When completed, the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be the third facility in the Bethesda Healthcare System, Peru Mission’s medical ministry network, to minister to impoverished communities in northern Peru. We believe that healthcare is a fundamental need of the poor and under-served, and we have learned that having healthcare providers work side-by-side with the pastors and deacons of our congregations allows us to fulfill the Great Commission in word and deed as we demonstrate Christ’s compassion to those who are in need of healing.
Initially, the Arévalo Hospital will provide not only general medical care to patients, but also services in dentistry and laboratory diagnostics. Perhaps most importantly, the Arévalo Hospital will provide maternal and infant care currently largely unavailable to the women and children in and around the Manuel Arévalo district.
About the Campaign
Why maternal and infant care?
Peru has an incredibly high infant mortality rate. According to the World Health Organization, the under-five-years-old mortality rate per 1000 live births in Peru is 24 (2.4%), compared to the South American average of 18 and the U.S. average of eight. Even more tragic, while among the wealthiest 20% of the population the under-five-years-old mortality rate is 3.1%, among the poorest 20% the rate increases to 6.3%. One clear cause of this discrepancy can be seen in the number of births attended by "skilled health personnel": among the wealthiest 20% of the population, 100% of live births are attended by skilled health personnel, but among the poorest 20% that rate falls to a deplorable 28%. Through this project we are directly responding to a clear lack of adequate facilities for treating common childhood diseases and providing maternal care to the poorest communities in Peru.
How did you select the location for the hospital?
Originally designed by the local government as a community for public employees, the Manuel Arévalo district is a dynamic township on the outskirts of the northern city of Trujillo, where our mission efforts are centered. Despite the area's recent growth in size, there has been a noticeable lack of corresponding growth in health care services, as well as a lack of Christ-centered churches ministering to the spiritual needs of the community.
How much will it cost?
We estimate that the total cost of the project will be $709,200 and have divided the construction into two phases. In Phase One we will complete the construction of the first floor and begin operating as a primary care clinic. In Phase Two we will build two additional floors and prepare them for full functional use. Construction has already began on the first floor and we estimate it will be completed this year.
How can I help?
We have a long way to go, and we know we can’t do this without you. We invite you to partner with us in this project through prayer, spreading the word, and giving.* Below you will find various ways to give. We ask that you consider each option carefully. You can donate directly to the building fund by sponsoring a room or purchasing a paver, commit to a recurring gift toward the operation of the hospital, or give toward the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies. You can also donate now, or contact Dale Ellison, our medical ministry director, at daleellison@perumission.org.
Checks may be sent to
Christian Missionary Society
P.O. Box 14563
Greenville, SC 29610-4563
However you give, please know that your gift will directly allow us to provide the services so needed in our community, and demonstrate the compassion of Christ to our neighbors in need. If you, your church, or a group of friends and family feel led to give to this project, your gift could go a very long way in serving thousands of people in need of specialized medical care.
Naming Opportunities
Medical practices, clinics, churches, families, and individuals are banding together to sponsor spaces within the Arévalo Missional Hospital. This unique partnership allows your gift to meet a visible need and provide a space for critical care for decades to come. Gifts and pledges of up to two years are eligible for phase one of the construction project, and donors or groups can choose to name the room in honor of an individual or remain anonymous.
See a complete list of rooms available for naming.
Download the pledge form.
Paving Support for a Missional Hospital
Your contribution of $100 or more will help us build the Arévalo Missional Hospital in the heart of La Esperanza, a fast growing district outside of Trujillo, Peru where dire physical and spiritual needs abound. For each gift of $100 we will inscribe your designated message on a paver that will be laid in the walkway connecting Cristo Restaurador Presbyterian Church to the hospital.
Download the paving support form.
Referral
The Arévalo Missional Hospital campaign is a multi-year initiative that will create a place that both meets the fundamental healthcare needs of the poor and under-served in Peru and seeks to fulfill the Great Commission in word and deed as we demonstrate Christ’s compassion to those who are in need of healing. To accomplish this, we need your help. Please consider sharing the names of individuals or groups that might be interested in learning more about the campaign. We hope to broadly share the message of this need so that many may join the cause for support.
