Monday, September 20, 2010


International Christian Hospice
Wilson’s Story

August 2010

The pain from the blow to his eye faded after just a few hours. And so did his sight. It was very scary now when he rubbed his left eye or the glare of the bright sun caught his face because his right eye was blind. This has been Wilson’s experience since last April.

Five year old Wilson Photo of eye damage


We met Wilson and his mother, Elvia, in Salem Baptist Church in Talanga, Honduras. This new church was built 2 years ago as a mission church in a remote area in central Honduras. Lourdes Argueta, our Honduran Volunteer Coordinator for International Christian Hospice, arranged and accompanied us as our translator as we presented our hospice training here and offered eye screening earlier in the day. We set up “shop” and began to see many adults who needed reading glasses and a few older folks with cataracts. Some we could not help but recommended they travel to the capital, Tegucigalpa, to be evaluated. The reality is that few in this poor community will have that option. We were surprised when our final patient, 5 year old Wilson, arrived with his family who are church members. It saddened us to see what appeared as a crack in the lens of his right eye. His mother reported that no one in the local clinic could offer any help nor had they heard of anyone in all Honduras who could restore Wilson’s sight. We showed her how to put comforting saline drops in his eyes and began to pray for God’s intervention.


Salem Baptist church

Within a week we had traveled to the other side of Honduras to the town of El Progreso. A few years ago God connected us with Medical Missions International, an organization based in Dominican Republic, which specializes in Ophthalmology. One branch of MMI is in El Progreso and our friend Melvin Tejada is the director.


Name of eye clinic
Building housing clinic
We were reminded anew of God’s perfect timing as we arranged for Wilson to be evaluated by a Pediatric Ophthalmic surgeon from the U.S. who was scheduled to be doing eye surgeries in El Progreso in just three weeks. Upon viewing the pictures we had taken of Wilson, Melvin was very optimistic that he could be helped.

Through the efforts of Lourdes, Pastor Guzman of Salem Church and our dear friends Pastor and Lesly Moreno of El Progreso God provided for the bus trip across the country as well food and lodging for Wilson and his father Luis. We wish to give special thanks to Dr. Arlo Jennings and his wife Arleen of Asheville, N.C. for donating $200.00 which covered the cost for a successful procedure which has restored Wilson’s sight. We also note that this procedure in the U.S. would cost thousands.

Our latest news was of a very happy little boy and a family and church who are praising God for the gift of sight! We give Him thanks for taking us to this remote little village that day and His special miracle that unfolded for Wilson! We also thank all you who pray for ICH ministry around the world. God is answering those prayers in great and unexpected ways!

Friday, September 10, 2010

International Christian Hospice
Newsletter August 2010
Honduras
Prior to our arrival in Honduras two representatives for ICH attended the Central American Christian Medical Conference. 200 doctors and medical students from all of the Central America gathered in Tegucigalpa.

ICH Country Director, Pastor Francisco Ilias and ICH Volunteer Director Lourdes Argueta manned a display table offering information about ICH. One key note speaker was an MD practicing in Palliative care which is a specialty of pain and symptom management for end-stage illnesses. This area of medical care goes hand-in-hand with hospice and is a new concept in Central America. This is an answer to a seven year long prayer that end-of-life care would be recognized and addressed by the medical community. Many important contacts were made at the conference and we are praying for God to burden likeminded Christian physicians to work with us.
It is always a pleasure to return to Honduras! We welcomed Chuck McCurry, one of our ICH team leaders from S.C., accompanied by Pastor Ken Freeman as they arrived at Tegucigalpa airport. By the end of our travels we have logged 1,800 miles in our car, both in Guatemala and Honduras. Thank the Lord for His gift of safety for which we know many of you are praying!



