It's one thing to hear about it and to see it, to see pictures, but to see it yourself
and take it all in is a completely different thing.
I've just grown to love these folks and I just appreciate every opportunity to come
in and share the Lord Jesus Christ with anyone who's willing to stop long enough to listen.
If you want to change your life, this is a life-changing experience and for me, I love it
now. It's just seeing that there are places in this world that need our help.
I keep coming back because God's called me to be His witness. I keep coming back because I go back
to Isaiah and it says, who will go? And I had to answer that question in my heart.
Why not me? This is not the only ministry I'm involved in, but it is the most rewarding to me
right now. Situated in the center of Central America, Honduras and Nicaragua are the poorest
of Central American countries. About 50% of the total population of these countries live below
the poverty line, with about 30% of people living on less than $2 a day. With the remoteness of
the villages in Central America, this makes simply surviving difficult.
Many families have little or no access to health or dental care. Those that do have access may travel
for hours or days by foot or burrow to see a doctor or dentist. On the last day of a recent trip,
Doc saw a young patient with webbed fingers. This young boy needed help or he wouldn't survive
the harsh conditions in which he lived. A little boy came in with a congenital webbing of two fingers
and he had a thumb that was separate and other two fingers were missing. And we were able to
separate the webbed fingers to give him two workable fingers. But that was the most heartwarming
experience of the week, able to help that boy to have a more normal life. And I told him he could
play the piano as he was older if he really wanted to. It is common to find children in
city dumps fighting with buzzards over rotten food. Stories of abandoned children or children
that suffer the effects of endless abuse are everywhere. Catherine was 12 years old and pregnant.
Wraped by a neighbor, her life was in danger when her family notified the authorities.
Catherine came to us earlier this year. The first few months were very difficult for her
as she was feeling a lot of, as you can imagine, grief about being pregnant. When she gave birth,
she saw that baby, laid the baby in her arms and her heart just melted and now she's a very good
mother. Catherine had already accepted Christ before she came to be with us. Thanks to the Lord
for that because that's helped her a lot. We've been able to counsel her and give her guidance
and just love on her. We hope that she will be able to be united with her family. She has a mother
and a younger brother that kind of visit her regularly here at the home and she's expressed
a desire to be a nurse one day and so we hope to be able to continue to have an impact on her life
even after she leaves here and help her realize that dream. Cervical cancer is the number one
killer of women in Central America. Lack of medical care makes it difficult or impossible for women
to receive what can be a very simple test and treatment. Most Hondurans and Nicaraguans do
not have access to advanced education or training and therefore are unable to break the cycle of
poverty in which they live. They need short-term health and long-term solutions. BMDMI provides
both of these. Over 40 missionaries serve full time in various capacities. By living and working
among the people that they serve, these BMDMI missionaries can provide long-term solutions such
as these. Evangelism and discipleship are at the heart of all that BMDMI does. In the daily
struggle that is life, a growing relationship with Christ is the hope that will never forsake.
Since its inception, the BMDMI family has established more than 120 indigenous churches
in Honduras and Nicaragua as well as an association of churches in each country.
There is a need for local pastors and church members to have access to theological education
and training. Bible institutes in Honduras and Nicaragua challenge these men and women to go
spiritually and strengthen their knowledge of the Bible, Baptist doctrines, church history,
and administration. They encourage these leaders in their call to lead others to Christ.
In an effort to help Hondurans and Nicaraguans break the cycle of poverty,
BMDMI offers vocational training and support. Sowing schools train adults in all aspects
of clothing production. This training opens doors for additional income to improve their
economic standing and to be able to support their local church. Powerless to change their
situations, the children of Nicaragua and Honduras struggle to keep their head afloat
and hope for a better day to come. Children will sleep tonight hungry and afraid, dreaming of a warm
bed, a hot meal, a loving family. Through the darkness, God's love shines through the children's
ministries of BMDMI. Christian schools provide quality education in a positive, caring environment
to children in need. Besides teaching the basics, children are also challenged to go spiritually
and in their knowledge of the Bible. Children's homes in Honduras and Nicaragua provide loving
homes for abused, abandoned and orphaned children. Providing needed food, shelter, clothing and
surrounding the children with a loving family environment. The child who was bound and dumped
in an abandoned field or the 12-year-old girl learning to be a mother after being raped by a
neighbor can begin to heal from deep emotional and physical wounds at the children's homes of BMDMI.
