word out about MEDICO, your humanitarian service organization, and motivate others to share in this work of compassion for those without many options in Central America.

For questions about how you can join in an effort that truly makes a difference, contact the MEDICO offices at 512-930-1893 or email at medico@medico.org .