Fall 97 Journal Cover Photo
Aims Journal 2010 (Vol. 31 No. 3 ) (.pdf 850 kB)
Aims Journal 2010 (Vol. 31 No. 2 ) (.pdf 1335 kB)
Aims Journal 2010 (Vol. 31 No. 1 ) (.pdf 679 kB)
Aims Journal 2009 (Vol. 30 No. 2 ) (.pdf 850 kB)
Aims Journal 2009 (Vol. 30 No. 1 ) (.pdf 748 kB)
Aims Journal 2008 (Vol. 29 No. 3&4 ) (.pdf 915 kB)
Aims Journal 2008 (Vol. 29 No. 2 ) (.pdf 642 kB)
Aims Journal 2008 (Vol. 29 No. 1 ) (.pdf 624 kB)
Aims Journal 2007 (Vol. 28 No. 4 ) (.pdf 838 kB)
Aims Journal 2007 (Vol. 28 No. 3 ) (.pdf 830 kB)
Aims Journal 2007 (Vol. 28 No. 2 ) (.pdf 1.04 mB)
Aims Journal 2006 (Vol. 27 No. 1 ) (.pdf 1.07 mB)
Aims Journal 2003 (Vol. 24 No. 1 ) (.pdf 12.1 mB)
Aims Journal 2002 (Vol. 23 No. 1 ) (.pdf 701 kB)
Aims Journal 2001 (Vol. 21 No. 2 ) -- Board Members Issue (.pdf 8.653 mB)
Because this issue is so large, it is here broken down into 7 separate files for those of you that cannot handle the single large file above.
Pages 1 thru 4 (.pdf 1.232 mB)
Pages 5 thru 8 (.pdf 1.040 mB)
Pages 9 thru 16 (.pdf 1.571 mB)
Pages 17 thru 24 (.pdf 0.741 mB)
Pages 25 thru 32(.pdf 1.584 mB)
Pages 33 thru 40 (.pdf 1.304 mB)
Pages 41 thru 48 (.pdf 1.217 mB)
Gleanings
from the older
AIMS Journals
Gleanings
from the
AIMS Journal
Autumn 1997
Editorial:
Don Roth, Editor
This edition of the AIMS Journal focuses on the role of dentistry in the Adventist International Medical Society.
The Editorial Board decided we would dedicate an entire edition of the AIMS Journal to the worldwide dental activities of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
General direction for this edition was given by Dr. James Crawford, who, as an associate director for the department of health of the General Conference, is in charge of dental affairs. He is also an associate dean of the School of Dentistry of Loma Linda University.
Dr. Crawford's role in the dental work of the church is to give overall direction to all dental clinics in each one of the world's divisions. He is also responsible for the recruitment of new dentists and the assignment of deferred mission appointees to various dental clinics who have need for interdivision missionaries.
Part of his duties include visitation of dental clinics, not only where we have interdivision workers but also where clinics arc totally staffed by national, indigenous dentists.
We are pleased to share this editorial page with Dr. Crawford.
Guest Editorial:
A few months ago, when Elder Don Roth and the AIMS board of directors offered to devote an issue of the AIMS Journal to the subject of mission dentistry, we were thrilled. What an opportunity to tell the story of many dedicated missionaries who have given so much of themselves to the service of others! Obviously, there is not room to tell you about each of the projects and wonderful things God is doing through this segment of the "right arm," but I hope you enjoy the few examples we have chosen.
Many thanks to all who have contributed --Monita and Perry Burtch, Eldon Carman, George Hartshorn, Arabelle and Al Juhlman, Doyle Nick, Don Peters, Wayne Ward, Vicki Wahlen, and all of the dentists who have shared NEWS from their corner of the world, and who are dental missionaries of the finest caliber. A very special thanks goes to Laurie Wilson, who spent countless hours editing and organizing material, and the very patient and ever-pleasant assistant I work with every day, Florence Wetmore. I am forever indebted to you both. For the privilege and the idea for this issue, I owe my colleague, long-time friend and fellow missionary, Don Roth, my heartfelt thanks.
Guest Editor
Dentistry Helps Fulfill Church Mission:
by Donald L. Peters, DDS
An interest in promoting mission dentistry prompted a small group of Seventh-day Adventist dentists to gather during Michigan camp meeting in Lansing, on August 15, 1943. This first organizational meeting resulted in a mission statement that would guide the group "to present Christ and His love to the world," and whose purpose is "to reflect Him in the pursuit of excellence in professional competence, spiritual endeavors, family relationships, and community outreach." (Statement of mission and purpose in the NASDAD bylaws.)
A year later, a meeting at the OIds Hotel in Grand Ledge, Michigan, saw 10 SDA dentists join together as charter members of the newly formed National Association of Seventh-day Adventist Dentists, otherwise known as NASDAD. The first objective for this new organization was to work with the General Conference to establish a school of dentistry at the College of Medical Evangelists in Loma Linda, California, to train missionary dentists. This was attained when the first freshman class of dental students enrolled in the fall of 1953. The second objective was to open permanent dental mission clinics throughout the world. To increase efficiency and effectiveness, a new mission committee was formed to help coordinate the continuous ongoing needs of clinics and personnel to staff these clinics.
NASDAD members felt a direct liaison with the medical department of the General Conference would be more effective. Dr.Eldon Carman, a long-time member of NASDAD, became the first dental representative.
Some early missionary dentists attend meetings in Baguio, Philippines, circa 1963 (I to r): James Crawford, Ray Whalen, Clark Lamberton, and Lyn Lamberton.
Through its missions committee, NASDAD continues to have a major role in providing finances for special projects in clinics around thc world. Not only does NASDAD provide funds, but many of its members have spent time in these clinics in full-time or relief positions. Dr. Ted Flaiz and his wife have spent many years taking care of the dental needs of people in Grenada, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, Palau and Bangladesh.This type of dedication has made dental missions a real success.
It is important to briefly review how mission dentistry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church began. In 1946, Harry and Juanita Slough, recent graduates from Atlanta-Southern Dental College, were traveling to Ohio to take the state hoard examination. A serious auto accident en route prevented him from taking the examination. A year later, he was able to take the Indiana board examination and join a practice there. During this time the General Conference sent a Ietter to them asking if they would be willing to go to China as the first SDA dental missionaries.This was to be an experimental program, designed to determine if a dental family could be self-supporting and helpful to organized mission services around the world.They were to purchase their own equipment and supplies and ship them to China. The General Conference paid for their transportation to Shanghai, where they lived in mission housing.The practice was located in the Shanghai Sanitarium's city office.
The Sloughs arrived in February 1947, just after World War II, while the China Division was rebuilding.The Communist armies from the North were moving toward .Shanghai at this time also. The country's financial and political situation rapidly deteriorated so that by January 1949, the United States Consulate asked all Americans to Ieave China. The Sloughs caught the last ship out prior to the Communist takeover.
The learning experiences of NASDAD pioneers have shown the effectiveness and potential of dental mission clinics.They also helped to formulate policies at the General Conference level that would make it easier for developing and staffing dental mission clinics around the world.
The cooperative spirit among NASDAD, the General Conference and the School of Dentistry at Loma Linda has made it possible to develop and staff approximately 90 dental clinics around the world. As some clinics close due to political, financial, or other reasons, others open. Staffing these facilities over the years has taken the dedication of more than 500 dentists, dental hygienists, dental technicians, and a host of auxiliaries to provide care for patients.