Home visits are always a highlight. Many of you have followed our stories about our young friend, who lives in Tegucigalpa, Ever who is now 19. Lourdes, our Volunteer Director in Honduras, has been faithfully visiting him and his family since we met him two and a half years ago. He was a victim at age 16 of a gunshot wound to his back resulting in bone infections and lower extremity amputations. Although his body continues to fight chronic bone infections, worsening pressure sores and weight loss, Ever readily testifies of God’s blessings in his life. His church youth group and trained ICH volunteers come every Wednesday to sing and worship in his home. We brought supplies for his care, Ensure and a new hooded sweatshirt to him. He tells us that he is always cold and cannot eat very much. Our time of prayer with him, his grandmother and two small sisters was very sweet. Please continue to pray for Ever’s comfort and for the ICH volunteers who are serving him. We know that he has given his testimony openly in the community and that God has a special plan for the rest of his life.



We were successful in presenting four out of six ICH training seminars to a total of 140 people. This is the rainy season and Honduras has suffered much damage to roads, bridges, churches and homes. It was unfortunate to have two seminars cancelled but God gave us safe travel throughout the capitol city. Sometimes this required detours through “not so safe” areas. We were also welcomed by Pastors, church leaders and youth in the small towns of Guaimaca and Tolonga in the central region of Honduras. Thank you Chuck and Ken for the flexibility and leadership you showed while faced with challenging situations. One thing we always can testify to is the divine appointments God orchestrates for us. Everywhere we go people are ready and looking for peace and comfort during times of suffering and loss. International Christian Hospice ministry transcends any geographical or cultural differences with the message from God’s Word that there is hope in Christ!


We want to share about one of those divine appointments. We spent a wonderful Sunday morning teaching about hospice care with believers in Salem Baptist Church in Guaimaca. Pastor Luis opened his home and we were served a delicious meal prepared by his wife and ladies in the church.

We are so honored by the warmth and hospitality offered to us everywhere we go. A lady who attended our training that morning invited us to her home after lunch. She is caring for her mother-in-law, Julia, who is dying of liver disease and renal failure. The doctors have said that all they can do now is to keep her comfortable. Julia and her family told us of the legacy she is leaving behind. Two of her sons and her grandson are Pastors in nearby communities. We discussed her physical problems and talked about things to do that would help. We read Psalm 139 together and rejoiced together that God knows and loves us so intimately! As we were leaving her daughter-in-law asked questions about the disease progression and tearfully admitted that she will miss Julia more than her own mother. With much encouragement we told her she was giving Julia the best gift. To be cared for at home, honored and loved by her family will give her the peace and dignity that we all would want. Hospice care in Jesus’ name gives true meaning to the words hope and comfort that the world cannot give!


We were able to travel to Seguatepeque and visit the SEBCAH seminary as well as the Evangelical Hospital. Chuck and Ken were a part of the ongoing discussion with Dr. Aguilar about our common dream of a Hospice/AIDs facility. We toured the hospital property and viewed possible sites which we are praying over for the future. Ron and Mark Fittz, a CAM missionary architect, are continuing to work with Dr. Aguilar on a presentation for the hospital board in October. Please continue to pray with us for God’s guidance and timing in this project.

We continue to look to God for His provision financially to continue the work of ICH around the world. Hospice is a well known and readily available service in the U.S. But what about the rest of the world? What about the people who are dying with no opportunity to know there is a Savior? The pictures we include are only a small representation of the believers in other countries who are eager to learn how to reach their own people. You have the unique opportunity to take God’s message of hope to people through ICH now working in:
South Africa, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Nicaragua, Peru, Dominican, Republic, Ukraine and Moldova.
You are invited to join us on mission by becoming an ICH volunteer, prayer partner and donor. We welcome team members who feel God is calling them to go beyond the borders of the U.S. with an extraordinary mission.
Serving Him together,
Ron & Susan Naish
Ron & Susan Naish
Directors, International Christian Hospice

Tax exempt donations received at:
ICH 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063 803-781-0656
International Christian Hospice News
July 2010
Guatemala

Greetings from Central America! Thank our faithful Lord for His presence and direction as we work among the beautiful people here. We are reminded again of the honor we are given to serve by offering hope in Christ through ICH.

