Fall is officially here and that means we are putting on the final touches for our main fundraising and community event: the Fall Festival on October 21st. We are hoping that you join us in celebrating the work that Medical Missionaries accomplished this year. Come mingle with other supporters. Whether you have been with Medical Missionaries for a few months or for over 25 years we want to see you!
September has been busy and we have enjoyed sharing our daily “work life” with everyone on Facebook! This month we have updates on Community Health Workers from the village of Darlegrand, as well as update on supplies and equipment sent to various places around the US and the world, including a new partner that we are helping in the Philippines.
We’re in the final stages of earning our 2023 Top-Rated GreatNonProfits Badge, and we’re asking for your reviews of our work. 2 more reviews and we are all set! Your feedback lets other people know about Medical Missionaries. The larger the community, the more we can help.
We are excited to report that Dr. Gil Irwin, Founder and President of Medical Missionaries will be receiving the Bishop Paul S. Loverde Missionary Award for Selfless Service on October 20th! This is a much deserved award, and we are so proud that Dr. Irwin is being recognized.
Don’t forget to grab your tickets for our Fall Festival on October 21st! We’ve got a fun day planned with lunch from Mission BBQ, wine from Doukenie Winery, drinks and desserts. Special guests include Pat and Jerry Skeens from the Rocklick Pantry in Grundy, line dancing with W.I.L.D and our emcee, Mo Barrett, a comedian and retired Air Force Colonel. It’s a day of celebration you won’t want to miss. Stay tuned for more updates in this newsletter!
Updates from Haiti
St. Joseph Clinic in Thomassique, Haiti has many missions. Among them is to reach out to neighboring villages and provide health care to patients who are unable to travel to Thomassique, where St. Joseph Clinic is located.
Darlegrand Mobile Clinic: St. Joseph Clinic staff conducts weekly Mobile Clinics, on a rotating basis, at five different villages (Darlegrand, Savane Platte, Baranque, Bouloume, Nan Croix). Before visiting a village our Community Health Workers (CHWs) and their villages’ Community Health Committee notify the community of the upcoming event, reach out to villagers who need medical care and let the community know what services will be available.
During the visit to a village the staff addresses basic healthcare needs. It is also a time to triage and refer patients to St. Joseph Clinic. A midwife is usually present and will conduct pre-and post- natal consultations for pregnant women who might otherwise not receive this care due to the long distance from St. Joseph Clinic.
Mobile Clinics have experienced periodic cancellations in the last few years due to the difficulty in acquiring medications and other supplies or because of safety or health alerts. We are heartened that the Mobile Clinics are up and running, in spite of great adversity.
Annual Fall Festival is Coming Fast!
Join us as we celebrate the families and friends of Medical Missionaries on Saturday, October 21st. We will be gathering at 2pm at Windy Knoll Farm in Nokesville, Va. Delicious food from Mission BBQ (which just won the Best BBQ of NoVa award!) is on the menu along with fine wine from Doukenie Winery and a variety of beer. We have several musical guests planned, along with line dancing hosted by W.I.L.D. and a live auction, raffles and a silent auction. We are delighted to welcome Mo Barrett as our Emcee!
Join us at the beautiful Windy Knoll Farm on an autumn day with our hosts Helen and Don Taylor. Tickets are on sale now!
2023 Holiday Drive for Grundy, Virginia
Our Manassas office is collecting holiday food for the Grundy community. Requested and appreciated items include: stuffing, gravy, beans, canned hams, boxed potatoes and pasta, canned veggies, cranberry sauce, dessert and biscuit packages. We also send the community gifts for children and teenagers. If you would like to donate food, a new toy or gift please let us know. They can be dropped off at the Manassas office or ordered on Amazon.
We still collect non-perishable food on a monthly basis for the Rocklick Food Pantry located in the Grundy area of Appalachia. Food donations have been decreasing over time but the need remains the same.
Please be generous, especially as the holidays approach. We are always ready to accept non-perishable food at our Manassas office or via Amazon. Check out the list of needed items on our web site. Let us know if you are interested in running a food drive; we would be happy to help you set one up!