Among this large group of caregivers are a number of people who stand out because of their special pioneering spirit. Meade Baldwin (UOP '44 ) was the first fully-sponsored dental missionary sent by the General Conference. He was in .Seoul, Korea for 18 months before having to flee from the war. Clark Lamberton (OR '53; LLU MS '68) and his family moved to Thailand in 1958, and he continues his service in Chiang Mai. Nantje Twijnstra (Utrecht '46; LLU MPH '69), originally from the Netherlands, began her mission experience in Indonesia in 1950, and moved to Bangkok, Thailand, in 1964. Today at the age of 80, she remains active in her clinic in Phuket. Ben Nelson (U of MO '54) with his wife Fern and family had the privilege of being the first NASDAD sponsored dentist. He and his family spent eight years (1964-72) at the Blantyre Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic in Malawi. Larry Day (U of III. '53; LLU '69) wife Bonnie and family opened the first dental mission clinic in Karachi,Pakistan, where they served from 1961-1966. Ray Wahlen (LLU '57; PG '69), with his wife Vickie and family, was the first LLU dental alumnus to serve as a missionary at the Seoul Adventist Hospital, starting in 1960.
Many other dedicated dental missionaries have served with and followed these pathfinding pioneers. NASDAD, through its mission committee, continues to support and encourage Adventist missions during its annual meeting as it addresses the needs of mission clinics.
Donald L. Peters, DDS, has been the NASDAD historian since 1979. A long-time member of the faculty at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, he coordinated the summer missions program at the School from 1966-1971. He has also provided relief coverage at several clinics around the world. He is retired in Idaho, yet continues to teach and keep missions close to his heart.
On the Road in Southern Asia
by Eldon E.Carman, DDS, MS
The Dhaka (Bangladesh) dental clinic is opening a small satellite dental facility at Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College. "The dentist" is a lady trained by Dave Johnson (LLU '69) when he was at our clinic. They are trying a new program there; the school will pay her and the Dhaka clinic will furnish her the needed supplies. The facilities are very meager, but she does provide a service for the school and community that is totally unavailable in that area.
On Sabbath afternoon we visited a hospital/rehab center developed some 20 years ago by a physical therapist from Sweden. She cares for about 50 partially paralyzed or paraplegic patients. Their paralysis is caused by falls from coconut trees and accidents. Many of them keep returning because of severe bed sores.
Dr. Gerardo Toledo (LLUIDP '96), chief dentist at the Dhaka clinic, has worked out a program with the physical therapist to bring his mobile clinic once a month to provide dental care. I looked in some of the patients' mouths and there is an endless amount of work that needs to be done. This will indeed be a challenge because most of these patients cannot sit up alone. He will have to have most of them lying with their heads in his lap while he cares for their teeth. This is truly a fantastic mission project.
Gerardo is also planning to take his portable equipment to some of our schools and treat the children there. The Union president is very supportive of the dental program and gives Gerardo complete control of all his activities. NASDAD should be greatly commended for its part in providing this portable equipment.
The Dhaka clinic is meeting all of its expenses, and is looking for another expatriate dentist for June 1998. The implant equipment that NASDAD furnished should arrive soon. Gerardo is anxious for the delivery because no one in Dhaka is doing that procedure, and he has patients waiting.
In Bombay (India) now called Mumbai I was met by Dr. Victor Luickham. He had come from Surat to check on some dental equipment and to meet me. The next day we took the train to Ranchi, where some staff met us in an old van. This vehicle was literally held together by bailing wire and string . . . but it did run, and of course that is the important thing.
The next morning I went to the hospital and dental clinic. I must say Victor had really cleaned the place up. It looked so much better than when I saw it last. Victor asked if I would examine some patients for him and he would record their specific needs. They had placed a notice in the paper, announcing my arrival:
(Ad in the Surat paper)
American Expert Dentist in Surat
Popular American Dentist
Dr. Eldon Carman
is going to examine patients at the SDA Mission Hospital
on 12-13 February 1997.
Time from 10-12 a.m.
First come first served,
please take advantage
of this privilege.
(Signed) Management
SDA Mission Hospital
During our two day visit, I examined about 50 patients and we filled Victor's appointment book for over three weeks.
NASDAD is helping this clinic to upgrade its equipment also. The dental clinic is one of the few departments in the hospital that produces an income. A second dentist will join the clinic in June 1997. Two dentists will cramp the clinic space, so the hospital director is looking for additional space within the hospital.
I took the plane to Bombay-Cochin to visit the clinic and hospital in Ottapalam. Ottapalam is a three-hour drive from Cochin, but Alwyn Devaraj (LLU IDP '96), one of our dentists, was there to meet me.
Alwyn is responsible for vast improvements in cleanliness in the dental clinic. An x-ray machine, a developing unit, an amalgamator, a cabinet and several small dental items purchased with funds from NASDAD will improve the services offered.
As has happened often, visiting these clinics so inspired me that I wish I was 40 years younger so that I could completely immerse myself in these great experiences. v
LLU Involved in Missions
Students and Faculty Serve in the Amazon Basin
Continuing its dedication to training for service, Loma Linda University again coordinated a mission trip to Brazil this past June.
The annual adventure, co-sponsored by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), attracts approximately 30 people: dentists, health educators, physicians, nurses, and auxiliary personnel to provide services for hundreds of people lacking adequate dental and medical care.
This year's contingent of 30 was divided into three groups of 10 each, effectively distributing talent and training. Each group spent a week with a pastor and crew on a launch, holding clinics for the people who live on the tributaries of the Amazon River.
The Luzeiro XX, one of three launches that housed the missionaries for eight days
The need for dental care is so great that most patients had more than one tooth decayed to the gingival level and some needed more than 10 extractions. A few required surgical procedures. In addition to fixing immediate problems, the dental teams were able to extend the life of some teeth with provisional restorations, and to institute some corrective "cross bite" orthodontic "treatment" for two young patients. Other preventive measures included teaching patients about oral hygiene and distributing toothbrushes and fluoride tablets.
Patients wait their turn outside the floating dental clinic
FONT COLOR="#000000">
Aside from the impressions of desperate need, poverty, and hard work, this mission group collected a bank of memories that will remain for a lifetime: three scarlet macaws against the blue sky; crocodilian eyes glowing green-orange in the spot-light; learning to play a game with 30 little village girls; trying to elevate out a premolar tip while a deerfly bit my sweaty leg; eating rice, beans, papaya and jackfruit for breakfast; seeing the Southern Cross, a jeweled crucifix against night's sequined gown; roadside hawks watching an empty soccer field from the bleachers; the pastor clambering onto the launch with a baby caiman in his hands; the brightest and clearest Milky Way we had ever seen; difficulty in extracting the teeth of a little boy because he giggled so much.
On the evening of June 27, an exhausted group of people touched down at Los Angeles International Airport, knowing more of the meaning of service and very satisfied that God had worked for and through them in the Amazon Basin.
Comprehensive Care for Dental Missions
by George P. Hartshorn, DDS
| Patient Name: | Missions, Dental |
| Address: | Worldwide |
| Date of Birth: | October 12, 1940 |
| Responsible Party: | (Check One) __General Conference __Host Country/Union __NASDAD __LLU School of Dentistry __Other |
Yet, opportunities for sharing the gospel still seem to be available. Dr. Liana Wolfe, director of the Guam SDA Clinic Dental Department, and her colleagues are quick to share with you their experiences while reaching out to many island residents of the Western Pacific. For example, there is Paata. (No, that is not a fancy kind of sandwich bread.) Paata is an island that you get to after taking a boat from Weno. Treating patients as young as 12 months old, they have initiated a program of dental care for island residents.
And what about the sealant program on the island of Fais? Dr. Wayne Ward started this program, along with restorative dentistry and acute dental care for this island community. (See article on page 17). The dental programs on Fais and Paata are not random efforts, rather established endeavors with dental personnel from Guam visiting the islands on regularly scheduled intervals.
Treatment Plan
The plan for our patient goes beyond handpieces and amalgam. While these items are part of the armamentarium, we have to ask if it is "hand instruments" or "God's instruments with hands" that will accomplish the work. It seems that we would like to open this patient's bite some, to spread it's influence. But just how far we can go will depend on many factors, including financial ability.