Download the referral form.
Hospital Operation and Maintenance
Another way to partner with us in this project is to commit to giving directly toward our monthly operating expenses. While we view all contributors to our ministry as partners in a valuable, two-way, ongoing relationship, this is particularly true of those who give on a regular basis. When you commit to giving to the maintenance and operation of the hospital on a recurring basis, you are entering into a lasting partnership with us as we minister to our patients. We estimate that for our first year it will cost us $1,700 a month to cover salaries, materials, and utilities. We encourage you to consider making the Arévalo Hospital part of your ministry of regular, recurring giving.
Equipment
If you are unable to commit to a recurring donation, why not consider giving a one-time gift toward the purchase of vital equipment for the hospital? We have estimated that it will cost $40,000 to equip the hospital. Giving to the purchase of specific items for the hospital is a wonderful way to see your resources at work. Your gift will help us obtain crucial tools and equipment that will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Contact us!
We invite you to contact us with any questions you might have, and look forward to hearing from you. If you would like to see a detailed report on the construction, operation, and equipment costs associated with the project, click here. For more information on what is needed, and how you can help us acquire the equipment we need, contact Dale Ellison at daleellison@perumission.org.
“And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.” (Matt. 4:23)
Medical practices, clinics, churches, families, and individuals are banding together to sponsor spaces within the Arévalo Missional Hospital. This unique partnership allows your gift to meet a visible need and provide a space for critical care for decades to come. Gifts and pledges of up to two years are eligible for phase one of the construction project, and donors or groups can choose to name the room in honor of an individual or remain anonymous.
See a map of the hospital with each room highlighted.
Pediatric Exam Room (already sponsored)
“Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ Immediately the girl arose and walked.” (Mark 5:41-42a)
The infant mortality rate among the poorest 20% of Peruvians is double that among the wealthiest 20%,1 and Peru’s infant mortality rate is more than twice that of the U.S.2 We pray that the Pediatric Exam Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place where our physicians will be able to provide many precious children with care they so desperately need and might otherwise never receive.
(Praise the Lord! This room has already been pledged for! Read further to learn about the many other rooms still available.)
Dental Room
In a country where the ratio of dental personnel to the general population is 1.2 to 10,000,2 and where 85% suffer from some type of dental disease,4 better and more widely available dental care is a very pressing need. We hope that the Dental Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will give our dental professionals the space and resources they need to minister to many people with the quality of care that our commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ compels us to provide.
Waiting Room
In Peru, there are only 15.2 hospital beds for every 10,000 people,5 and the ratio of physicians to the general population is 1 to 588.6 Both of these statistics point to an overwhelming need for more medical care facilities and providers in the country. The Waiting Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a different place from other waiting rooms in the region in which we work. In our clinics, each patient is a person with a name and a story, and it is our responsibility to see that each is attended to with love and compassion and given the care they need in a timely and efficient manner.
OB/GYN Exam Room (already sponsored)
“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.” (Luke 4:38-39)
Of the top ten causes of death among patients registered in hospitals in Peru, half relate only to women,6 and the rate of deaths during childbirth in Peru is four times that in the U.S.2 The OB/GYN Exam Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place of love and healing where our physicians will be able to minister to women in desperate need of care.
(Praise the Lord! This room has already been pledged for! Read further to learn about the many other rooms still available.)
Exam Room
37% of deaths in Peru are caused by communicable diseases, compared with the regional average of 20%, and the rate of tuberculosis infection in Peru is three times the regional average.2 To combat these trends, we have included a general medicine Exam Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital, which we pray will be a place where our physicians will be able to offer care that is not only of the highest quality, but also care provided in love and mercy, following the example of our Lord’s ministry here on earth.
Nurses’ Station
“And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’” (Mark 7:37)
In Peru, there is only one registered nurse for every 445 of the general population.7 Nevertheless, we believe that for many patients, the nurse is the face of the clinic, providing comfort and care. The Nurses’ Station will be a place where our nurses will be able to carry out their ministry of mercy to every patient who comes through our doors.
Triage Room
“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14)
The Triage Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place where our staff will be able to make important decisions surrounding how best to minister to people in great need of care.