We began our two months of ministry as Ron flew into Honduras ahead of time to prepare for Susan and the two volunteers from Biltmore Baptist Church. He found our car in good condition after 3 months of storage in Honduras. It is always risky to drive in Central America alone but God gave him safety and endurance for the long trip to Guatemala City. Ron picked up Susan, Janice Codington and Sarah Bradford at the airport where we were also joined by Yesinia Valesquez (a seminary student and our translator). We would like to say a special thank you to Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon who opened their home to all of us overnight. Dennis and Cindy are missionaries in Guatemala City who run a warehouse and distribute medical supplies shipped by container. from Tennessee with Vine International Ministries.


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The majestic beauty of the volcanoes, rugged mountains, sugar cane lowlands, jungle with coffee plantations and bananas always amaze us especially when seen through the eyes of first timers who come with us on mission. The road to Hospital Cristiana Sante Fe includes all this and more! Once again we thank God for our tough little 4x4 Ford Escape. What a challenge for car and driver (Ron)!

God had many special things for us to do and people to serve. Below you can see pictures of our work in the hospital with surgical patients. Families wait patiently for two or three days then patients are discharged and travel home together usually by hired trucks or bus.


Many of the people have never heard the Gospel. Yesinia shared stories and pictures with families by translator from Spanish to Quich’e. Praise God that several women and children prayed to follow Jesus!

On Sunday we led a worship service for the patients and families. The pre/post-op ward became a sanctuary for not only physical healing but spiritual healing.

Simultaneously we provided eye screening clinics. What a joy to see the smiles of many who could not see and we gave them free glasses donated by Dr. Steve Satterfield for reading or distance. One mother said, as she looked at her daughter and touched her face, “Now I can see YOU!” Each person received soothing eye drops (donated by Carolina Opthomology) and was prayed with individually.


Ron provided 2 sessions of training in use of a Glasses for Missions kit for eye screening and making glasses. These 3 people will now work alongside Dr. Sergio in this new area of ministry.

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The afternoons were full of laughter and fun in VBS. 100+ children sang songs, heard Bible stories and received lots of TLC. At any moment the children would gather for bubble making, hugs and pictures.

Ron and Susan presented ICH training in the meeting room of the hospital in the evenings. Local Pastors, clinic workers from nearby villages, church members and community leaders attended. One attendee, Pastor Eligio Garcia who leads a local Evangelical church turned out to be a critical contact.(More on this later) God is continuing to open opportunities for Hospice ministry as we prayed with a patient who was dying and visited in the home of a recent death.

A highlight of our week was to travel up into the jungle highlands to the village of Xojola. We assisted Dr. Sergio and another missionary, Diane Thompson, who have a clinic twice a month in this remote area.

Also in Xojola God has strategically placed Pastor Eligio Garcia who attended our ICH training. He is a well respected leader and new director of 3 large government schools. Currently there is no church and few believers in this Quich’e area and Pastor Garcia’s first desire is for Bibles for each of the 943 students. How exciting that the doors of the schools are open and we had the opportunity to teach, distribute Gospel stories and make crafts with the students in the classrooms. Thanks to Truth Action Ministry and to East Cooper Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, S.C. each child heard of Christ’s love and received an illustrated gospel booklet.



It was an exciting and full week of ministry! One personal story we want to include is about Lucianna. She attended our ICH training this week as the recent widow of Bayron. Through efforts of the BBC team last year this hospice family all came to faith in Christ. Bayron was dying of liver disease and passed away in January 2010. Lucianna continues to work and care for her 3 sons and she freely shared her story with our group. She testified that God sustained her throughout her husband’s illness and death and brought peace through her new relationship with Christ. Through tears she told of her journey of grief and the difficult decision she has made for her family to move into her father’s home in a nearby town. Thank you for praying for this family as they continue to follow Christ.

Thank you to everyone who had a part in the team ministry in Guatemala. We know that you will share in God’s blessings that we have received and were able to give because of our family, church and friends who were behind us. It is an awesome privilege to be the finger tips of the Body of Christ. We are the honored ones who can reach out to touch these dear folks with peace and hope that only Jesus can give.

More news about August ministry in Honduras is coming.

Serving Him together,
Ron & Susan Naish
Directors, International Christian Hospice http://www.intlchristianhospice@yahoo.com/ www.ronnaish@bellsouth.net
As always remember your tax deductible contributions are received at
ICH 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063