Frequently, it has become necessary for this patient's clinics to operate independent of subsidy. This creates the need for clinic administrators to balance the outreach opportunities with fiscal responsibility and sound primary practice management. Though not a new situation for the patient, it remains a chronic source of concern and challenge.
Preparation
Although we have completed our plan, we may not be prepared for what lies ahead. After all, who knows what "nerves" just below the surface may be irritated as the patient goes about accomplishing its objectives. There are many advantages to "going slow and staying cool." Whatever grudge the patient is building will last much longer and be much more productive if early efforts are not culturally offensive or intimidating.
Impression
The impression is that the patient has developed, through the years, a distinctive niche in international dentistry. Unique with this outreach is the Seventh-day Adventist Christian witness and perspective to healthcare. It is this mission-driven, Christ-centered, and caring attitude that is so readily noticed. But often, we only have one opportunity to make a really good impression.
Cementation/Bonding
Perhaps the patient can consider some new, perhaps nontraditional methods of bonding, in addition to already existing procedures. Perhaps it is now time for the patient to move to the next level of community involvement, or integration. There is a difference between being located in a community and being an integral component of a community. The very fabric of a community consists of people and organizations that have made long-term commitments. This is how I view this patient's opportunity it can be threads in the fabric of individuals' and communities' daily lives.
As an example of successful integrations, the Saipan Adventist Clinic is known as the quality dental care provider for the island. But beyond restorative dentistry, staff from the clinic is involved every week in public and private school classroom awareness programs on tobacco and betel nut abuse. The rampant problem of bottle caries is now being addressed by the staff through pre- and postnatal classes as well as through scientific study in conjunction with the University of Washington Dental Health Collaborative Project. Dr. Richard Ludders, director of the clinic, and the dental hygiene staff, have also executed and implemented an island-wide school dental health education program for grades K-6. With so much highly positive activity and demonstrated commitment, the witness of this clinic is tremendous.
Preventive Maintenance
This patient has been well maintained through the years with both financial and human resources, and the supporting structures are still strong. However, the patient will continue to require much ongoing support. Dentists and dental hygienists with vision are needed to create opportunities where seemingly none exist. Financial support is critical in many areas. But, above all, prayers are requested for wisdom to manage the patient's assets, guidance in personal witness opportunities, and for strength and perseverance to move forward. v
Action in Cameroon
Perry and Monita Burtch
Yaounde, Cameroon
13 January 1997
We have just finished a mobile clinic to the Northwest province at Bafut. In three days the crew saw 300 some patients. The last day we treated 149 patients in 15 hours. This time we worked with a Cameroonian dentist and a dentist that had come from the States. As usually happens, the Fon (chief) of the village wants to donate some land to the church. We have no church in this village and the work in the Northwest in general is going slowly.
Since 1993 we have done eight mobile clinics. The first two we were basically getting our feet wet and went to SDA dispensaries. The results of the other six follow:
These are on top of the other requests that we have already received. One of those is an invitation by the Sultan of Bamoun, a mostly Muslim people group in Cameroon of more than 500,000 people among whom we only have one Adventist. . . . God is indeed doing some pretty spectacular things. May we glorify Him.
Perry and Monita Burtch
Dentistry in the Islands
by Wayne Ward, DDS
M y goals for visiting the islands of Fais and Falalop, in the Ulithi Atoll, were to provide dental care for an under-served population, establish contact with local medical personnel, and to discover the particular areas of need.
I received permission to visit these islands from Mr. John Rulmal, a government representative for Yap with offices on Guam, and from Mr. John Lingmar, a government representative for the outer islands of Yap. Alfonso, the health aide on Fais, felt that the greatest medical need of the people there was for dental care. Although capable of treating daily medical needs, his only treatment for toothache is to prescribe an antibiotic and send them to Yap for follow-up care.
Fais is an isolated volcanic island with a population of 150 to 250 people, 1.5 miles by 2 miles in size, located 45 miles from its nearest neighbor, Ulithi, and 120 miles from Yap. It consists of a 90-foot plateau with hillsides sloping to beaches or cliffs. In the early part of this century the Japanese had operated phosphate mines on the northern part of the island. These settlements were bombed by the US during World War II; however, there were no casualties among the local people.
Life is simple here; the people live from the land and the sea, much as they have for hundreds of years. The men harvest the sea and the coconuts and do needed construction. The women harvest the land, cook, care for the children and weave their only article of clothingthe lava-lava.
My first clinic site was a 6 foot x 8 foot room. There is no power plant, and the only source of electricity is from solar panels with a battery backup. Without air conditioning, we set up in an outside location to take advantage of the cooling breeze. On my second visit a foundation for a dispensary was in place, and one of the island chiefs arranged for a generator. The dental chair did not arrive on my flight so we had to improvise. We found four chairs, and a pillow leaned against a concrete block on a table became a head rest. This provided relative comfort for the patient, while I had to do all the treatment in a standing position. The foot pedal control malfunctioned and had to be bypassed, causing the compressor to overheat. After these problems were cared for, patient treatment began and continued to 6:00 p.m. each day. Alfonso was very helpful with patient triage. Those who had past complaints were seen first, followed by new examinations and fillings. Eventually, the more hesitant people allowed themselves to be treated.
The portable clinic waits on the beach for a ride to its next work station
Accommodations were sparse; my bed was a plastic mat and a sheet on the concrete floor. After spending the day bending over patients, this was not the therapy I needed. The only bathing was in the ocean, and there were no bathroom facilities. Drinking water was brought in jugs from the school; food for vegetarians consists of potatoes, taro, bananas and rice, with an occasional onion or some greens. The idea of a vegetarian diet was foreign to them. Practically the entire adult male population drinks "tuba" every night, a locally prepared alcoholic beverage that none seems able to resist. There are few chairs on the island and no benches. People generally sit on the floor or on rocks, even at church.
While exploring typhoon damage on the cliff line, I met two young men who spoke fluent English and have attended our schools in Yap and Ponape. They shared a wealth of information on island culture and history, and shared some of the impressions that our church and its work have made on other islanders. Appreciation was expressed for the care that was provided.
I spent the evenings teaching songs to the children in English and generally enjoying these open and pleasant people. The population is 100 percent Catholic. Even with the increasing pressure of the West, the culture is quite visible and unique. The people are friendly, receptive and giving; respect is strong, and the young people laugh easily and are responsible and courteous. If a medical/dental team were to hold visible worship services in the morning and evening, it would draw their interest and possibly open the door for gospel outreach.
The Pacific Missionary Aviation airplane makes its rounds in Yap State
Falalop has a more reliable power system than does Fais; however, water is dependent on the rain, since wells have a mix of fresh and salt water. Life is fairly modern compared to Fais. The majority of people wear tee shirts along with their native lava-lava and thu. There are three stores that provide for the needs of the average islander. One store only sold Spam and beef fat, however. One of the biggest problems on the island, as with most Micronesian islands, is alcoholism from drinking the "tuba." It became more apparent in Falalop when patients showed drug resistance to local anesthetic. The health aide stated that 90 percent of the male population was alcoholic.
Falalop is the site of the Outer Island High School, so representatives from the outer islands of Yap come as students or as sponsors for housing students. Accordingly, its population can at times reach 800. Chief Rafael showed me where I would stay and work and provided a cot for sleeping. I was able to set up the clinic in an air-conditioned room, which kept the compressor from overheating. Running water was provided whenever the pump was turned on, but drinking water was more difficult to find.
When the Sunday service was over, I began to see patients. It quickly became apparent that the dental needs on Falalop were much greater than on Fais, reflecting the change from traditional diet to processed foods. However, the response from the people was much less enthusiastic than on Fais. Perhaps the availability of dental care by the government clinic took away any sense of urgency for those in need of care.
