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CARE ACROSS BORDERS:
In May 2016,
93 volunteers
served on
a mission trip for
10 days
, typically working
18 hours
a day
to help more than
2,800 people
in Guatemala.
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Get involved
To support or volunteer
on a future mission trip,
visit
HelpsIntl.org.
You
can even join or directly
support Team Salyards.
in Guatemala, the Philippines, Africa
and Nepal.
SJCH recognizes it is part of a family
of global health care providers and
urges employees to participate in
national and international mission
projects that are medical- or construc-
tion-related. For its employees, SJCH
provides matching paid-leave hours for
up to 20 hours per year. Volunteers pay
their own travel expenses.
Important and rigorous work
Many SJCH employees volunteer to be
a part of mission trips. Not all of them are
medical staff, but they all play a vital role
in helping people in these countries where
access to health care is so limited.
In May 2016, for example, 93 volunteers
traveled to Guatemala on a 10-day
mission. “This was the
largest group of SJCH
employees to go on the Guatemala mission trip,”
Deanna says.
By the end of the second day of the trip,
the group had helped more than 800 patients,
including 80 people who received much-needed
surgeries. Hundreds of people had eye surgeries
to restore their vision. All of the eye surgery
patients returned home on the same day. In a
large group setting, they all received care instruc-
tions and were able to take off their eye patches.
Many of these people hadn’t been able to see
for years; some for decades. “It’s truly one of
the highlights of mission work,” Deanna says. “It
moves you to tears along with them…they are so
grateful.”
To touch as many lives as possible, the team
works 18-hour days. “You are so tired; everything
in your body hurts. But the help we give people
truly changes you and your perspective about
what is important in life,” Deanna says. “On a
mission trip, you can see how Jesus is actively
involved in our lives today.”
Changing lives
A WORLD IN NEED: Every year, San
Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH)
employees embark on mission trips
around the globe.
Mission trips are encouraged at SJCH.
Employees are given time to use specif-
ically for mission trips. The hospital also
donates thousands of dollars in medical
supplies each year for mission trips.
In 2015, SJCH employees embarked on
dozens of mission trips across the globe.
In 2016, hospital employees have been a
part of numerous trips so far.
SEEING IS
BELIEVING:
In Guatemala,
hundreds of people
had sight-restoring
surgery.