Pharmacy
Only 61% of essential medicines are readily available to the Peruvian public.2 The Pharmacy Department in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place where our staff will be able to provide vital medicine and treatments to people in great need of care.
Radiology Room
Severe upper respiratory infections are the number-one cause of deaths among non-hospitalized people in Peru.3 Many of these infections can be treated when diagnosed early enough. The Radiology Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place where our staff will be able to provide important diagnostic services to people in great need of care.
Emergency Room
“When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.” (Luke 9:11)
Twenty-one children out of every 1,000 die before the age of five in Peru.1 The Emergency Room in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place of love and healing where our staff will be able to provide the vital emergency care necessary to help to change this and other grave statistics.
Laboratory
“So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matt. 4:24)
Influenza and pneumonia are the number-four causes of death in patients in Peruvian hospitals.6 The Laboratory in the Arévalo Missional Hospital will be a place where our staff will be able to provide diagnostic services that will allow our physicians to properly treat our patients.
Admitting & Medical Records Suite
“And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’ And he looked up and said, ‘I see men, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” (Mark 8:23-25)
Your gift in action
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7)
If you would like to help to make one of these rooms a reality, please contact Dale Ellison. You can also give quickly and securely online by clicking here. We are so thankful for your generosity. Your gift will go a long way in helping share the Good News and the love and mercy of our Savior with many who are suffering and in need of medical care in northern Peru.
SOURCES
1 World Health Organization. Peru Health Profile. World Health Organization, 4 April 2011.
2 Global Health Observatory. World Health Statistics 2011. France: WHO Press, 2011.
3 Ministry of Health. Principle Causes of Death Registered in External Consultation. Lima: Ministry of Health, 2010.
4 EsSalud. Health and Prevention. “What is oral health?” Lima: EsSalud.
5 National Institute of Statistics and Computation. Peru in Numbers—Health. Lima: National Institute of Statistics and Computation, 2010.
6 Ministry of Health. Principle Causes of Death in Hospitals by Gender. Lima: Ministry of Health, 2010.
7 College of Nurses, Regional Counsel of La Libertad.
Patient Cases
These cases demonstrate how our ministry works together with the local church to find those in need of medical care and combine that care with evangelism and discipleship to build up the church and proclaim the good news in word and deed. The cases also provide a glimpse into the many roles we fulfill in our medical ministry as we humbly attempt to minister to our patients’ needs on a long-term basis. Our relationship is more than that of doctors with their patients; it is a relationship between neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ, caring for each other, and living together in community.
Each of the patients in these cases received care in our fully-functioning Bethesda Clinic in the Wichanzao district. We have changed the patients’ names in order to protect their privacy. If you would like to learn more about the current work of the Peru Mission Medical Ministry, visit our webpage or contact Dale Ellison at daleellison@perumission.org.
Serving our Community
At Bethesda Clinic, our patients are also our neighbors. As we respond to Christ’s direction to reach out to the sick and suffering (Matthew 25:31-40), we are committed to serving each of our patients with kindness, professionalism, and personalized care.
Azucena
We first met Azucena when her daughter brought her to us after having a positive experience at Bethesda with another family member. Azucena is 68 and suffers from chest pains and high blood pressure. She lives in the area with her children, and came to us after receiving inconsistent care from the local health post. On her very first visit, Azucena received an EKG and laboratory tests examining blood glucose and cholesterol levels. The remarkable thing is that she received these exams in one place and in one morning, thus avoiding the often frustrating and expensive process of traveling long distances to visit a variety of facilities. We are thankful that Azucena has chosen Bethesda clinic to be her primary care provider. She will now be coming to us to receive regular checkups, treatment of her hypertension, and help in controlling her risk for high cholesterol and heart disease.
Like Azucena, many of our patients find us through word of mouth. We know that God brings each of our patients to us for a reason, and we praise Him for each and every one of them.
Ricardo
Ricardo is a diabetic patient in his ’60s who, after stepping on a piece of glass several months ago, has had serious problems with wounds in his feet. The wound area has required multiple resections by hospital personnel, but it continues to become infected and resist healing. At Bethesda, we seek to be agents of God’s love and peace to the weak and suffering. This means we seek to provide a calm and caring environment for our patients. Although Ricardo lives near the hospital, he comes to the clinic several times a week for wound care because the clinic offers more personalized, careful care than the frantic, emergency hospital environment is able to provide.