Supplies and Equipment In and Out
Ukraine: Ret. Marine Col. Monte Dunard stopped into the Manassas Office this month. He is now sending pallets of medical supplies to Ukraine via Poland. This month he is shipping boxes of dressings, blood pressure machines, boxes of gloves and other supplies.
Cameroon: Dr. Irwin helped pack Dr. Constantine Chienku’s truck with supplies and equipment that will be transported to Cameroon next month. It took three trips to load the wheelchairs, canes, crutches, walkers and other equipment along with medical supplies. Dr. Chienku plans to visit an orphanage and a clinic for disabled children so we included baby toys and also therapeutic pediatric equipment.
Philippines : Medical Missionaries started a partnership with Thelma Billy, who is helping people in the Philippines. In addition to feeding the homeless in DC and Fairfax County, Thelma has raised money to provide hurricane relief and build homes (24 to date!) in the Philippines in towns such as Bisaya. We will be donating canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs and other equipment items to her ongoing effort.
Pictured is Lynn Morrison who is helping Thelma Billy in loading up their first shipment of items from the Manassas office.
Virginia Run Children’s Consignment Sale. The generous people from the Virginia Run Children’s Consignment Sale in Centreville, Va. once again invited Medical Missionaries to come and take children’s clothing, toys and other items after their sale. To all the volunteers from Virginia Run, a heartfelt Thank You!. Thanks to Patti Tutalo for coordinating this effort!
Pediatric Office: A Pediatrician from Manassas who is closing her practice donated 4 exam tables, scales, blood pressure monitors and other supplies. If someone in your community is closing a medical practice and would like to donate equipment and supplies please call Medical Missionaries at 703-335-1800, or send email to info@medicalmissionaries.org so we can coordinate collecting and reusing these valuable supplies.
ECHO: Our partners from ECHO (Ecumenical Community Helping Others) visit our Manassas office at least once a month. They thankfully have been increasing deliveries of non-perishable food that is much needed for the Rocklick Food Pantry in Grundy Va. We are very grateful for their steady partnership
MESS (Medical Equipment and Support Supplies) Ashby, Va: Our partner, Julian Cole, came by with a carload of equipment and supplies including a brand new rollator, a stander, orthopedic boots, 2 commodes and other supplies.
West Virginia: Our partners Bud and Alice came to the Manassas office to take household items back to their communities in the Elkins and Luray areas.
Local Community: The Manassas office is open six days a week. Everyday cars, vans and trucks stop by to bring us medical equipment and supplies, which are used for the local community as well as for shipments to other countries. These supplies are needed, but our most critical need is non-perishable food, which we primarily ship to the Rocklick Food Pantry.
Community Volunteers: We are very grateful for the volunteers who help us keep the office open and busy. A special shout out to Jonathan and his family and friends who travel from the Arlington area to help us move the heavy stuff! Volunteers certainly help make the work fun and fast!
Community Outreach
Medical Missionaries was invited to visit the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church community in Warrenton, Va. We were hosted by the Wesley Chapel Women and were honored to worship with their community, enjoy a lovely luncheon (including their homemade apple butter!) and share the work that we do with all those who gathered. We are very thankful for their generous support and partnership.
Great NonProfits
Medical Missionaries has consistently earned the GreatNonProfits Top-Rated Badge each year! Our collection of current reviews are due soon so that we can earn our Badge!
Here is a sample of a past review:
“I am extremely grateful to have learned about Medical Missionaries, Inc. When my dad became bedridden I had no idea where to even start to look for hospital beds not to mention what they would cost us. Lo and behold, Medical Missionaries had one for us and offered other items that had not even occurred to me – bedside commode, wheelchair, etc. I was new at this caregiver role and besides the medical equipment, Medical Missionaries provided me with guidance which gave me the confidence to fully support my dad during his last months. I cannot say enough great things about this NonProfit organization except for THANK YOU!”
Anyone can write a review! Please share your stories of how Medical Missionaries has impacted your lives!
Just click on this link. We would love to hear your story!
