Bringing healing to a hurting world

One of the charities that Europlacer sponsors is Medical Teams International (MTI)

MTI was formed by Ron Post in 1979 – it was while Ron was watching the nightly news showing thousands of Cambodians fleeing to Thailand whilst being pursued by the Khmer Rouge.

Ron watched as aid workers picked up a young girl’s body from a rice field. He looked across the room at his teenage daughter and thought, “What if she lived in Cambodia? Would anyone care about her?” 

Suddenly, a thought came to him as clearly as if someone had written it on a piece of paper. 

The idea: recruit a medical team to help refugees!

Here are some words from MTI’s website

Since 1979, we’ve provided life-saving medical care for people in crisis, including survivors of the Rwandan genocide, the South Asia tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

In 1989, we launched a Mobile Dental Program, providing free dental care to people in need right in our neighborhoods.

With our history and experience, we’ve grown into our role as experts in disaster response – disasters that are both natural and manmade. Right now, we’re responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and the largest refugee crisis the world has ever known.

Our staff and volunteers care for the hurting in front line clinics, refugee camps and remote villages. In places where mothers and babies are dying. Where outbreaks threaten to overtake entire communities. Where local health systems are overwhelmed or non-existent.

We are a highly-regarded humanitarian relief agency – known internationally and locally for our expertise in refugee health care, disaster relief and mobile dental programs.

«With our history and experience, we’ve grown into our role as experts in disaster response»

Europlacer and MTI

Europlacer’s contribution to the MTI is specifically targeted at a project called Channels of Hope. The purpose of Channels of Hope is to mobilize the faith community in any location where we are working to help Medical Teams improve the health of women and children.

Europlacer’s donations have helped Medical Teams to implement Channels of Hope in both Tanzania and Guatemala, and with plans to expand into Lebanon in FY22 (October 1, 2021).

In Tanzania:

177 faith leaders/pastors received the Channels of Hope training

25 Congregational Action Team members (CHATs) were formed working alongside Medical Teams providing health messages/education throughout the community

800 children are served by the CHAT in the refugee camp

210 children are served by the CHAT in the host community

In Guatemala:

25 faith leaders/pastors received Channels of Hope training

10 Congregational Action Team members (CHATs) were formed working alongside Medical Teams providing health messages/education throughout the community

150 children are served by the CHATs

The faith leaders are the gatekeepers of information to the community. If the pastor believes what is shared is against what Scripture teaches or is contrary to the local culture, the pastor will prevent the health messages from getting to the community.  Through Channels of Hope, we are able to help pastors and faith leaders think differently about culture and religious practice by:

• Engaging the Head: Learning basic technical & scientific information
• Touching the Heart: Understanding the impact of culture & religion on people in the community using sacred Scriptures as the basis for our actions
• Equipping the Hands: Practical connections with other community members to plan a response to address the most pressing health needs in the community. This involves mobilizing the CHATs

Europlacer is delighted to be assisting Medical Teams International – we will be providing updates on upcoming projects in future newsletters and on our website news page.