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.