A Fiji-trained dentist, Dr. Rague, has worked for public health on Falalop for 20 years. His health is poor, so his nurse does most of the work. His equipment is in disrepair, with no handpieces in working order, no sealants are applied, no cleaning is done. His treatment is primarily reactive to pain, the visible instruments were for extractions. His air-conditioner was not functioning, nor was his x-ray unit, and his compressor did not have a moisture trap. A portable unit had been taken away for reconditioning but has not been returned to the clinic. Dr. Rague seemed to welcome our help and didn't offer any resistance to our sending a dental team. His main desire was for operational equipment.
The Falalop situation reminds me of man's relationship with God. Help is there for our pain, our needs, and our little problems; and yet, too often, those who are in greatest need of the freely offered care don't come to get it. Because they don't come to ask for the Gift. So He waits. v
Dr. Wayne Ward has been serving the dental clinic in Guam since his graduation from Loma Linda in 1990. He writes of his experience in providing dental care
to those who live on the outer islands in the Yap State.
Relief Experience
Arrival
We arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 30, 1996 and were warmly welcomed at the airport by Harold Wollans, the Union Conference President and several employees from the clinic. Just before we landed, we were told photographing the airport or terminal was strictly prohibited. I don't know why. The main runway was undergoing repairs, so the plane had to make a detour to reach its destination. The day before and the day after our arrival were Muslim holidays; consequently, I didn't start work at the Adventist Dental Clinic until Thursday, May 2.
Shortly after we arrivied, the wind started blowing and kept increasing in intensity. Then the rain, lightning, and thunder started. In a short time it was all over. I didn't think much of it at the time, because this was a common evening occurrence. The next day we heard that a tornado had hit an area north of us (about a two-hour drive from here). The toll, as of May 19, 1996, was 497 people dead, 26,000 people homeless and 36,691 people injured (US Embassy report). To me, these people are homeless to begin with; and now without a cover over their heads, they are even further down the list. The homes that were destroyed were probably lean-to shelters with corrugated metal roofs. A roof on one of the college buildings was blown off at Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College (BASC).
After a few weeks of living here, we have become more comfortable and venture out on our own. We walk or ride rickshaws or baby taxis, which are everywhere. Baby taxis, three-wheeled Vespa motor scooters, and rickshaws outnumber cars 15 to 1. Streets are more congested than we are accustomed to.
Riding in a rickshaw requires constant vigilance to keep from being thrown out.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is one of the most populated countries in the world: 122 million people in an area the size of Wisconsin. Forty-five different languages are spoken here and 85% of the people are Muslim. The average life expectancy is 56 years. Bangladesh is the second poorest country in the world; the average income is US$220/year. Poverty is evident everywhere. Mothers carrying infants are begging for money, and nude children are all over, some driving cattle or goats down the street. Since we are supposed to be living in a better area of Dhaka, people do not throw garbage out of the windows. They just throw it along the streets (instead of the open bins provided at every fifth house). The birds, animals, poor women and children constantly go through the trash looking for food. Once I even saw some men chopping it out of the bins and loading it onto a flat-bed truck.
There are many tribal areas near Burma that are closed to foreigners. There are also refugee camps near the Myanmar (formerly called Burma) border for people who have fled their country. The UN pays Bangladesh a good sum for letting them live there. In the hill country north of Chittagong, some of the people have brain damage due to malaria.
Adventist Dental Clinic
The clinic consists of a main clinic and two satellite clinics. The funds generated at the main clinic support the work in the satellite clinics and free dental services in remote areas. The main clinic is in the embassy section of Dhaka and most of the patients are ambassadors, embassy personnel, and businessmen. The satellite clinics are at the mission, in the Mirpur district of Dhaka, and at BASC, in northern Bangladesh.
The main clinic is quite nice and well equipped. There are 17 employees including two dentists, two dental lab technicians, one receptionist (who is also a hygienist and performs simple extractions and fillings), two assistants (who only assist), one cook, two gatekeepers, one clinic van driver (who assists and repairs equipment), a gardener, and a janitor (Sunday gatekeeper). The hygienists, assistants, and lab technicians have been well trained by a former clinic dentist, Dave Johnson, an LLU graduate. The employees are paid once a month, receive a free noon meal, 80% of their rent, and a small medical allowance when needed. When production and collections exceed TK600,000/month with two dentists working, or TK400,000/month with one dentist working, the employees get a bonus of 10% of the excess (TK41 = US$1). As you can imagine, with salaries ranging from TK1600 to TK4500/month, they look forward to the bonuses with great anticipation. This past June was their best month ever, with over TK1,000,000 of production. We also have a picnic fund and some of the bonus goes into that. (Definition of a picnic: a 3-4 day event in guest houses in the Sunderban area, plus food and sightseeing.)
Dr Johllman and two of his new colleagues enjoy a moment
Dentistry in Remote Villages
After Dr. Healy returned in October, we had more time to work at the other clinics and outside the Dhaka area. In October we visited BASC for the second time, and provided dental services and repaired clinic equipment. In addition, we have been able to spend some time at the Mirpur Mission Clinic in Dhaka, which serves the poor.
Our Experience
It is impossible to describe this place with words or pictures. You become used to the way things are and they don't seem strange anymore. The people are beautiful and industrious. The clinic staff has treated us well. They are very protective of us and say we are guests of their country. They want us to be happy and contented here.
It will be hard to leave all the dear friends we have made, but it will be wonderful to see our family and old friends again.
Dr Alan and Arabelle Johlman
construc.gif
EDITOR'S NOTE: Perhaps you would like to serve as a relief dentist in some part of the world and experience the joy of service in another country. If so, contact Dr. James Crawford, DDS, International Dental Affairs, Prince Hall Room 5508, Loma Linda, CA 92350. JC
v
Born to Serve: A Profile
The Dream
When Gerardo Toledo was eight years old, his mother gave him a book about humanitarian Albert Schweitzer. Inspired by tales of the missionary's life-long work in remote African villages, the young Argentine dreamed of becoming a physician and following in Schweitzer's footsteps.
Twenty years later, Gerardo Toledo, DDS, is living that dream in Bangladesh. Instead of becoming a physician, Dr. Toledo became a dentist. Instead of healing the sick on the African continent, he is seeing patients in Asia. But he is so enthusiastic about his work in Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka, that he is staying for two years beyond his initial two-year assignment.
"I liked the idea of becoming a missionary and talked about it constantly when I was young," Dr. Toledo says. "My parents thought that someday I would forget my childhood dream. But when the day came, I did not forget."
Living the Dream
In 1993, Dr. Toledo graduated from the National University of Cordoba in Cordoba, Argentina. That same year he received a call from the General Conference to go to Bangladesh to help run a dental clinic in Dhaka.
After about three years in Dhaka, Dr. Toledo took some continuing education courses at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, completing a six-month training course through the International Dentist Program. He enrolled in the advanced restorative dentistry program which provides training for missionary dentists who are already serving in a church-owned clinic.
With this further training, he hopes to train some of the local health professionals in basic dental techniques. In Bangladesh there are four dentists for every one million people. With 70 percent of the population living in poverty, dental care is considered a luxury for the rich. Many never see a dentist in their lifetime.
The Dream Continues
Eager to provide dental care to those who rarely see a dentist, Dr. Toledo is enthusiastic about the dental clinics in the countryside. Once a month he travels to the remote towns an and villages outside Dhaka with a car and equipment financed by the clinic.
Local school teachers bring the children to the village center where the makeshift clinic is set up. The children are quiet and attentive. Many of them undergo painful dental procedures without a whimper.
Dr Geraldo Toledo examines a young patient in the Dhaka dental clinic
In the beginning Dr. Toledo had difficulty communicating with the Bangladeshi people. It took him about four months to learn enough English to converse with the dental assistants. For the most part they translate for him into Bengali, the local language. He is learning Bengali, also.
