Last week I traveled as part of a small group of Covenant missionaries and visitors from Harvest Ridge Covenant in Kansas to the Isthmus region of Oaxaca to participate in a health screening program that is part of a
ministry called Semillas de Salud (Seeds of Health) headed up by our colleague Dr. Cindy Hoover. The promoters and doctors of Semillas de Salud are partnering with public schools and other institutions such as the local prison to be able to offer health screenings. The week we spent there we worked at a public elementary school in the downtown area of the town of Tehuantepec and performed screenings for children from first through sixth grade. This includes things like height and weight, vision testing, and hemoglobin testing (every kid loves getting the finger prick!) and a general check-up with one of the doctors. The goal of Semillas is to be able to not only screen, but also connect the children and their parents to the necessary follow-up care.
For the most part, it is basic screening, but the results can be dramatic. There are plenty of cases of issues being caught such as bad vision or poor nutrition that can be addressed and can make a huge difference in that student’s life and performance in school.
It was an honor to be able to participate with this group and get to know better the ministries of Semillas de Salud.
2 thoughts on “The Isthmus”