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| Association Amicus Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 1, Feb 2007 |
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In This Issue |
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Greetings! |
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We at Baxter Institute and JMA Clinic pray that the year 2007 brings spiritual growth and success for the cause of Christ to us all!
This newsletter will be a little different than the previous ones. We realize that not everyone uses email, therefore, not only will this newsletter be emailed, but it will also be printed and mailed out. Since this is our first "hard copy" newsletter in a while, some of the information in previous newsletters may be included here.
Thank you for your interest in the work of Association Amicus and please let us know if you have news or items that you think could be included in our newsletters. |
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January -- New dentist, Dr. David Ayers, joined JMA Clinic staff
Jan. 25 -- 1st yr. students arrived! 11 single men, 4 families.
Feb. 24 -- Dylan Alexander Campero was born to students, Paul & Megan Campero from Peru/U.S.
Feb. 25 -- Las Damas de Baxter/Tegucigalpa’s 1st fundraiser of the year. Raised money for the installation of bars in the 1st floor married student apartments.
March -- Sarai, daughter of Eulalio & Sara Mejias from the Dominican Republic joined her family after a one- year separation. Money was donated for her trip and visa expenses by U.S. visitors at the 2005 Baxter Graduation.
March 18 -- Las Damas de Baxter/Nashville fundraising dinner hosted by Maple Hill church of Christ in Lebanon, TN. Donations went to the Kate Howard Scholarship Fund.
April -- Carlos Abraham Carbajal became new Supervisor at the JMA Clinic.
April 6-8 -- Women’s Seminar in San Pedro Sula ..approximately 125 women from congregations in Tegucigalpa attended.
April 18-24 -- 68 students were involved in evangelistic campaigns in 6 different towns in Honduras. These campaigns resulted in 27 baptisms and 42 restorations during that week.
May 10-13 -- Baxter Seminar—Carroll Robertson— Alton, Texas.
May 18 -- Nutrition Program Celebration at JMA Clinic
May 21 -- 3 men became elders at the Tierra Blanca church of Christ in Danli, Honduras.
June 24 -- Wedding of Philip White (Steve & Jeanne's son) to Sarah Johnson.
July 5-6 -- Seminar with Luis García and Selvin Monterroso.
July 10 -- Alexandro Oliveras (‘03 Baxter grad.) began teaching at Baxter Institute, after completing his Master's Degree at ACU.
July 10-14 -- Calvin & Linda Henry taught seminars on campus concerning mission work and the work of a preacher's wife.
July 19 -- 2nd year of Jeanne & Steve's work in Tegucigalpa
August -- Challenge grant of $12,500 met! September -- 1st group of VCOM medical students at JMA Clinic.
Sept. 10 -- Day of the Child. 26 children of students celebrated a special day with games, food, piñatas and gifts. The Clinic also celebrated by having a party for the children in the Nutrition Program.
Sept. 13-18 -- Encuentro, planned and executed by Baxter students. Around 400 youth from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama attended.
Sept. -- Las Damas de Baxter/Tegucigalpa hosted a very successful dinner during Encuentro, selling 85 tickets and raising money to help with the purchase of class rings for our graduating students and appliances/utensils for the cafeteria.
Sept. 30 -- Damas de Baxter/Nashville fundraising dinner hosted by Brentwood Hills church of Christ raised over $10,000.
October -- 2nd group of VCOM medical students at the JMA Clinic.
Oct. 9-21 -- Chuck & Bobbye Wilson taught English/Bible classes at Baxter.
Oct. 16 -- Mia Danaé was born to students, Luis & Abi Navarette
October- November -- Ada Paz, a sister from the La Vega church of Christ down the hill from Baxter, taught a class to our women on campus on making cards and other crafts.
November -- Dr. Jose Amador is new full-time doctor at JMA Clinic.
Nov.6-8 -- The 4th year students attended the Pan American Lectureship in San Pedro Sula.
Nov. 23 -- Thanksgiving at the "White House" in Tegucigalpa
December 2 -- Baxter graduated 12 students. | |
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There is a song we sing here at Baxter and in the churches all over Latin America. I wish you could hear the melody, because the melody is as beautiful as the words. It was written by Marcus Witt who is one of the most famous Latino preachers and singers in the US. The words are like this (with my translation):
Your faithfulness is great
Your faithfulness is incomparable
No one is like you, blessed God
Great is your faithfulness
I wanted to share this with you because our God is faithful. His faithfulness is incomparable, no one is like him. Once again, the Lord has provided for Baxter in a way that is very exciting and encouraging, as He always does. Why do we doubt that God will provide? He really wants us to depend on Him for our daily bread and our daily blessings.