He does not intend to return to practice in Argentina anytime soon. For now he serves in Bangladesh. Later, he could go to another part of the globe, continuing the fulfillment of his dream. v
Remodeling Dental Missions
Remodeling Dental Missions
by George P. Hartshorn, DDS
T he old adage goes, "the more things change, the more things stay the same." But, when I reflect over my own 15 years of dental practice, I find very little that I do today the same way as when I graduated from dental school. At that time, just coming on the horizon were such things as glass ionomers, light cured composites, and effective dental implants. And, who would have ever thought it possible to have such a thing as "bonded amalgam"?
When was the last time you did a silicate?
Even the most basic principle thought in operative dentistry that of having good accesshas been expanded. As a typical struggling dental student who twisted and contorted into back-aching positions in order to get a good view of what was going on, I hadn't a clue what a simple thing such as having a light on the end of my handpiece could do for me. And, what about using "loops"? You remember loops, those hideous looking head gadgets that only the aged dentists used to wear, but now it's OK for "us young guys" to wear them. At least ours today are more trendy-looking for the fashion-conscious operator.
Who would have thought 15 years ago that we would be taking videos looking forward from our patient's tonsils?
Indeed dentistry is a dynamic profession. I'm sure that you, like myself, have been asked how it is that we can stand to be in a profession that does "the same thing day in and day out." Even though I have never considered myself to be in a professional rut, I find it difficult to explain to these inquisitive types the joys felt in being able to restore upper molar distal caries 26 different ways.
Have our patients and their needs also changed?
The way we go about our work changes constantly. Sometimes we make the change and sometimes the change is made for us and we must live with it. Change is not a monopoly of North America. The world is changing. Evidence the so-called "global economy." Does this have an impact on dental practice worldwide? You better believe it does.
Is all this change significant to our mode of operating the Seventh-day Adventist dental clinics around the world?
Perhaps the hardest change of all is that of changing a tradition. We have several management "traditions" within our organization's healthcare institutions that linger like a ticking time bomb. Can we assume that operating in a mode of "because we've always done it that way" is the best way to assure success and accomplish our mission in the future?
Do we feel as comfortable with our first adage when the phrases are reversed
to read, "the more things stay the same, the more things change"? I suppose that as long as you can point to success while maintaining the status quo, you could justify an inflexible management system. But what happens where there is failure; when healthcare institutions are failing or have failed? Should we then trudge ahead insensitive to our environment?
I believe very strongly that the work of our dental missions can be highly effective in communicating the love of Christ to the world. As we are called to be good stewards of our assets, I also believe that we should do everything possible to manage our healthcare institutions as creatively, as efficiently, and as productively as is reasonably possible.
What components of our management traditions are effective and should be held on to as we look to the future? Will some of these traditions need to completely fall by the wayside? Let's be honest. It is my hope that flexible, innovative concepts of management, along with objective evaluation, lead us to make operational decisions that will not only allow us to simply keep our doors open, but to be a tremendous Christian witness to our communities.
EDITOR'S NOTE: How can we set up an effective management evaluation system that would be helpful to our clinics and the mission to which we are called? Your comments and concepts will be appreciated. JC
SDA Dental Clinics Overseas
Dentists and Dental Hygienists
October 1997
AFRICA-INDIAN OCEAN DIVISION
Antananarivo SDA Dental Clinic, Madagascar
Barbaza, Joel
Kigali SDA Dental Clinc, Rwanda
Kulasekere, Ranjan (deceased Nov. 4, 1997; see page 12)
Kinshasa SDA Dental Clinic
Rosu, Emilia
Yaounde SDA Dental Clinic, Cameroon
Awoukeng, Jean Jacques
Burtch, Perry D.
Nielsen, David D.
EASTERN AFRICAN DIVISION
Adventist Dental Practice, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Forde, Ronald E.
Wonenberg, George
Adventist Health Centre Lilongwe, Malawi
Aba, Cornelio
Houmann, Per
Arusha Medical and Dental Clinic
Asmeron, Tekle H.
Asmara SDA Dental Clinic, Eritrea
(under development)
Blantyre Adventist Hospital
Quittmeyer, George
Ottoni, Mariana
Djibouti Adventist Health Centre
Agra, Jesse
LaFever, Jill, RDH
Ishaka Hospital Dental Clinic
Wattogwang, Silvestra
Lower Gweru SDA Dental Clinic
Tabaranza, Willy
Lusaka Adventist Dental Clinic
(newly developed)
Nairobi SDA Dental Clinic
Akama, Matthew
MacKenzie, Carl
MacKenzie, Debra
SDA Orthodontic Services, Zimbabwe
Lamberton, Lyn M.
Wilkinson, David
EURO-ASIAN DIVISION
Adventist Health Center Dental Clinic, Moscow
Carter, Wesley
Pravdina, Tatiana (contract)
Turon, Tobias
INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION
Andrews Memorial Hospital Dental Clinic, Jamaica
Newell-Smith, Jonia J.
Antigua SDA Dental Clinic
Abraham, George
Bella Vista Policlinic Dental Dept., Puerto Rico Hutchins, Erwin Guy
Caracas Adventist Dispensary, Venezuela
Carriacou SDA Dental Clinic, Grenada
Community Hosp SDA Dental Clinic, Trinidad
Arnett, Donald
Grenada SDA Dental Clinic
DuBois, Julie D.
Guerra, Karla G.
Medica y Dental Escandon, Mexico
Montemorelos Univ. Hospital--Lloyd Baum Dental Center
Bautista, Dulia
Carreon, Ricardo
Griffin, Edward E.
St. Kitts SDA Dental Clinic
Delding, Raymond
Sandquist, Donald
St. Vincent SDA Dental Clinic
(Closed to repair fire damage)
Venezuela Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
NORTHERN ASIA-PACIFIC DIVISION
Adventist Medical Center Japan
(Okinawa Medical Center)
Creed, Warren L.
Ishiki, Takashi
Kawamitsu, Minako
Miyamoto, Ki Yoto
Toma, Takashi
Oshiro, Hidetaka (also private practice)
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Erlandson, Virgil
Zee, Rockford
Pusan Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Lee, Myung Soon
Seoul Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Montgomery, Monte
Baek, Hye Jung (Ortho)
Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Dental Clinic, Hangzhou
Chen, Annie (contract)
Taiwan Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Chen, Ho Chin Peter
Ho, Edward K.
Kuo, Mehng-Shuhn Albert
Lee, Wendy Wen-Ching
Lin, Hsi-Ying
Lu, B.Y. (Perio)
Wang, Edward S.
Tokyo Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Nemoto, Yoshikazu
Oikawa, Ritsu
Soga, Hideyuki
Suya, Hajime
Suzuki, Noriko
Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Huang, Montree Chen-Shen
Siu, Troy Wing Kay
SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION
Belem Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Belgrano Adventist Clinic (Buenos Aires)
Leichner, Rene
Chillan Adventist Clinic Dental Dept. (Chile)
La Paz Adventist Clinic Dental Dept, (Bolivia)
Loma Linda Adventist Sanit. Dental Clinic (Argentina) Schimpf, Nestor
Los Angeles Adventist Clinic Dental Dept. (Chile)
Manaus Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Brazil)
Miraflores Adventist Clinic Dental Dept (Peru)
Northeast Argentine Sanitarium Dental Clinic
Ponce, Ruben
Penfigo Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Brazil)
River Plate San & Hosp Dental Clinic (Argentina) de Chaskelis, Hada
Vida Integral Adventist Medical Center Dental Clinic (Chile)
SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION
Atoifi Adventist Hosp Dental Clinic (Solomon Islands)
Sarue, Oniti
SOUTHERN ASIA DIVISION
Giffard Mem Hosp Dental Clinic
Andhra Pradesh
Amirtraj, Prem
Ottapalam SDA Hosp Dental Clinic (Kerala)
Devaraj, Alwyn
Scheer Memorial Hospital Dental Clinic, Nepal
Koirale, Darshanath (assistant dentist)
Surat Hospital Trust Association of SDAs Dental Clinic Nair, Sherin
SOUTHERN ASIA-PACIFIC DIVISION
Adventist Dental Clinic (Bangladesh)
Mirpur Dental Clinic
BASC College Dental Clinic
KMMS Dental Clinic
Gobalgasch Hosp Dental Clinic
Toledo, Gerardo
Bacolod San & Hosp Dental Clinic (Philippines)
Baldonado, Remigio
Tubillara, Lydia T.
