July is known as the month of summer vacation, but some people have been using this period to help others. This is what motivated 36 volunteers to leave various locations in Brazil and travel by plane and boat for almost 48 hours to Michiles Island, an indigenous region of Sateré Mawé. The location is in the municipality of Maués, 253 kilometers from Manaus, Brazil.  

The 2024 Andrews Mission volunteers spent 10 days in the area and served six indigenous communities, totaling around 800 people. The team included professionals in the areas of medicine, nursing, dentistry, psychology, pharmacy, education, among other professions. “We conducted medical consultations, delivered medications – all with a prescription – and applied bandages. We also gave lectures on domestic violence, health, and spoke about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to six indigenous communities,” explains Claudeci Vieira da Silva, the mission’s general coordinator. 

The Andrews Mission built a missionary base with dormitories, a kitchen, bathrooms and an auditorium on Michiles Island to house pastors and volunteers who arrive in the region every year to help the indigenous communities. Silva states that the Indigenous patients complained of a lack of appetite, stomachaches, and headaches and were constantly diagnosed with worms, hernias, gynecological problems, diabetes, and depression. “They live in a place far from the city with difficult access to medical, psychological and educational care, among many other basic needs,” says Silva.

An Extra Care

Ellen Silva de Carvalho, a physician specializing in vascular neurology, took part in her second trip of this nature. She shares that she has dreamed of becoming a doctor and a missionary since she was a child. “I must admit that the mission to the Amazon was quite challenging due to the natural conditions. The long journey by boat, the very hot and humid climate, and sleeping in a hammock. But the outcome was very positive, due to the opportunity to serve as Christ, to take a little of what He gave me to these indigenous communities. It was very rewarding to help alleviate pain, treat infections, and other needs,” she emphasizes.

"One of the indigenous children, Jessé, was very active and friendly with everyone. But due to a long-standing urinary tract infection, which had not been diagnosed beforehand, he was left prostrate for a few days. It was moving to see him doing well after receiving the appropriate treatment," said the neurologist.  

For Silva, "coordinating a mission in the heart of the Amazon rainforest is a responsibility that God gave me." "Seeing people smiling, children running around in the playgrounds, people thanking us for coming and saying that we were the relief of their pain, is very gratifying," he said.

Gratitude and Hope

Josibias Alencar dos Santos is the community’s chief, or chief of the Sateré Mawé indigenous tribe on Michiles Island, and he emphasized how important the group was. “They helped us have a better quality of life and better health. I want to thank all the missionaries for helping our community,” he said.

However, Agnaldo Guimarães de Almeida, leader of the Michiles Island Adventist Church, added that he witnessed the joy of the children, youth and adults of his Sateré Mawé ethnic group, where he has lived for 24 years and has been a member of the denomination for 14 years. “The lectures on health, education, and the lectures for couples were very important. Our people were helped with medicines and physical and spiritual food,” explains Agnaldo. “We want the volunteers to come back more often,” asked Almeia. 

Andrews Mission

The project's name is a reference to John Nevins Andrews, a missionary who dedicated his life to helping others. Since January 2017, Andrews Mission has been sending doctors, nurses, dentists and other professionals to provide free care to people in need in Africa. 

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese website.