A volunteer program will soon be underway to provide maintenance for Seventh-day Adventist mission hospitals around the world that don't have the money to undertake much-needed repairs or remodeling.
A volunteer program will soon be underway to provide maintenance for Seventh-day Adventist mission hospitals around the world that don’t have the money to undertake much-needed repairs or remodeling.
Adventist Medical Missions International, spearheaded by the health ministries department of the Adventist world church, is aimed at restoring facilities such as Giffard Memorial Hospital, once a thriving Adventist mission hospital in Central India. Giffard has graduated more than 800 nurses from its nursing school since it was established in 1925.
The institution has thrived throughout its 77-year history, except for a near closure during World War II. Today, the hospital again faces closure because of extensive disrepair—some buildings have gaping holes in the walls and the ceilings.
“There are many Adventist mission hospitals in need of repairs like this one,” says Dr. Allan Handysides, the Adventist Church’s health ministries director. “Some local governments are asking that these hospitals be shut down because their drastic conditions don’t meet health codes.”
Plans call for a large volunteer movement to be launched—teams of approximately 20 volunteers will travel to one of 50 Adventist mission hospitals worldwide for three-week remodel and repair projects.
“Many of our hospitals have million-dollar endowments, while others are very poor, lacking basic supplies, repairs and staff,” says Julio Ochoa, coordinator of Adventist Medical Missions International. “We are excited about having groups give their time so they can bring hope to others.”
“We want our hospitals to be a good witness and right now, some of them are not,” adds Ochoa. “They’re not clean enough, they’re not meeting basic standards, and they’re falling apart.”
Giffard Memorial is just one of 50 Adventist mission hospitals that have already completed a formal request for volunteers.
Cooperation between many different church entities will be a hallmark of Adventist Medical Missions International, says Handysides. “In attracting volunteers, we plan to work closely with the church’s unions and conferences and their administrations to see how this program can be implemented in these different regions.” He says the project will also require coordination with the Adventist Volunteer Center, which is part of the secretariat department of the Adventist world church.