Each year, BMDMI hosts over 2,000 short-term missions volunteers, making up over 50 teams
of ordinary people being used in extraordinary waves. Because of their sacrifice, over 120,000
people not only received medical and dental help, but also experienced and learned of Christ's love
in a very real way. BMDMI volunteers operate medical clinics, providing basic medical services to
people that would otherwise have little or no access to health care. From something as simple
as providing antibiotics or basic pain medication to the more extreme feats of separating webbed
fingers, BMDMI needs doctors, nurses, physicians' assistants and medical students to complete their
clinic teams. BMDMI volunteers hand out over half a million bags of medicine each year,
from Tylenol to Cipro, prenatal vitamins to dewormers. People find Christ's love in a small
envelope of life, improving medication that many would take for granted. Handing out that much
medicine takes a team of volunteers, from pharmacists to fill the prescriptions, to folks to gather the
necessary medicines together for the patient. A pharmacy team may hand out over 10,000 prescriptions
in a week. BMDMI volunteers pull teeth, clean instruments, comfort babies and children and
provide toothbrushes and toothpaste. In a year, over 12,000 people can be treated in a BMDMI
dental clinic. Not a dentist? If you can hold a flashlight, you can help share Christ's love
in a dental clinic. BMDMI volunteers help people to see God's love figuratively and literally.
Short-term teams have access to thousands of pairs of prescription glasses and the ability
to determine the prescription of those who need them. The reaction on the face of a person that
has never clearly seen the beauty of their surroundings is an image that you will never forget.
BMDMI volunteers save lives. Cervical cancer is the number one killer of women in Central America
and yet is easily treatable when identified early. BMDMI sends a native doctor trained
to identify and treat cervical cancer with short-term teams. This doctor can identify
and treat cervical cancer in the village in a matter of minutes, saving the lives of many women.
BMDMI volunteers take care of more than just human needs. They also care for their animals.
Horses, Catalan pigs are an important source of food and income to the people living in remote
villages. In one year, BMDMI volunteers treat more than 15,000 animals, improving the life of the
animal but also the farmers and families that depend on the animals. BMDMI volunteers operate
thrift shops where clothes and shoes are handed out to those in the village that need them.
It is not uncommon to see a child refuse to put their new shoes on for fear of getting them dirty.
BMDMI volunteers realize that evangelism and discipleship are at the heart of all that BMDMI
does. In the face of daily struggles, a growing relationship with Christ is the hope that will
never forsake. Every man, woman and child that experiences Christ's love through the medical
or dental clinic also hears the gospel presented in a clear way in their own language.
Interpreters facilitate the translation of the gospel messages being presented by volunteer
evangelists throughout the week. BMDMI volunteers present the gospel message to children in creative
ways. Puppet shows, music, crafts, Bible stories are all used to communicate the message of good news
to the children of the villages in which BMDMI short-term teams serve. BMDMI volunteers are
builders. Construction projects are available, built in churches, homes and working to help the
communities. Electricians, carpenters and anyone willing to swing a hammer reach the communities
by improving the living conditions of local villages. BMDMI volunteers are innovative.
One volunteer noticed that most families in Honduras and Nicaragua do not have any pictures of
themselves. The next year, he came armed with a camera, backdrop, computer and printer.
Something that many would take for granted is transformed into a powerful expression of God's
love. Someone will say, well, why do you go way off down there for a week? There are people at home
that have needs and that's true. They are. But if God gives us an opportunity to spend one week
in foreign missions, at least 51 weeks at home to be missionaries at home.
There is always a place for you to get involved with BMDMI. For more information on either a
short-term trip or to support a long-term missionary, contact bmdmi at bmdmi.org.
Regardless of your involvement, we ask for your prayers. Pray for our volunteers, missionaries
and staff as we strive to share the gospel of Christ and meet the needs of the people of Nicaragua
and Honduras. Prayerfully consider your involvement with BMDMI. One week of your life could change
theirs forever.
