Christian Veterinary Mission
For the second year, we helped host a week-long missions trip with Mission Challenge and Christian Veterinary Mission.
This year Aspen, Cleme, Louis, and I (Dave) served with six veterinarians, three vet techs, two Jesus Film representatives, and the farm owner. What a blessing to rub shoulders with such a unique group of people! Heather and the younger three stayed back to man the fort. But when the team was on the farm, our little entrepreneurs Juliana and Huxley ran the farm’s snack shop with “help” from Caspian. Between meals, they were sure to propose their nicely priced snacks and knickknacks to any and all passersby. Our whole family treasured this fruitful week!
After a day on the farm, we headed two hours north to invest in four days of outreach in the sweltering heat of Sarapiqui. We ran clinics to vaccinate, castrate, and care for the animals of about 200 low-income families (mostly Nicaraguans). Many families have dogs to guard their chickens against coyotes, ocelots, possums, and other critters but cannot afford surgeries to “help control the pet population.”
Not being a veterinarian, it was cool to help in an area where I lack training. Even more than that, I couldn’t have been prouder of our three older kids. They jumped in and served with all their hearts! These vets were the pros, but we were all part of the team.
Louis was assisting with surgeries and preparing vaccinations. Clementine translated and ran the “recovery room,” a pair of old sleeping bags spread on the floor. She flipped about 150 animals, helping them gradually awake from anesthesia. Aspen genuinely cared for many people as he translated for the vets and served wherever else needed, even risking life and limb trimming toenails.
The second town we served was Los Lirios, only a few minutes from Puerto Viejo, where my parents planted a church in 1965(!). The vice-mayor of the Sarapiqui region gave us a wide open door for future ministry. We are amazed at God’s favor and eager to see what He will do next!
(one of the vets wrote this write-up that you may enjoy)
Here is the rest of the story in pictures. (click on them to enlarge and hover over them to read the description)
Love,
Dave, Heather, Aspen, Clementine, Louis, Juliana, Huxley, and Caspian Helmuth
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