Micki & Verónica
Many children receive care at Bethesda Clinic as we seek to serve the needs of entire families, from infants to the elderly. God certainly has given us a heart for serving the youngest members of our community. Micki is one of them. He was two years old when he came to us after suffering from dysentery for two weeks and receiving incomplete treatment from medications prescribed by a pharmacy. Micki underwent diagnostic tests at Bethesda to check for parasites and to identify the specific cause of his illness. As a result of the tests and diagnosis, Micki is now receiving a complete course of antibiotic therapy.
At around eleven years old, Verónica is another of our younger patients. She suffers from moderate, persistent asthma and came to the clinic with mildly low oxygen levels after an exacerbation incident. She received nebulizer treatment and medication for immediate relief, and the doctors started her on a maintenance plan to control her asthma and prevent future flair-ups.
We are hopeful for a healthy future for both Micki and Verónica, and are thankful that God brought them to us so that we might experience the blessing of ministering to each of them through frightening times.
Marwin
Marwin is in his mid-20s and suffered spinal trauma from a paralyzing fall about two years ago. Originally from a town in the jungle, his family brought him to Trujillo to try and obtain better care. Unfortunately, Marwin developed severe pressure sores that became infected. The clinic staff was able to educate his family on dressing the wounds and came to offer more complete wound care several times a week. The clinic also helped provide medication, supplies, and support as Marwin’s sisters, elderly parents, and nieces and nephews took turns rotating between work in the jungle and caring for Marwin in Trujillo. One sister and her two children attended Wichanzao Church while spending several months in town, and the church hosted a barbecue fundraiser for the family. One church member also made a trapeze apparatus designed to allow Marwin to use his arms to move himself a little better. The clinic supported many of these expenses, including costs incurred when Marwin and his family returned to the jungle in March. Although Marwin is somewhat stabilized, and we have seen improvements in his wounds, we hope and pray that Marwin and his family continue to get the physical treatment as well as the emotional and spiritual support they need to overcome these difficult obstacles.
Long-term Care Commitment
As a primary care clinic we often meet patients who need more specialized treatment than we ourselves are able to provide. When this is the case, rather than just turning patients away to find care elsewhere, we seek to support them through continuing and consistent care, counsel, financial support, and prayer. For our patients battling with life-changing and even terminal illnesses, we seek, with God’s grace, to provide the support they need to meet each challenge along the way.
Belen
Belen is a shy 14-year-old girl who lives in a village four hours from Trujillo, where our Bethesda clinic is located. In April 2010 Belen’s aunt brought her to the clinic, concerned that she wasn’t eating and that her abdomen was swelling. During her examination, the clinic doctor was quite concerned that something serious might be wrong. Subsequent tests led to the diagnosis of a rare and life threatening germ cell ovarian cancer. As a result of the relationships that we’ve established with local hospitals in the Peruvian national healthcare system, we were able to refer Belen to specialists. She eventually underwent surgery and later chemotherapy. Throughout her care over the following months, we were able to maintain a close relationship with her and her family, explaining the complicated treatments she was undergoing. We were also able to raise support from donors in the U.S. to help cover the remaining costs of her hospitalization and chemotherapy.
Throughout the seven long months we worked with Belen, we counseled and prayed with her and her family, and bore testimony to God’s continuous goodness and grace! We rejoice that Belen believes in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Her case demonstrates how we are sometimes called to raise additional funds to help patients receive the care they need but would otherwise be unable to afford, as well as help our patients understand the often complicated process of accessing public health services already in place.
Susana
Susana is 46 and first came to the clinic because of abdominal pain and weight loss. She had received antacid treatment in the mountain city of Cajamarca for her abdominal pain, but this therapy had not alleviated the problem. Lab tests conducted at the clinic showed anemia and gastrointestinal blood loss, and the clinic was able to support part of her expenses to receive an endoscopy. Susana was eventually diagnosed with gastric carcinoma and is now in process to receive surgery and cancer treatment. The clinic plans to help her through these phases as her primary care provider and, if necessary and possible through the patient fund, support some of her expenses.
