This letter is written from the heart of Dinah, one of our full time workers who is in charge of the Medical Mission Clinic (MMC). Her stories are many, here are just a few…
It’s been an exciting time as we start the year full of hope and expectation from the Lord. We as a family at Hope For The Island walk in grace to be the hand and feet of Jesus; to reach out and serve ordinary/hurting people out of our devotion to God.
God has been opening more opportunities to minister all throughout Siargao Island. It has been a privilege and humbling experience for all of us to love, serve and care for people through God’s leading and empowerment.
One lady came to visit me the other day. She was sweating and coughing a lot. Blood came out of her nose and mouth when she coughed. I didn’t know what to do but pray. I asked for wisdom in what to do. We didn’t have available the medicine that she needed so we accompanied her to her house speaking words of encouragement. Hope For The Island helped her get medical attention and I am happy to report she is doing better. It was amazing how God intervened and brought hope to a heart gripped with fear. With no money and because she was bleeding she feared the worse. I am thankful to God for opening the door for me to witness to a woman in need of His touch. At Hope For The Island we are so blessed to be able to demonstrate Christ’s love and lead people into a relationship with Him!
This month I visited the main Rural Health Unit (RHU). These are set up all over Siargao Island. Many residents can not afford to go to a hospital, so a RHU is set up with medical staff to give a basic level of care. I was able to bring each RHU a small box of medicine and other supplies. It was sad to see the need in each municipality going unmet in so many ways. I was blessed to see the medical staff and personnel serve the people despite their limited resources. It was important for me to see this need. My heart is now burdened more than ever to partner with them for Medical Missions / outreaches. We are fortunate to have the freedom to express our God given desire for change and willingness to pray and counsel people during each Medical Mission. Many of the people we minister to are slowly dying from sicknesses and diseases that could be prevented. The people are overjoyed that we come to help them in their desperate circumstances.
Recently I did home visitations in a remote village on our island that we had visited four months earlier during a Medical Outreach. We travelled very rough roads to get there. God led us to a paralyzed women; she was so sweet and very soft spoken. We were touched deeply as she tearfully shared her life situation. I am now reminded to pray for her daily. When I approached her home she hugged me tightly with tears running down her face. She expressed thanksgiving to God for His blessings and for my visit in coming from a far place. In spite of her circumstances, she testified that God is good to her and that she is able to go to church by herself. Her diet had only consisted of root crops for many weeks, but she was still grateful to God. My heart spilled over with emotion and we cried together. She soaked in encouragement from God’s Word like a dry sponge. While sharing about her concern for her son, he made his way up to the hut struggling as he walked. He was arriving from the mountain as he did every day where he looked for food. He fills water containers to sell to people in the village. The work is so heavy but the pay so little. I was disturbed when I saw the bottom of his feet. The flesh was mangled and severely infected. Every step he took was extremely painful. Again tears came to my eyes. I tried to imagine going to a high mountain just to find food to survive and carrying heavy water ( gallons) for selling. I used my medical supplies and cleaned and bandaged his feet. He was so relieved as he stood. The piercing pain had stopped. He and his mother expressed their gratitude and sense of blessing. She couldn’t stop saying thank you. I pointed their attention and thanks to God who deserves all glory and thanksgiving. Before leaving I was able to give them a small supply of food to add to their limited diet. Keep them and other families who encounter similar situations in prayer.
As I started thinking about going home on the very rough roads that were now flooding from heavy rains, the Barangay Captain (similar to our City Councilor) brought me a man who needed immediate medical help. His gums were leaking puss and blood with a very foul smell. He couldn’t afford to travel to see a doctor. I am so thankful that I was able to pray for him and tell him that God cared for him. How fortunate I was to be there! We were able to facilitate the funds, as part of our Mercy Ministry, to get him to a doctor. I look forward to following up next week to see the results. I believe he will be open to the eternal life God has to offer him!
As I considered my trip back through dangerous flooded roads I knew it was nothing compared to eating root crops for weeks or dealing with disease. I was thankful and praised God for my health and even protection as I travelled.
God is moving in Siargao Island. The Medical Mission Clinic is an open door into the community. Jesus cared for the physical and spiritual needs of those He met. I am so grateful to God that I can be used to care for these people as Jesus leads. Thank you for all your prayers and support as Hope For The Island continues to reach out to the needy and oppressed people of Siargao Island. Your partnership makes what we do possible. Glory to God!
