USNS Comfort:

Humanitarian Mission

The Comfort is a US Navy hospital ship that is deploying to South America to help with the 1.5 million Venezuelan refugees who have fled to nearby countries. On September 28th, 2018 the donated trucking arrived and was loaded with medical and education supplies.  In this shipment, you helped provide 11 Wheelchairs, 96 pairs of Crutches, 73 Canes, 122 Walkers, 90 Jr. Desks (made from Recycled Bleacher Wood), 1,931 Personal Dignity Kits, 1,388 Student School Kits, 42 Teacher School Kits, 300 Blankets, 156 Handmade Cover them with Love Quilts, 218 Handmade Preemie Hats, 443  Handmade Girl Outfits, and 96 Handmade Boy Outfits.  In addition to the medical supplies, you also donated 1,850 gently used and new stuffed animals in only a week's time. Children that will be treated by the Comfort team will receive a stuffed animal.  The value of this shipment was $89,236 but the value of bringing hope is priceless. Oh, to see the smiles on the children's faces as they cuddle with a stuffed animal.   Your prayers and generosity brought this shipment together and we ask you to continue to pray that those who receive these supplies will heal inside and out and feel the love of God. Please continue to pray for this mission, the refugees and the US Military. 

Wheelchair for woodjy part I

Jacqueline Parks Raitano and her daughter Julia are regular donors at Midwest Mission. Last year, Julia asked her friends to bring items for Cleaning Kits to her 8th birthday party, instead of presents, to help hurricane survivors and Julia brought in stuffed animals for the USNS Comfort shipment. On September 25, the family reached out to Midwest Mission with a request. Last year, they had the opportunity to visit La Victoire, Haiti where they met a kind and loving young boy named Woodjy Luis Pierre. After engaging in the village, school, and church they discovered that Woodjy had to be carried every time he left his home because he is unable to walk. They recently found out another family would be visiting this same village in Haiti in November of this year and Woodjy still needed that youth-size wheelchair. 

We did not have a youth wheelchair but knew God was calling us to help. Phone calls were made to local community partners,  hospitals and wheelchair manufacturers and no one had a youth wheelchair (or they could make one for the child but would need his measurements and would not have it completed before November.) But the next day a call came in - a youth-size wheelchair had just been donated back to Numotion in Peoria, IL and they were thrilled to donate it to young Woodjy. 

Building relationships are the most critical part of mission work. Midwest Mission is here to help with supplies but it's most important mission is to show God's love in a practical way, here at home and around the world. Midwest Mission wants all God's children to know his love and experience his Grace.  Oh, the Joy that comes from serving others. 

Wisconsin flood relief

When the floods hit Wisconsin, Midwest Mission responded within 24 hours. On September 4, 2018, you donated a total of 2,555 Hygiene Kits, 5,040 Cleaning Kits (Flood Buckets), and 2,060 School Kits to the Wisconsin Disaster Relief Distribution Center to support their local communities after receiving rainfall that caused flood damage to multiple counties in that area. The Hygiene Kits gave individuals the essential hygiene items while they were in shelters. The Cleaning Kits were there for families to start the clean-up process in their homes and will be used by United Methodist Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) from around the county. 

The School Kits helped replenish school supplies and book bags for 2,060 children that had lost their book bags due to the flood. Midwest Mission will continue to monitor and take calls for support as any type of disaster takes place in the world. 

World Mission Outreach (WMO)

Nicaragua

In February Midwest Mission sent two shipments totaling 28,990 pounds of medical supplies, sewing machines, Personal Dignity Kits, school bags and much more to World Mission Outreach (WMO) ,in Hickory NC. In April WMO sent a group to Nicaragua on a mission trip. A mission they focus on is teaching Trade Skill Education. One of the days they focused on sewing to make clothes, blankets, sheets and anything else they may need for their daily life or to sell and make a profit!  They also handed out school bags and Personal Dignity kits to the children.


Check out their ministry at www.wmoc.org.


Er Abroad: Mission Possible

ER Abroad is a not-for profit organization that provides basic healthcare to villagers in the impoverished areas of central Guatemala. Founded in 2008, ER Abroad continues to provide basic health care to people who rarely get to see a doctor.


ER Abroad typically sends teams of 8-10 medical professionals who provide basic healthcare, medications, vitamins and over the counter pain medications  to those who do not have access to health care.  Treating everything from skin infections, internal parasites and machete wounds. Teams have also diagnosed serious illnesses including diabetes, cardiac abnormalities and skin cancers.  The second ER Abroad team even delivered a baby their first day of clinic.  


The most recent ER Abroad team was in Guatemala February 11-19, 2016. Along was 2 Doctors, 1 Nurse Practitioner, 3 EMT's and 2 RN's. The base of their operation is the old city of Antigua but they traveled up to an hour and a half to provide services to the most needed in small villages and towns.  


During these five days of clinics ER Abroad examined and treated 552 patients.  Each family that was served at their clinics received a Personal Dignity Kit from Midwest Mission.