Miranda
Miranda is another of our cancer patients. Following a stroke four years ago, Miranda lost her ability to speak clearly and is now confined to a wheelchair. In spite of her limitations, Miranda has opened her heart and home to those in need. After raising several children of her own, she now continues to care for several “adopted children,” including 11-year-old Noé, who faithfully and capably has been accompanying her to her medical appointments.
Miranda first arrived at Bethesda because of vaginal bleeding. Our obstetrician identified a pelvic mass, and referred Miranda to more specialized testing outside the clinic. A subsequent biopsy confirmed cervical cancer, and the clinic is planning to provide follow-up counsel and treatment (similar to that of Susana) as Miranda pursues chemotherapy at the local hospital.
Graciela
Sister Graciela, a woman in her early 50s, is a long-term member of the Wichanzao church. She is a regular patient in our clinic and one of our doctors learned that she had severe progressive arthritis of the hip, and needed a hip replacement to be able to walk without pain. However, due to the exorbitant cost of this procedure in Peru we looked for other less invasive options, and in the end helped Sister Graciela obtain a free wheelchair through a ministry in Trujillo. She now is more mobile and able to leave her house more frequently. We continue to pray that God would provide complete healing of Sister Graciela’s painful hip. Our help to her demonstrates our long-term commitment to caring for our patients and finding workable solutions for their healthcare needs, even when resources are limited.
Treating the Whole Person
Several of our patients must battle not only illness and disability, but also loneliness and rejection. For these patients, only the life-giving light of Jesus Christ can bring total healing (John 1:9). As medical care providers, we provide treatment for physical ailments. As followers of Christ, we minister to our patients with prayer, encouragement, and the Word of God.
Ronald
Ronald is in his early 80s and, although he has a couple of children nearby, they only visit him extremely rarely. Ronald lost his brother six months ago, and must now fight loneliness as well as several physical infirmities. In addition to high blood pressure, Ronald suffers from a chronic, debilitating arthritic condition that causes him severe joint pain and limits his mobility. The clinic is working with Ronald to help him manage his pain and control his hypertension. We are also working with Ronald to treat a skin condition called psoriasis. Through medication and treatment, we are trying to limit its spread, avoid infection, and minimize the discomfort it causes. In the absence of natural family, God has called us to be brothers and sisters to Ronald.
Lucía
Lucía is in her 80s and, like Ronald, suffers not only from multiple physical ailments, including severe osteoarthritis and limited vision, but also from depression, feelings of uselessness, and family problems. The clinic is able to offer her pain management and regular visits to her home to see if she needs any further care. Recently, clinic staff were able to provide foot care after a toenail removal and treat a fungal infection on her skin. While through treatment we can help heal and control Lucía’s physical ailments, only the healing balm of the Holy Spirit can provide lasting relief from Lucía’s deepest problems. For this reason, we continue to lift Lucía before the Lord in prayer, and to encourage her to turn to Christ for healing.
Armando
Mr. Armando is an elderly gentleman in his 70s who has no family and lives near the church in a neighbor’s living room. Mr. Armando has no steady income except for the few coins he collects selling candies in the market. We learned of Mr. Armando through the Wichanzao church secretary and since he hadn’t had regular medical care for some time, we arranged for him to come to the clinic. The doctors found that he suffered from a severely enlarged prostate and was also in need of an abdominal hernia repair. Thankfully, we were able to assist him in obtaining available public health care and two ensuing surgeries. Throughout his treatments, we bore witness to Mr. Armando of our desire to see him know Christ as his savior.
We are overjoyed to report that Mr. Armando has professed faith in Jesus and become a member of the Wichanzao church. Mr. Armando’s case shows how we are often able not only to provide care ourselves, but also to help our patients gain access to public health insurance and subsidies. In this way, in addition to being health care providers, we function as facilitators for helping patients learn about the options for care currently available to them beyond our facilities.
*Contributions are solicited with the understanding that CMS has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds.
Our special thanks go to Nathan Henderson, who graciously permitted us to use his photographs for this campaign.