More ministry news to come in a few weeks…..
It’s been an exciting time as we start the year full of hope and expectation from the Lord. We as a family at Hope For The Island walk in grace to be the hand and feet of Jesus; to reach out and serve ordinary/hurting people out of our devotion to God.
God has been opening more opportunities to minister all throughout Siargao Island. It has been a privilege and humbling experience for all of us to love, serve and care for people through God’s leading and empowerment.
One lady came to visit me the other day. She was sweating and coughing a lot. Blood came out of her nose and mouth when she coughed. I didn’t know what to do but pray. I asked for wisdom in what to do. We didn’t have available the medicine that she needed so we accompanied her to her house speaking words of encouragement. Hope For The Island helped her get medical attention and I am happy to report she is doing better. It was amazing how God intervened and brought hope to a heart gripped with fear. With no money and because she was bleeding she feared the worse. I am thankful to God for opening the door for me to witness to a woman in need of His touch. At Hope For The Island we are so blessed to be able to demonstrate Christ’s love and lead people into a relationship with Him!
This month I visited the main Rural Health Unit (RHU). These are set up all over Siargao Island. Many residents can not afford to go to a hospital, so a RHU is set up with medical staff to give a basic level of care. I was able to bring each RHU a small box of medicine and other supplies. It was sad to see the need in each municipality going unmet in so many ways. I was blessed to see the medical staff and personnel serve the people despite their limited resources. It was important for me to see this need. My heart is now burdened more than ever to partner with them for Medical Missions / outreaches. We are fortunate to have the freedom to express our God given desire for change and willingness to pray and counsel people during each Medical Mission. Many of the people we minister to are slowly dying from sicknesses and diseases that could be prevented. The people are overjoyed that we come to help them in their desperate circumstances.
Recently I did home visitations in a remote village on our island that we had visited four months earlier during a Medical Outreach. We travelled very rough roads to get there. God led us to a paralyzed women; she was so sweet and very soft spoken. We were touched deeply as she tearfully shared her life situation. I am now reminded to pray for her daily. When I approached her home she hugged me tightly with tears running down her face. She expressed thanksgiving to God for His blessings and for my visit in coming from a far place. In spite of her circumstances, she testified that God is good to her and that she is able to go to church by herself. Her diet had only consisted of root crops for many weeks, but she was still grateful to God. My heart spilled over with emotion and we cried together. She soaked in encouragement from God’s Word like a dry sponge. While sharing about her concern for her son, he made his way up to the hut struggling as he walked. He was arriving from the mountain as he did every day where he looked for food. He fills water containers to sell to people in the village. The work is so heavy but the pay so little. I was disturbed when I saw the bottom of his feet. The flesh was mangled and severely infected. Every step he took was extremely painful. Again tears came to my eyes. I tried to imagine going to a high mountain just to find food to survive and carrying heavy water ( gallons) for selling. I used my medical supplies and cleaned and bandaged his feet. He was so relieved as he stood. The piercing pain had stopped. He and his mother expressed their gratitude and sense of blessing. She couldn’t stop saying thank you. I pointed their attention and thanks to God who deserves all glory and thanksgiving. Before leaving I was able to give them a small supply of food to add to their limited diet. Keep them and other families who encounter similar situations in prayer.
As I started thinking about going home on the very rough roads that were now flooding from heavy rains, the Barangay Captain (similar to our City Councilor) brought me a man who needed immediate medical help. His gums were leaking puss and blood with a very foul smell. He couldn’t afford to travel to see a doctor. I am so thankful that I was able to pray for him and tell him that God cared for him. How fortunate I was to be there! We were able to facilitate the funds, as part of our Mercy Ministry, to get him to a doctor. I look forward to following up next week to see the results. I believe he will be open to the eternal life God has to offer him!
As I considered my trip back through dangerous flooded roads I knew it was nothing compared to eating root crops for weeks or dealing with disease. I was thankful and praised God for my health and even protection as I travelled.
God is moving in Siargao Island. The Medical Mission Clinic is an open door into the community. Jesus cared for the physical and spiritual needs of those He met. I am so grateful to God that I can be used to care for these people as Jesus leads. Thank you for all your prayers and support as Hope For The Island continues to reach out to the needy and oppressed people of Siargao Island. Your partnership makes what we do possible. Glory to God!
More ministry news to come in a few weeks…..
Dinah Espanto
