The nurse put her hand on the chest of the small thin boy where his heart was pounding so hard that a visible impulse and audible sound were created. From this initial encounter and after many months of negotiations, a young Dominican boy’s life was eventually saved following surgery at Children’s Hospital in Washington. A young Haitian male was brought across the border to Banica, Dominican Republic, with a sudden seizure and fever. The previous day this young man had been helping his family survive by subsistence farming. He rapidly became comatose. Despite our efforts with supportive measures and antibiotics, he died shortly after being seen.

These two case scenarios demonstrate what can be done and what commonly happens at the Banica Mission where 16th century life exists only 500 hundred miles from Miami Beach. One literally steps back in time. What we take for granted on a daily basis is sorely lacking there. The needs are overwhelming.

Since 1997, Medical Missionaries, a nonprofit organization of dedicated volunteers has struggled to "make a difference" for the thousands of very poor of this border area and all the poor throughout the world. Following an initial request from Father Donald Rooney, then stationed in Banica, a small team spent two weeks in the mountains around Banica, holding clinics and immunizing children who had never seen a doctor or ever received any vaccines. After this visit, the volunteers collectively decided that a sustained commitment to improve the health care of approximately 150,000 people in the border area of the two countries was desperately needed. From this initial effort, many medical, surgical and construction trips have evolved. Medical, dental and surgical clinic visits are now routine, with thousands of immunizations given. A dental clinic, supply warehouse and a solar powered battery two way radio communication system are among the completed projects. Diesel generators have been installed and are supplying power to the border area. The major construction of a health care clinic in Thomassique, Haiti, across the river from Banica, is now in progress. The Haitians routinely seek help from the Banica mission necessitating this need for their own clinic.

All Saints Parish in Manassas officially "twinned" with the sister parish of St. Thomas, Thomassique, Haiti, in 1998. Through the sustained help of Father Bob Cilinski, pastor, and the parishioners of All Saints, the program and clinic construction moved ahead. Additional help and support has been obtained from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Warrenton. Both parishes have been working in the Banica/Haiti border for the past eight years with the previous pastor, Father Patrick Posey, and the current pastors, Fathers Dan Gee and Christopher Murphy. With continued support, Medical Missionaries hopes to complete the health care clinic in 2006. This clinic will replace one bedroom which currently serves as the hospital for Thomassique. This year Medical Missionaries sent a school bus and truck and purchased a diesel tractor for the Banica mission. The tractor is now helping with increased food production where all subsistence farming is done by hand or with oxen. The bus is now being used by Father Gee to transport children to and from his new school in Banica.

With the ever increasing worldwide need, Medical Missionaries continues to grow. From the warehouse, located at Linton Hall School near the Benedictine Monastery in Bristow, the acquisition and distribution of medical supplies and equipment continue on a daily basis. Medical Missionaries works closely with Project Hope, the Catholic Medical Mission Board, major pharmaceutical companies, and individuals to support programs and to provide medicines, medical supplies, household goods and clothing to the poor of the Third World, greater Washington, D.C., area and Appalachia, and including major disasters both locally and internationally.

Medical Missionaries is an ecumenical group whose motto is "People of all faiths striving to help the poorest of the poor." You can help make a difference also by your contribution of time and talents. For more information call 703/361 5116, e-mail medmissionaries@yahoo.com, or go to medicalmissionaries.info.