APRIL MISSION TRIP POSTPONED
JANUARY CLINIC UPDATE: 1185 patients
LOS LAURELES CLINIC
February 3-8: 156 patient visits
February 10-15: 171 patient visits
February 17-22: 157 patient visits
February 24-29: 158 patient visits
TOTAL: 642 patients
LOS PINOS CLINIC
February 3-8: 133 patient visits
February 10-15: 141 patient visits
February 17-22: 146 patient visits
February 24-29: 123 patient visits
TOTAL: 543 patients
JANUARY OPERATION AMALIA update
The photos below are the infants and their parents (or grandparents) who received diapers and supplies at the clinic in January. These parents work in the dump and/or live in the dump. Beside each photo is the following information: baby’s name, parent’s (or grandparent's) name, baby’s age and birthdate, residence, diaper size, weight (in pounds), and phone number. Thank you for supporting this ministry.
Charitable donation statements from Four Friends International will
be mailed to each contributor at the end of 2020. If you give through your
church, donation statements will be sent to you from that institution.
How Four Friends International safeguards its financial integrity
The Advisory Board of Four Friends International has overseen all financial transactions since it was organized in 2012 and will continue to do so, along with the IRS, now that 501(c)3 status has been granted. The accountability measures already in place are: preapproval of all financial transactions, establishment of a Four Friends International business account, periodic board review of all monthly bank statements, and consultation from the accounting firm of Dollar and Watson. As an added layer of financial oversight, the Advisory Board has also approved an annual independent audit of Four Friends International. The 2019 audit will begin in May and will be completed sometime this summer. Based on this and the above measures, you can be assured that all your contributions to Four Friends International are used to provide free medical care at the two medical clinics in Guatemala. (The Advisory Board members, all of whom have been to Jalapa at least once as a mission volunteer, are Mark Brock, Kaye Dean, Jack Hamilton, Shannon McGee, Millie Sebek, and Randy Stewart. A vacant seventh board position is in the process of being filled.)
As of today, donations have been received to fund both clinics through April 30. Thank you for generously supporting this ministry.
The Alabama Baptist State Board of
Missions (SBOM) issued an official statement on March 5 cancelling international
student mission trips and refusing to endorse other international trips because
of concerns about the global coronavirus outbreak. The official statement is as
follows: “Based upon the current
situation, the [SBOM] has determined that the better part of wisdom is not to
endorse any international missions trips by students and others, until further
notice.” For this reason, Four
Friends International is postponing indefinitely the mission trip scheduled
for April 25-May 1. It will be rescheduled when travel restrictions have been
lifted and the SBOM once again endorses international missions work. Fortunately,
our clinics purchase the majority of their medications in Guatemala, so medical
care at the two clinics will continue without interruption. Further updates
will be provided to you as information is received.
JANUARY CLINIC UPDATE: 1185 patients
LOS LAURELES CLINIC
February 3-8: 156 patient visits
February 10-15: 171 patient visits
February 17-22: 157 patient visits
February 24-29: 158 patient visits
TOTAL: 642 patients
LOS PINOS CLINIC
February 3-8: 133 patient visits
February 10-15: 141 patient visits
February 17-22: 146 patient visits
February 24-29: 123 patient visits
TOTAL: 543 patients
JANUARY OPERATION AMALIA update
The photos below are the infants and their parents (or grandparents) who received diapers and supplies at the clinic in January. These parents work in the dump and/or live in the dump. Beside each photo is the following information: baby’s name, parent’s (or grandparent's) name, baby’s age and birthdate, residence, diaper size, weight (in pounds), and phone number. Thank you for supporting this ministry.
Beginning April 1, donations
can be made to Four Friends International in one of the following ways:
- By mailing a check to: Four Friends International – 309 Edgewood Blvd – Homewood, AL 35209.
- By direct deposit from this website: scroll to the bottom of this page and click on “View web version”, locate the two “Donate” buttons at the top right hand corner, and follow the directions for a “One-Time Donation” or “Recurring Monthly Donation”.
- By giving through a local church, who will then forward your donation directly to Four Friends International. (Note: For tax purposes, make sure the church has officially approved donations to Four Friends International in its budget.)
How Four Friends International safeguards its financial integrity
The Advisory Board of Four Friends International has overseen all financial transactions since it was organized in 2012 and will continue to do so, along with the IRS, now that 501(c)3 status has been granted. The accountability measures already in place are: preapproval of all financial transactions, establishment of a Four Friends International business account, periodic board review of all monthly bank statements, and consultation from the accounting firm of Dollar and Watson. As an added layer of financial oversight, the Advisory Board has also approved an annual independent audit of Four Friends International. The 2019 audit will begin in May and will be completed sometime this summer. Based on this and the above measures, you can be assured that all your contributions to Four Friends International are used to provide free medical care at the two medical clinics in Guatemala. (The Advisory Board members, all of whom have been to Jalapa at least once as a mission volunteer, are Mark Brock, Kaye Dean, Jack Hamilton, Shannon McGee, Millie Sebek, and Randy Stewart. A vacant seventh board position is in the process of being filled.)
As of today, donations have been received to fund both clinics through April 30. Thank you for generously supporting this ministry.
FOUR WHEELS CLINIC – the vision
The vision of a Four Wheels Clinic in the Jalapa area was shared last month. The slide presentation
will be re-inserted at the end of the each month’s update this year as a reminder
to you to pray for God’s wisdom direction in this opportunity.
The following slides highlight (1) how our two clinics came to be, and (2) the possibility of starting a mobile clinic in the Jalapa area soon.
The following slides highlight (1) how our two clinics came to be, and (2) the possibility of starting a mobile clinic in the Jalapa area soon.
Take off from Atlanta, and 3.5 hours later...
...you will land in Guatemala City...
...From there, travel 3 hours eastward by van into the mountain ranges, and you will enter the city of Jalapa...
...In the center of Jalapa, you will find "Life in Jesus Baptist Church". This congregation, themselves poor, committed over a decade ago to establish mission churches in the poorer, outlying areas of the city...
...One of these mission churches was in Los Laureles, next to the city dump. In 2015, Four Friends International built a clinic 50 yards from the church. It offers free medical care, including medicines, Monday through Saturday each week...
...Nurse Lilian has served at Los Laureles since August 2015, living in an apartment at the rear of the clinic...
...The clinic pharmacy has over 70 medications, provided free to patients, for both acute and chronic diseases...
...In 2018, we opened our second clinic across the city in Los Pinos and provided land for an adjacent church building...
...Nurse Lorena (left) serves at the Los Pinos clinic Monday through Saturday each week. Nurse Dora divides her time between the two clinics...
...Over 15,000 patients received free care in the exam rooms of Los Laureles and Los Pinos in 2019...
...Last year Four Friends International ministered in a village near Jalapa high up in the mountains...
...Hundreds of people live in this mountain village. Among those treated were students from the junior high school who came and received vitamins and anti-parasite medicine...
...All around Jalapa are similar mountain communities who need to receive medical care and to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. How can Four Friends International reach so many people in so many places? The answer may be...
...a mobile clinic!
...A "Four Wheels Clinic" could bring medical care and the gospel to several communities each month. Staffed by a driver and a nurse, the clinic could extend the ministry of Four Friends International to areas otherwise unreachable...
Can this dream become reality? With God, nothing is impossible. Our mission trips this year in April and October will continue to explore the concept of a mobile clinic. Then, in 2021, wheels of healing and love may begin to roll into communities in desperate need of both. Until then, please pray that Four Friends International will receive God's wisdom and direction in this and all ministry endeavors.
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