Why
"JESSE'S CHILDREN?"
Jesse
was the father of David whom the prophet Samuel anointed as the
future king of Israel, liberator of a country and its peoples, the
messianic king. The reign of this youngest son of Jesse was said
to "stand as a sign to the peoples" that the disorder of
nature would be restored to its pristine harmony, that paradise
would be regained. In Romans, Paul writes of the gospel for Jews
and Christians alike, and quotes Isaiah: 'The root of Jesse shall
come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him (they) shall
hope.' Thus Jesse's child, the 'shoot from the stump of Jesse,'
symbolizes the messianic prophecy of Christ and serves to remind
us that we are all children of God.
Jesse's
Children is a ministry to and for children in the Third
World. Dr. Jim and Deacon Pat McIlwain began this ministry
in 1988 after meeting in Santo Domingo with Episcopal Bishop Telésforo
Isaac and Roman Catholic Bishop Príamo Tejeda of Baní. This
ministry has grown to include a broad ecumenical base of health
care and educational professionals who travel at their own expense
to contribute their time and talent to heal, build, educate and
demonstrate the love of Christ to children in some of the poorest
barrios, mountain enclaves and batés of the Baní province in the
Dominican Republic.
Achievements
Medical:
-
Designed
and furnished medical exam rooms and a pharmacy.
-
Obtain
donations of drugs, supplies and medical equipment for the
clinic to enable a local M.D. to perform
examinations/consultations on an on-going basis.
-
Obtain
donations of medical supplies and equipment for the local
hospital.
-
Surgical
correction of congenital facial and palatal defects, hand
deformities, burn-scar reductions, ophthalmic surgeries and
corrections.
-
C.P.R.
courses for medical personnel.
-
Pre-
and post-natal courses for medical personnel and parents.
-
Nutrition
and hygiene instruction for educators and health care workers.
-
Muscle
therapy instruction for Physical Therapists.
-
New
and innovative medical procedures shared with local
physicians.
Dental:
-
Designed
and furnished dental treatment facility.
-
Obtain
donations of dental supplies and equipment for the clinic to
enable a local dentist to do examinations and patient care on
an on-going basis.
-
Provide
dental examinations, treatment and oral hygiene instruction
for children in the barrios, an orphanage, and the nutrition
center.
Educational:
-
Established
a library for elementary school children and continue to
furnish books to supplement the library.
-
Provide
school supplies and equipment for the nutrition center and a
school for the hearing and speech impaired.
-
Instruct
teachers in new and innovative methods of education.
Construction:
-
Constructed/repaired
local hospital equipment.
-
Maintenance,
repair, and painting of convent and clinic.
-
Construction
of patient waiting area at clinic.
-
Financed
repair of roof of parish hall.
-
Procured
and installed playground equipment for the nutrition center.
-
Built
a wall at the school for the hearing and speech impaired.
-
Built
and furnished funds to complete a new nutrition center.
Goals
-
To
foster an environment where each child can be nurtured, loved
and encouraged to become the person God has called that child
to be.
-
To
strengthen established relationships with the local Church,
hospital, government and civic organizations to provide
facilities, supplies, equipment and monetary support for
on-going projects.
-
To
enhance conditions where hope might grow, where preventive
care and the education of children is primary, where children
might be empowered physically, mentally and spiritually to end
their oppression.
Needs
Volunteers
-
Dental,
medical, educational, trades, crafts, construction,
technicians and other "servants."
Materials
-
Medical
and dental supplies: antibiotics, Pedialite, Tylenol, cough
medicines, sponges, syringes, rubber gloves, x-ray film,
amalgam, injectable anesthesia . . . Medical and dental
equipment: non-electric hospital beds, examination tables,
incubators, exam lights . . . Educational supplies: pencils,
paper, books in Spanish, chalk, desks, scissors, crayons . . .
Other: electric fans, toys, children's clothing and shoes,
rice, beans, baking mixes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs and
personal hygiene accessories, shampoo, detergent, soap....
Funding
-
Jesse's
Children depends solely upon God's grace. We have no major
source of funding. All contributions go directly to support
projects for the children. There are no administrative
expenses; team members pay their own air fare, room and board,
as well as donate their time and talent...
The
McIlwains have taken more than 20 teams of physicians, dentists,
nurses, dental assistants, educators, technicians, youth,
builders, trades, crafts and construction persons to the Dominican
Republic since 1988 to provide a ministry of love and service.
We
welcome your comments, pledges, and contributions, and we ask you
keep this Ministry in your prayer. For additional information
about this Ministry, or to mail your contribution, please contact:
The Rev. Patricia P.
McIlwain
10415 Cory Lake Drive
Tampa, Florida 33647-2709
Phone: (813) 986-4670
FAX: (813) 982-2302
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