Photo taken during home health visits with a local Erendiran family.
Erendira, Mexico
As a rural fishing town 90 kilometers south of Ensenada, the people of Erendira deal with many day-to-day challenges. From the basic issues of water sanitation, access to healthcare, and reliable education to the darker issues of drug trafficking, substance use, and sexual abuse (incest/rape), hard-working families and broken churches struggle to fight against these systemic problems. Through connections in San Diego, Erendira has been a long-time site for donations of: water, sanitary supplies, hair cuts, gospel outreach, sexual health education, orphanage ministry, drug rehab ministry, medical home visits, STD/cancer screening, and surgical work in connection with their temporary clinic doctors. With strong local ties and a working relationship with the government health clinic, Giving Tree Medical hopes to continue our work in meeting the needs of our Erendiran community, making a positive impact both spiritually and physically. In our most recent trip, June 2017, our team brought stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and glucometers and trained a group of at-risk local high schoolers to take vital signs. They are now prepared to serve in the clinic as a volunteer team and expand their horizons with the help of the local doctors.
Health Screening Clinic at the Escondido Food Distribution working with the volunteer youth group.
Local Outreach (Escondido, CA)
Within the US, the need for medical services remain plentiful. Escondido maintains large communities of immigrant groups that often go medically unobserved for many years, until chronic problems present as life-threatening emergencies. Within the past year, the Giving Tree Medical team has held clinics for the Vietnamese community through the Vietnamese Bethel Baptist Congregation and for the Hispanic and multi-racial community at the downtown Escondido Food Distribution. Many systemic and cyclical health problems that run within sub-cultures were evident. Participants in the Vietnamese clinic even asked for the team to return with health education to help them understand the consequences of their lifestyle habits and to equip them with healthier alternatives. The team was met with great gratitude after these educational talks. In order to give back to the volunteers who have been keeping the Escondido food distribution going for years, the team trained local youth volunteers to intake patients and check their vitals, blood glucose, and BMI. Patients then came to the team for health counseling according to the results of their health screening. Several people made decisions to improve their dangerous health habits. These local missions have provided a great avenue to inspire our next generation into lives of glad giving and joyful service.
Health talk with the Vietnamese Elders at Bethel Baptist Community Church, Escondido, discussing the causes, treatment, and prevention of hypertension.
Native women working out in a small forest clearing at the base of the Taut'Bato highland caves. (Photo taken by Pastor Luke)
Taut'Bato, Philippines
For the past several years, a team of southern California churches have worked closely with Phillippean Pastors to develop a friendship with the highland tribes of Taut’bato. Despite hazardous conditions of rebel conflict, our members have been faithful in making trips to lend aid to the tribes. Since first arriving in 2006, the tribe leader ‘Oke,’ has expressed much appreciation for the ministry and healthcare team and wishes for the group to return more frequently. It usually takes 2 days to hike through highland jungle terrain, which requires the assistance of local guides and mules to pull provision and medical supplies. Conditions to reach the tribes are especially difficult due to high heat, humidity, mud slides, and tenuous bridgeways. Giving Tree Medical stands to increase the medical support and services to the tribes of Palawan.
Taking cover during a sporadic downpour after distributing dental supplies to a local village.
Binh Phu, Vietnam
Medical ministry trips are especially difficult in Vietnam due to strict government customs practices and heavy oversight from local officials. Despite such adversity, the Vietnamese church in Escondido has worked with Christ Bible Church to persist in serving local communities in Binh Phu, Thang Binh, Quang Nam, and Da Nang. Pathologies commonly found in developing nations such as malaria, parasitic worms, chemical exposures, etc. remain prevalent in these rural towns. The nature of Vietnam and the long distance bus rides necessitate that a medical team take only the most portable and low profile medical equipment. With the recent start of Giving Tree Medical, we hope to bring additional resources and treatments to build on the ministries that have been established in these regions.
Giving Tree Co-Founder Deborah Wynn teaching English class to children in rural Hunan.
Hunan, China
Both big cities and quiet, green, terraced hills interlace the Hunan province of southern China. In the small town of Zhong Tuan, many reside far from developed infrastructure, away from city plumbing, depending on fresh well water to stay clean for drinking. Water is warmed over the fire or in electric kettles for bucket showers, and electrical lights and refrigerators are slowly being brought in by children who have grown and moved into the cities. With a cultural shift of younger generations heading away from rural land and into industrialization for better jobs, the aging generation is often left underserved. Traveling to the nearest medical center would require a half day travel by car and bus. As with many farming regions, many locals are estranged from regular medical services, including health check ups and screenings. The local Chinese medicine doctor is not well supported with resources to give comprehensive care, and unfortunately, the pharmacy is known to sell medication whose quality is not assured. In 2012, Giving Tree co-founder Deborah Wynn was honored to be welcomed into this community as the first foreigner locals had ever seen. In 2013 she returned to teach an English summer school program in the elementary and junior high. Interestingly, it is there that she taught the children the meaning behind the book The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. This relationship established an openness to future medical teams. Because of this blessing, we are hopeful to send a fully equipped medical team by 2019.
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”