Bandar Lampung Adventist Hospital (Indonesia)
Ginting, Bujurngena
Bandung Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Indonesia)
Situmeang, Silvy
Sugiyo, Paul
Gunawan, Sandy (Ortho)
Bangkok Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Chavalit, Yu Yuen
Theerakarn, Yuenyong (Head)
Prasertsuntarasai, Pratoom
Ruangmana, Warunee
Saengtawesin, Wipaporn
Sirisereewan, Vichai
Verrawan, Sasipa
Chiang Mai Dental Clinic
Lamberton, M. Clark
Guam SDA Clinic, Dental Department
Bauer, Jolene, RDH
Brecht, Jolene, RDH
Davis, Pauline, RDH
Im, Helen Song
Ramley, Stanley E.
Von Bergen, Scott
Ward, Wayne
Wolfe, Liana
Youngberg, Betsy, RDH
Medan Dental Clinic (Utara, Indonesia)
Manila San and Hosp Dental Clinic
Acosta, Miriam P.
Araba, Daniel L.
Magdamo, Saludacion D. (Director)
Magnaye, Ronald Q.
Medan Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Sumatra, Indonesia)
Liwidjaja-Lim
Glinawaty, K.
Lim, Sherly
H W Miller San & Hospital Dental Clinic (Philippines)
Mindanao San & Hospital Dental Clinic (Philippines)
Mountain View College Medical Clinic Dental Dept. (Philippines)
Palau (or Belau) SDA Clinic Dental Department
Yuji, Mesubed E. (Director)
Stacey, Robert L.
Palawan Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Philippines)
Penang Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Malaysia)
Chee, Vincent
Lee Hong Lim, Steven
Khoo, Heng Hoon
Teh Leok Hui
Phuket Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic (Thailand)
Twijnstra, Nantje
Chinkarnchanaroj, Prasith
Saipan Adventist Dental Clinic
Gatewood, Robert (Perio)
Hartshorn, George
Ludders, Richard W. (Director)
Rankin, Ricardo
Saget, Earl (Ortho)
Terlaje, Rainer (Pedo)
Van der Pyl, John (Ortho)
TRANS-EUROPEAN DIVISION
Afghan Refugee Dental Service (Peshawar)
Gill, Victor E.
Karachi Adventist Hospital Dental Clinic
Bashir, Raphiel
SOUTHERN AFRICA UNION
Somerset West Dental Services, Cape, South Africa
Schoonraad, Marrick E.
Belonging to AIMS is one way of saying,
"We are brothers and sisters
in the SDA healthcare family."
BECOME A DUES-PAYING
MEMBER OF AIMS*
Annual Dues: $100
Life Membership: $1,000
1996 Dues-paid Members: 317
1996 Life Members: 108
1996 Student Members: 5*
The AIMS Journal
is read in 68 countries
OPENINGS FOR PHYSICIANS/DENTISTS
From the Secretariat of the General Conference of SDA
For more information, please call:
Elaine A. Robinson
(301) 680-6666
Anesthesiologist Antillean Adventist Hospital, Curacao
Clinical Pathologist Antillean Adventist Hospital, Curacao
Dentist Adventist Dental Clinic, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Community Hospital, Trinidad
Tanzania Union
Dermatologist Adventist Medical Center, Okinawa
(Japanese Registration Required)
Orthopaedic Surgeon Scheer Memorial Hospital, Nepal
Masanga Leprosy Hospital, Sierra Leone,West Africa
SDA Cooper Hospital, Liberia
Penang Adventist Hospital
Pediatrician Guam SDA Clinic
Scheer Memorial Hospital, Nepal
Physician/GP Botswana Adventist Medical Services,
South Botwana Field
Heri Hospital, Tanzania Union
Koza Adventist Hospital, Cameroon
SDA Health Services, Nairobi
Physician/Fam. Practice Guam SDA Clinic
Physician/Int. Medicine SDA Hospital Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Physician/Med. Director Mugonero Hospital, Rwanda
Physician/Ophthalmologist Penang Adventist Hospital
Physician/Surgeon Bere Health Centre, Chad
We encourage you to join AIMS
Click on this link to the application form.
Summer 1997
Editorial:
The focus of the Summer 1997 edition of the AIMS Journal is on the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
The editorial board had no difficulty in assigning ADRA as one of our theme issues because of its worldwide impact on the medical program of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Your attention is specifically drawn to the lead article by David Syme, vice president for communication and corporate development for ADRA International. This article gives an overview of ADRA and how it operates. David Syme has been a Division ADRA director in Africa and has a wealth of experience in direct involvement with this organization.
You will be particularly interested in the article entitled "Changing the World, One Life at a Time" written by Rick Kajiura, the newly appointed ADRA director for communication and public affairs.
The history of ADRA is given in capsule form on pages 14 and 15.
You'll be particularly interested in page 15, where the very unusual news is given concerning ADRA involvement with the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea, one of the most closed societies in the world today.
Your attention is directed to the center spread, where ADRA has a network map of all the places in the world where its work is going on.
In addition to this special emphasis you will find other articles of interest, including interesting developments for our Berlin Adventist Hospital in Germany.
Special attention is being given in this issue to the 1997 meeting of AIMS International, which was held in connection with the Annual Postgraduate Convention of the School of Medicine at Loma Linda University. You will be interested in updates on various aspects of the work of AIMS and its members.
It is always our objective that every edition of the AIMS Journal will be educational, informational, and inspirational.
ADRA History:
Although the Adventist Development and Relief Agency was officially established in 1983, its roots go back to 1918 when the Seventh-day Adventist church recommended that special offerings be received to assist overseas workers affected by the war. Among the first countries to receive aid were Belgium, France, Germany, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, and China.
During World War II, the Seventh-day Adventist church established warehouses in New York and San Francisco to process material for overseas shipment. Over a ten-year period, the church shipped nearly 2.8 million pounds of clothing to 41 countries and island groups.
ADRA's predecessor, the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Service, Inc. was established in 1956 to aid in disaster and famine relief. Often referred to as SAWS, the name was later changed to Seventh-day Adventist World Service.
But church leaders began to recognize the need for development, for ongoing projects to help people recover after the initial disaster was over. They also saw the need for ongoing projects to help improve the lives of people through medical and health services, clean water programs, and vocational and literacy training.
In the 1980s, the role of SAWS began to change from strictly disaster and famine relief to development, and in 1983 SAWS was reorganized under the name Adventist Development and Relief Agency.
Today, ADRA is working in more than 143 countries helping improve the quality of people's lives through health projects, food and water programs, education and training, and medical programs.
Syme:
ADRA, an agency established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is mandated to develop and promote a ministry of compassionate disinterested love and meaningful humanitarian service to those who are poor, oppressed, and marginalized in human society. Building upon the early work accomplished by the Seventh-day Adventist World Service (SAWS) organization, first established in 1956, ADRA has grown to an international network of agencies that span the globe with active presence in 143 countries and a combined operational budget in excess of $152 million.1 It is one of the largest non-governmental organizations of its kind in the world.
As a humanitarian agency, ADRA is conscious of it mission as part of the holistic mission of the church, and yet jealously guards the divine principle of "giving expecting nothing in return."2 The ministry of compassionate love and care for creatures of God's creation is understood to be a sanctified ministry in its own right, and finds its basis in the teaching of the scriptures and manifested in the life and example of Jesus. It is not to be delivered as a means to an end or with spiritual strings attached. Indeed, it has been this stance which has enabled ADRA to establish an Adventist Christian physical presence in many places where other facets of church ministry could not enter. In some places the establishment of the church organization and other programs was not possible until trust and mutual respect was established between communities, government, and the church through ADRA.
