IAMM
Magazine
ISSUE 2 - JULY 2023
IN THIS ISSUE
You Must Remain On This Journey With Us
DeWayne Mason, Executive Director
More Than A Volunteer
Frances Harrison,
Chatham-Avalon Church of Christ
IAMM Volunteer & International Author
IAMM Champion
Franklin Gomez
You Must Remain On This Journey With Us
DeWayne Mason, Executive Director
IAMM has embarked with a renewed spirit and urgency to reboot our dedication to mission work after the Covid-19 pandemic which halted missions since 2020. Just last July 2022 the medical team and staff workers traveled to the Dominican Republic to help in the efforts with local Dominicans to reach out to Haitian villages near the border of Haiti in a town called Jimani. The team worked out of a hospital built many years ago for Haitian refugees during the 2010 earthquake. Our team of willing and dedicated volunteers worked three days from the hospital (where we also lived while there) and traveled to two other villages in the nearby area which successfully resulted in over 800 patient encounters
IAMM again in February of 2023 traveled to the Dominican Republic still waiting for other countries to open their borders for mission teams. Impressively, we had more than 1200 encounters in the cities of Neyba, Duverge and Jimani Viejo. These downtrodden poverty-stricken villages starve for services provided by IAMM. We only do what we can do and allow God to do the rest. The Dominican volunteer teams has been outstanding in joining us with their medical and evangelical services, producing six baptisms and a number of bible study classes. Our collaboration has paid off over the years in finding those who love mission work, as we do, especially in their own homeland. We feel God is pleased with our work. Therefore we will conÆŸnue our efforts to give Health, Hope, and Healing.
We give honorable mention to two volunteers: Olga Alcantara and Ingrid Rosario (sisters) who have decided to leave their country to travel with the IAMM team to upcoming missions in Belize and Jamaica in July which in itself shows the compassion we’ve created on the mission field. We aim to use the vehicle of IAMM to touch people anywhere and everywhere - mind, body, and the soul restoring just a bit of hope to the hopeless. God has provided the means and tools for us to go beyond ourselves and become the servants He commands us to be to those in need. We ask you to support us as ambassadors and reach out to those who will financially sacrifice and support this great cause.
A Servant of the Master
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
More Than Just a Volunteer Experience
By Frances Harrison
Chatham-Avalon Church of Christ First Lady IAMM Volunteer | International Author
As a former respiratory therapist, I have always had a desire to care for others. Volunteering with the International American Medical Mission has been one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences of my life. The decision to volunteer in any capacity is a noble one, but when it comes to medical missions, the impact can be truly life-changing, not only for those we serve but also for ourselves. Volunteering for IAMM is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of individuals and communities who lack access to adequate healthcare
Volunteering for IAMM allows us to extend a helping hand to those in desperate need. In many parts of the world, there are communiÆŸes that face significant challenges in accessing even the most basic healthcare services. By joining a medical mission, we have the chance to offer our skills, knowledge, and compassion to those who might otherwise be left without proper care. Whether it's treating infectious diseases, providing vaccinations, performing surgeries, or simply offering comfort and support, each action we take can have a profound impact on someone's life.
Moreover, volunteering for IAMM can be an incredibly humbling experience. It allows us to witness firsthand the resilience and strength of individuals who face adversity with grace and courage. It opens our eyes to the harsh realities that exist beyond our own comfortable lives and exposes us to the global healthcare disparities that persist. This experience can foster personal growth, empathy, and a broader perspective on the world. It teaches us to appreciate the resources and privileges we often take for granted.
Beyond the impact on the communities we serve, volunteering for IAMM offers immense personal and professional benefits. It provides an opportunity for medical staff to expand their medical knowledge and skills by working in challenging and diverse environments. During any given mission, our medical team may encounter conditions and circumstances that we may not encounter in our daily practice, forcing them to think creatively and adapt to limited resources. This experience can enhance their problem-solving abilities and broaden their clinical expertise. Giving of your time to IAMM also allows us to collaborate with a diverse group of healthcare professionals from around the world. We engage in a multidisciplinary approach, where doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers come together, sharing their knowledge and expertise. This collaboration promotes teamwork, communication, and cultural understanding. It provides an excellent platform to learn from one another, exchange ideas, and build lifelong relationships.
Finally, let us not forget the immense sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from making a tangible impact on someone's life. The gratitude in the eyes of a patient who has received life-saving treatment, the smiles on the faces of children who have been provided with basic healthcare, and the appreciation from a community that now has hope for a healthier future—these are the rewards that cannot be measured in monetary terms. The gratitude and happiness we witness become the fuel that drives us to continue making a difference.
In conclusion, volunteering for IAMM is an extraordinary opportunity to change lives, both for those we serve and for ourselves. It allows us to extend a helping hand, experience personal growth, gain invaluable knowledge, collaborate with a diverse group of professionals, and find fulfillment in the impact we make. By volunteering our time, skills, and compassion, we contribute to creating a world where everyone has access to quality healthcare. So, let us embrace this noble cause, step forward, and join the ranks of those who are making a real difference through medical missions.
I hope you will consider joining us. Volunteering for IAMM is more than a volunteer experience.
IAMM CHAMPION
By Franklin Gomez
​
Hello, my name is Franklin Gómez. I am from Dominican Republic and have the blessing to be married to Sorabel Sánchez since 1995, with whom I have procreated two young girls, Abigail, and Elisa. They both are married, and from them we have two little grandchildren, Esteban who is four years old, and David, who was born just last month.
I was baptized on April 7, 1992. I have been serving the Lord at the Church of Christ in Los Mina, Santo Domingo, as a Deacon, later as an Elder, and now as an Evangelist
When my wife and I knew about IAMM for the first time, it was such a joy, not just for the opportunity to serve other people in need, but for the chance to make new friends and getting to know new brethren in Christ from overseas. This kind of work is something that we really enjoy, and it is like a spiritual retreat for us, where we are always reminded about how important it is to show the love of the Lord with our time and effort, not just with words. Every year, we look forward to work in the clinic, and every time our faith grows a little bit more when we see the wonderful things that God does through non-expected ways. So, I am so thankful, just as our local DR team is, for having this opportunity, and we bless the Lord for IAMM and each one of their members.
Congratulations Fanklin!
