Medical Dental Brigade

POOR
HANDMAIDS OF JESUS CHRIST

In Mexico

Medical and dental
brigade

Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ

P.O. Box 1, Donaldson, Indiana 46513

(219) 936-9936

We appreciate
your kind donations.

For donations
please write to:

Carino A.
Mendoza

carinoam@gmail.com

Thank you

NEW BEGINNINGS

Calls
come in many surprising ways, if only one is attentive to the Spirit. The Poor
Handmaid call to minister in Mexico was no exception. When Sister Marilyn
Haselhorst visited the Marianist Brothers in Coatzacoalcos in 1985 and 1987 she
was simply taking advantage of her language study time in Mexico to visit Sr.
Kathleen Quinn’s friend. But in 1987, Brother Robert Rapp said to her, “Nobody
comes to Coatzacoalcos twice unless God sends him or her.” In August of 1988
Sisters Marilyn and Edith were missioner to initiate ministry in Coatzacoalcos.
Sister Marilyn arrived in Coatzacoalcos on August 28, 1988, with Sr. Edith
following three months later.

HEALTHCARE TO THE POOR AND
POWERLESS

In 1989, Sr.
Frances Jean Gallinatti, M.D., began her ministry to the sick of Mexico,
especially the rural poor. Besides working in the regional hospital on weekends,
Sr. Gallinatti, cares for people, mostly women and children in isolated rural
areas. Long hours of travel by truck, boat, and horse take her into the remote
areas “up river” to serve those most isolated from health care.

Sister Gallinatti

She is working
to break the parasite cycle among 1500 children in Los Rios (the rivers) area of
the state of Veracruz The rural communities that the PHJCs visit don’t count
with medical or dental clinics. They provide family medicine and preventive
medicine with a 3-month appointment schedule.

The following
are the most common health and dental problems:

1.Intestinal
parasites and mal-nutrion mainly affecting children younger than 5 years old.

2.Upper
and lower respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatological and genital- urinary
infections.

3.Diabetes
mellitus and high blood pressure.

4.Advanced
carious lesions in the children and adult population.

5.Gingivitis
and periodontal disease in the adult population.

Sharing Ministry with others

Many people
have helped Sr. Frances carry out the healing ministry of Christ. Generous
benefactors made possible the purchase of a boat, “La Catalina” and a truck,
which facilitate these trips. On a yearly basis, a group of medical volunteers
(dentists and doctors) from the United States Mexico and Europe join together
for about one week to assist in medical efforts to the many people in remote
areas. The Brigade of medical personnel spends arduous days in these remote
villages supporting us in carrying out the healing ministry of Christ.

The Poor Handmaid
mission in Mexico has been enriched by the generosity of many persons. The
Marianist congregation made the response possible, as we were received into the
local Church of Coatzacoalcos. The many volunteers with whom we ministered- in
Sacred Heart Parish, in the Rivers ministry, in the soup kitchens of
Coatzacoalcos, In the programs at El Puente de Esperanza in Queretaro – enriched
us through our lives and ministry.

Our many
benefactors, through their donations have made the expansion a continuation of
the many projects possible

FOR EACH OF YOU WE ARE GRATEFUL. TO EACH
OF YOU WE SAY THANKS