Standing firm on this essential principle has created challenges for ADRA. For some who have tended towards a belief that mission can only be interpreted in terms of preaching spiritual salvation and acquisition to church membership, ADRA's program has been viewed as far too social and distanced from real spiritual priorities.
Additionally, governments who support ADRA's programs for the poor by awarding grants monitor ADRA's performance very closely in maintaining this separation. ADRA workers are constantly having to affirm their calling and the holistic nature of their work while ensuring that they hold fast to this principle of disinterested love. The notion of the division between the secular and sacred, which is also part of this dilemma, is actually a phenomenon which mainly exists in only Western culture. In the two-thirds world where much of ADRA's time is spent, no such separateness is found.
A Moslem sheik in Somalia can say, after ADRA installed a water well in the community, "Allah has sent you followers of Issa (Jesus) to give us life. We pray for you." Or communities in northern Ghana, Moslem and Christians alike will say when asked about why they are planting trees in a reforestation program, "We are returning the trees to God." God is perceived as permeating every activity of life. When a child is vaccinated or a disease healed, when a mother learns to read and a farmer harvests a bountiful crop, it is seen as a spiritual act and blessing on the part of God. He has come to those blessed through the instrumentality of another human brother or sister.
Closely akin to the challenge already outlined is another fundamental principle upon which ADRA builds its ministry, namely that all people are created equal. Through its outreach, ADRA does not discriminate between people. Their ethnicity, political or religious persuasions are of no consequence. The only criteria for assistance is to be legitimately in need. In the early days of ADRA's development, some church members felt that ADRA should exist, first and foremost, to serve poor church members. At the risk of being sadly misunderstood, ADRA staff have resolutely yet with great empathy for their own brethren, had to distribute assistance to all in need without regard or bias to their own family of faith.
While this has caused pain and misunderstanding over the years, it has brought great strength to the credibility and effectiveness of the church's mission and has opened doors which most likely would never have been opened by any other means. Regular church workers, whose mission is more focused on the so called "spiritual" or evangelistic aspects of church life, now freely admit that their work is far more effective and satisfying when ADRA has been engaged in some way or other in the community first.
Enshrined within ADRA's name are two important components of ministry, both of which find their basis in the clear teaching and ministry of Jesus: relief and development. The mission of relief finds its mandate in the story of the Good Samaritan3 and other passages. Relief is emergency assistance that is given at times to populations who have been affected by either natural and man-made disasters. The emphasis is upon the most immediate needs of shelter, warmth, food, water, and medicine.
ADRA and the Adventist Community Services organization (ACS), with whom ADRA works closely, have a long history in providing prompt assistance to victims of such disasters. Arising out of that experience has been the realization that frequently those who are the most vulnerable in times of disaster are those who are often the most poor. In essence, then, poverty is the greatest disaster of all.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God is portrayed as the champion of the poor and the oppressed, and His followers are called upon to "do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with your God"4 as well as "to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke."5 The mission of development strives, to "help people to help themselves." It empowers individuals and communities to break out of the yoke of poverty and to take responsibility for their own learning, growth, and sustenance. Enabling communities to access and utilize essential health and educational services is also part of the process called development.
While immediate relief response is an important activity for ADRA, engagement in developmental activities is considered a much more vital component of its mission and ministry. For, it is during the lengthy process of engagement in communities and through the process of development itself that new friendships are made and relationships firmly established. It is through these relationships that a practical image of God and demonstration of His Kingdom values are demonstrated.
ADRA's challenge in meeting these long-term developmental needs is very real. Many people in the one-third affluent world will impulsively respond and support the needs of a poverty stricken child dying from hunger. However, to encourage and support initiatives that would create an environment where that child would no longer be at risk but could hope to attain a self-sustaining maturity and dignity in this present life, is seen by some as a futile attempt to overthrow the results of evil in our world. "Put a bandaid on and Jesus will fix it when He comes" appears to be the prevailing unspoken sentiment.
ADRA must and does play a part in helping church members understand the importance and nature of this ministry of hope and compassion. The greatest needs in ADRA's ministry are for people who look at people as God sees them. Not simply multitudes of animate objects upon whom we graciously bestow our pity and handouts. But rather, brothers and sisters made in the image of God, who given the opportunity and appropriate environment have both the right and expectation to realize their full divine potential here and now as well as for eternity. ADRA's ministry across the globe is helping make that a possibility as by the grace and power of God's Spirit its staff is changing the world-one life at a time. From Chile to the Comores; from Myanmar to Mexico; from Honiara to Haiti; and from Uzbekistan to the USA the mission and ministry that ADRA represents is crossing borders, opening doors, preparing ground, and demonstrating that God is Love.
1. ADRA Annual Report 1995
2. Luke 6:35
3. Luke 10:30-37
4. Micah 6:8
5. Isaiah 58:6
Kajiura:
I knew I wouldn't change the world, but I'd like to think it helped," said Rebekah Eustace, a registered nurse, from Dallas, Texas. Rebekah and her mother, Margaret, volunteered with ADRA and spent 10 days on the Amazon River providing medical care to villagers living along its banks.
Their home was the Luzeiro XXI, a 51-foot double decker boat with a sparsely equipped medical room for examinations and treatment. During the trip, the two examined more than 160 people in 12 villages and one city in northwestern Brazil, treating everything from malaria and worms to lacerations and skin rashes.
When members of the Ukiah, California, Seventh-day Adventist church were helping build a school in Nepal, Ukiah ophthalmologist Geoffrey Rice and dentists Tom Jutzy and Jonathon M. De Booy spent part of their time there treating patients. Before leaving Ukiah, Geoffrey collected old eyeglasses from his office and the Ukiah Valley Medical Center. Eighty to 100 people, most of whom had never owned a pair of eyeglasses, received glasses. During a two-day dental clinic, Tom spent an entire day extracting teeth.
Each year about 400 volunteers travel to remote areas of the globe to help with ADRA projects. These volunteers come from countries such as Canada, Argentina, Japan, and the United States. ADRA works in more than 140 countries of the world with disaster relief and ongoing projects to help people live healthier and happier lives through health education, agricultural training, water projects, and feeding programs. One of the largest nongovernmental agencies of its kind, ADRA provides assistance with the help of donors and with funds made available from various governments.
Not once, but three times, Ken and Hazel Hill, from Nova Scotia, Canada, have volunteered their time at the Nyaburi Clinic in Kendu Bay, Kenya. The clinic, established in 1992, treats victims of polio who have been crippled for life. Ken, a physiotherapy educator, says, "It is very satisfying for us to see those who had been crippled grotesquely, begin to redevelop their limbs and become self-reliant once again." Ken's goal was to train Kenyan assistant therapists to take care of ongoing programs. Hazel kept herself busy teaching the victims and their families how to increase their income by sewing, knitting, and crafts. "Such simple things can often make the difference between starvation and a comfortable income," she said.
ADRA's development work includes teaching people how to support themselves and their families. In Armenia and Azerbaijan, ADRA is providing greenhouses to help families supplement their food supply and income. In countries where the growing season is short, ADRA's greenhouse program allows these families to raise vegetables, even in winter, and to plant densely packed seedlings that can be transplanted outside in a much larger field once the weather improves. Between 1994 and 1996, ADRA Azerbaijan distributed 2,500 greenhouses to 20,000 people, extending their growing season from four months to 10 months.
As in Bible times, cattle represent wealth and a livelihood for people in many parts of the world. With funding from ADRA Sweden, ADRA Vietnam has operated a very successful "cow bank." Each family borrows one or two cows, with the understanding that they will return a calf to ADRA's cow bank when it is produced. Since October 1992, the program has helped more than 1,000 families improve their lives by giving them opportunity to help themselves.
