It is amazing what can be accomplished in a short period of time and with limited resources, and with God’s blessings. Last year, two of my good friends decided to start a local charity that would bring Medical and Educational help to orphan children of the world. We started our first mission in 2015 by going to Zambia in Central Africa. We chose Zambia because it has one of the highest concentrations of orphan children in the world. We shared our vision last year and had two local fundraisers, one in Patchogue and one in East Islip. Thanks to the generosity of local people, four of us, the two co-founders, Dr. James Bopp and Christopher McGuire, Brother Jim (Nurse) and myself (Chaplain) went to Zambia (we paid our own travel, hotel and food so all the money collected could go directly to the orphans). With the help of Teen Missions, we were able to treat hundreds of children for various medical illnesses. We also were able to help 109 orphans have the means to attend school and we helped finance an addition to the school. Although we accomplished a great deal, we also saw so much need. We knew that the children and their caretakers needed more than just medical treatments. They also suffered from many dental and vision problems. We were determined to help them with that. Again with local fundraisers and asking for volunteer dentists, we assembled a team of six dentists and made arrangement with SEE International to give us vision help for our 2016 misssion. The team is now working in Zambia and I want to share with you some pictures and comments that Christopher McGuire was able to send out. We also, this year, sent ahead clothing for the children, as the need was so severe. We also, gave the children American flags so they could see who were helping them. Please continue to pray for the team and the patients they will serve. If you would like to help financially, please go to http://www.halomissions.org God is so good.
HALO Missions is off to Johannesburg and on to Ndola.
42 hours door to door. Here is HALO dental team the next morning just before getting to work. Led by Dr. Wynn from Stony brook University. Devin, Justin, Michael and Nichole. The first dentists many of their patients have ever seen. Pulling many infected teeth these doctors were lifesavers.
The kids love the younger dentists. Here fooling around on snap chat swapping faces.
Long day today. 340 Dental patients. 240 medical patients. Tomorrow the ophthalmic starts cataract surgeries if all goes well.
Hard at work and then taking a break to hand out clothes.
Hicksville Dentist Michael Criss spent his birthday giving his great talents to the extreme poor. We took him to celebrate at a Zambian restaurant. If you’ve never had Zambian pizza, don’t.
Dr James Bopp (medical) takes a break from treating patients to provide clothing to the orphans.
Today Christopher McGuire left the medical team and travelled with Oscar Chama of Teenmissions by bus with 13 candidates to drive to Lufwanyama Hospital, which is about 3.5 hours from our location. The hospital is new and modern for Zambia, but devoid of patients and doctors, making it a virtual ghost town. (The patients have no way to get to the hospital and can’t afford the care even if they arrived.). Since our …last visit we labored to gain the approval of the hospital and the government to use the facility for cataract surgeries. Doctor James Bopp worked tirelessly with See International and Argentinian surgeon Dr. Stone to make this a reality. With so many logistical hurdles, including obtaining and transporting the equipment, today Dr. Stone started conducting the procedures. I arrived (Dr. Bopp was treating patients) just in time to see the first cataract surgery performed today and to take these pictures. Dr. Stone will perform approximately 15 more surgeries before he leaves and train the Teenmissions staff to screen candidates for future missions. (The clinic was overrun with dental and medical patients, with over 600 seen).
Children with children. They are so beautiful and filled with life. Look at those eyes.
Patients got American flags. Here’s a Zambian girl named charity.
Best part of the day was handing out clothes. with Chris McGuire
Before and After
We wanted to make sure the children are aware of the best America has to offer.
Please continue to pray for this mission. If you can help financially, please help us to help these (and other) orphans. Go to http://www.halomissions.org for more information.