Women are also being provided the means to support themselves and their families. Over the last five years, ADRA Bangladesh has operated a Women in Development Savings and Small Credit Program in the rural, poverty areas of Bangladesh. The program has provided more than 1,000 women and their families with the skills necessary to own and manage their own income-generating businesses.
In late 1996, an estimated half a million refugees returned to Rwanda from neighboring countries where they had sought refuge from the outbreak of violence in 1994.
According to David Peters, Rwanda ADRA director, the majority of refugees were on foot or bicycle because the sheer numbers made it virtually impossible for other vehicles to operate safely or effectively. Dusty and tired, they carried their possessions on their backs; the more fortunate ones had carts.
The mass migration put a strain on the food supply for the country whose agriculture was all but destroyed.
Working in cooperation with the World Food Program, ADRA is distributing food in three villages (called communes) in Rwanda, populated by an estimated 50,000 people. Families receive peas, maize, salt, beans, and oil-a mixture of food items to meet the basic nutritional needs. Because of the vast amount of work that needs to be done to rebuild roads and buildings, much of the food will be distributed as part of food-for-work programs.
While food is being provided, the greatest need in Rwanda is for shelter housing, Peters says. The flood of refugees is returning to find they have nowhere to live. During the two years, homes that weren't damaged or destroyed during the violence gave way to neglect and the forces of nature. Plastic sheets provide temporary shelter for many families, but stronger structures are needed. And the sheer numbers make for a logistical nightmare.
While Rwanda's challenges are great, the small Central African nation is only one part of the world in need. In 1995, ADRA distributed the equivalent of $95 million in food to people in developing countries.
Over the years, ADRA has helped countless numbers of people, distributed food by the tons, and responded to disaster after disaster. But behind the numbers, ADRA's mission is summed up by one simple statement: "Changing the world, one life at a time."
Korea:
To date, ADRA has provided an estimated $1.5 million in medicines and supplies, 150 tons of rice, 30 tons of powdered milk, 12 tons of baby food, and 14,300 cartons of instant noodles to aid those affected by flooding in he Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). More than 5 million people were affected by the 1995 flooding, which destroyed rice and maize crops.
Because of ADRA's humanitarian work in the country, a Loma Linda University heart surgery team was invited to visit North Korea to share with medical personnel the latest medical procedures. The highly successful two-week trip, led by Dr. Joan Coggin, a cardiologist and assistant to the president for international programs at Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC), began November 12 with the team's arrival in Pyongyang. The team worked at the Kim Man You Hospital, performing open heart surgery on 12 patients and vascular surgery on four patients. Twenty diagnostic cardiac procedures were also done, including two coronary stent interventions, the first such procedure in the country. A heart-lung machine and other supplies and equipment worth more than US$250,000 were left with the Korean Cardiac Society.
According to Coggin, the team has been repeatedly urged to return next year. "Our Korean colleagues urged us to come when the weather is much nicer. We are considering a return visit next year," she said.
The Loma Linda heart team has performed as the "ambassadors of open heart surgery" in more than a dozen countries of the world, including Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and the Kingdom of Nepal.
1997 Annual Meeting:
The Annual AIMS Mission Symposium was held on Sabbath afternoon, March 1, 1997, in the Loma Linda University campus cafeteria. Approximately 225 people attended this ninth annual symposium (according to Alumni Association records, the annual AIMS meeting and the annual Mission Symposium were combined at APC '89). These annual meetings have become a special time of fellowship to renew old friendships, exchange mission stories, and receive updates on friends who are still serving in the world mission field. It is interesting to observe friends who gather at the traditional Sabbath luncheon, held in the campus cafeteria. After lunch, they stay for the AIMS Mission Symposium and continue their fellowship long after the AIMS meeting has adjourned.
At 1:45 p.m. the meeting was called to order and I welcomed the attendees on behalf of the AIMS board of directors. The following represents a summary of the symposium:
· Elder Don Roth, General Conference Representative on the LLU campus (AIMS Journal editor), the moderator of the meeting, introduced the out-of-town guests and introduced the program participants. Elder Lowell Cooper opened the meeting with prayer.
· Dr. Larry Thomas, president of AIMS, gave a brief report on a few of the AIMS activities that took place during 1996. Highlights included the March 1996 trip to Russia, where he and Dennis Park met with the Russian Adventist Medical Association (RAMA) board of directors in Moscow, primarily to assist the RAMA board with administrative structure and to discuss plans for another RAMA conference similar to the one held in 1993.
Dr. Thomas also reported on the newly formatted AIMS Journal, which has been well received. He noted that the next issue of the Journal will feature the work of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), which was also the featured organization at this year's mission symposium.
During March 1996, Dr. Thomas reported that he, Dr. Harvey Heidinger, and Dr. Emanuel Rudatsikira, traveled to Southern Sudan at the request of ADRA, to evaluate a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is being run by ADRA. Dr. Thomas' report included a very interesting slide presentation on the trip to Southern Sudan.
· Elder Ralph Blodgett, assistant director for Adventists On-line, General Conference of SDA and system operator of the SDA Forum, gave an interesting report and answered questions on the Adventist Forums A and B, which can be accessed via CompuServe. Elder Blodgett reported that AIMS is now featured on Forum B. Dr. Rodney Willard, in answer to a question, briefly explained what information AIMS has on Forum B. Dr. Willard requested input and suggestions. He also noted that it is the intent to include most, if not all, of the AIMS Journal features in the forum library.
· Mr. Rick Kajiura, communication and public affairs director for ADRA, gave a positive report on the activities of ADRA and its international work. Much of Rick's report is included in this issue.
· Dr. Joan Coggin, special assistant to the LLU president for international affairs, presented an excellent and entertaining talk on the LLU Overseas Heart Team's recent trip to North Korea. The 17-member team spent approximately two weeks in North Korea, where they performed 14 open-heart surgeries, four vascular surgeries, and 20 cardiovascular procedures at the Kim Man You Hospital in Pyongyang. Dr. Coggin stated that "the invitation to visit North Korea came from the Korean Cardiac Society as a result of a three-member delegation from ADRA, who visited North Korea last May. While there, the ADRA representatives delivered medicines (mostly antibiotics and vitamins) valued at $500,000 to clinics in flood-ravaged areas of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
· An update on the work at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital was given by Dr. G. Gordon Hadley, who continues to serve as the hospital's administrator. The hospital is being operated by Loma Linda University Medical Center under a five-year contract, of which approximately two years of the contract remain.
· General Conference Associate Secretaries Elder Maurice Battle and Elder Lowell Cooper gave a brief report on medical work in the world field. In addition, both speakers told of continuing needs on the continent of Africa.
· To conclude the meeting, Dr. Larry Thomas introduced Dr. G. Gordon Hadley as the new AIMS president. In his remarks, Dr. Thomas stated, "Dr. Hadley has served his church for many years in various parts of the world. He has a global perspective of our work, and has served as president-elect of AIMS while tending to his administrative responsibilities in China. Dr. Hadley is widely respected and loved in many areas of the world field and he will do much to continue the goals and objectives of AIMS."
In his brief remarks in accepting the presidency, Dr. Hadley stated, "I told Dr. Thomas and Dennis Park-and promised Alphie-that I will serve my term as the AIMS president so long as I have the assurance from them that I could lean on them and the board of directors to do the work of AIMS stateside while I continue my service in China. Faxes and e-mail are wonderful inventions, and I'll be able to keep in touch using these forms of communication."
· The meeting was concluded with prayer by Dr. Emanuel Rudatsikira, assistant professor of international health, School of Public Health LLU.
copyright© 1997-2004 Adventist International Medical Society
Don Roth, Editor
_James Crawford,DDS 
Donald L. Peters, DDS 
Eldon E. Carmen, DDS, MS
Doyle Nick, DDS 
_ George P. Hartshorn, DDS 
_ Wayne Ward, DDS 
_ George P. Hartshorn, DDS 