In December, I sent out a letter to those on the mailing list to let you know that we received a Challenge Grant in the amount of $50,000. We received an amazing response and we raised over $51,000 and that will now be matched up to $50,000. Great is the faithfulness of our God. We are extremely grateful also to those of you who answered the call to give. Thanks to each of you.
However, we need you to continue in your faithfulness. I am asking each of you to do two things for us: keep Baxter in your prayers so that we can continue to train men to go into the Spanish-speaking world and preach the Gospel; and find a way to help us financially. That can be done by your personal donations, or asking your congregation to become a partner with us. Also, consider a significant donation as part of your estate planning. Talk with your CPA or attorney and put the work of Baxter in your will.
Brother Noé Pérez, this year will be working on fund- raising. He now has trips scheduled for March to the Houston area and in April to the Nashville area. Why not invite him to come to your congregation and meet with the elders, the missions committee or to make a presentation to Bible classes or the whole congregation. He is willing and very capable to do this. Contact him by email at
dnperez@yahoo.com
We know our God is faithful. Will we be found faithful until the end? |
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JOHN 11:25 NKJ
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
Chuck Martin, an elder at Westover Hills church of Christ in Austin, TX, went to be with our Lord on February 21, 2007. He served on the Association Amicus board of directors for many years. Chuck’s family says that his personality could be best characterized by joy and his amazing love of life.
Marguerite Everson from Pegram, TN had been a member of Damas de Baxter for many years. She and her husband, Bert, had never missed a graduation until she was stricken with cancer. Marguerite and Bert made one last happy trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras for graduation in December 2005. I remember her telling me at that time she wanted to go one more time. Sweet Marguerite was a young 72 when she went home in January 2007.
Amelia Osborn from Arrington, TN was 97 years young when she went home in December 2006. She was one of the earliest members of Damas de Baxter. Ms. Amelia had been in failing health for many years, but had worked diligently for Baxter, along with other ladies from her congregation, who organize the craft/bake sale at the December Christmas Breakfast every year.
Our brother Pedro Zúniga was one of the elders in San Juan Pueblo, La Masica, Atlántida in northern Honduras. He was a dedicated servant of the Lord with a loving heart for lost souls. He started his Christian service in the town of Tocoa, Colon where he worked shoulder to shoulder with Armando Pacheco, who at that time was one of the elders in La Ceiba. Brother Zuniga leaves his wife and three children. He was 50.
Each of these servants of the Lord will be missed and never forgotten. We celebrate their lives and are comforted to know that they are in Heaven. |
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The Great Physician
You know that Jesus was a great physician. He was a healer in many ways, including the human infirmities that we all have at some point in our lives. I am very thankful for all of the good brothers and sisters who are willing to spend the many years of training to be healers: doctors, nurses, dentists, etc. Also, I am glad there are people who are willing to look at some of the nastiest things on earth and curiously put out their hand and say, “Wow, that’s cool”.
We now have a program at the JMA Clinic in partnership with the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) at Virginia Tech University in which we receive their fourth year students for a one-month rotation working in our clinic and going on remote medical clinics around Tegucigalpa and other parts of Honduras. Our first group of three students arrived in September 2006 and we were all very happy with the experience. Thank you to Amy, Bhaba and Camille (see photo above) for being our “guinea pigs”. As of January 2007, we have had the pleasure of working with 15 medical students.
VCOM is in its fourth year of operation. They have a wonderful facility there in Blacksburg, Virginia and now have three affiliated clinics in the Spanish- speaking world—in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; San Salvador, El Salvador; and now in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The students will receive varied experience working in the JMA Clinic, local hospitals and in remote villages. We appreciate the cooperation we have received from the Dean, Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlings, the Medical Missions Director, Dr. Joe Cacciopo and the Vice-President for International Relations, Dr. Dean Sutphin. The connection between VCOM and the JMA Clinic was actually made when Dr. Sutphin retired from Cornell University and took a job at Virginia Tech. He had a relationship with the Agriculture University in Zamorano, Honduras about 45 minutes outside Tegucigalpa. He had cooperated in projects with that University for about 10 years when he moved to Virginia Tech and began working with the new medical school. Dean is a member of the Blacksburg church of Christ and heard about Noé Pérez, who is our vice president and had studied at Virginia Tech. The connection was made and within about 9 months, we had an agreement and this partnership is now off the ground.
I think those who have worked at the JMA Clinic in the past will see many changes in the work there in the near future. We have plans to do some remodeling and hopefully will acquire some new equipment for use in the laboratory and other exciting things that we anticipate. It is great working with Drs. Dixie, Joe and Dean because they are big thinkers who have great plans for expanding the work we are doing for the poor people of Honduras. Please keep this program in your prayers and if you are interested in participating in any way, please contact us.
Steve |
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Ten students received their Licenciatura of Theology Degree from Baxter Institute on December 2, 2006, and two student wives received Certificates in Biblical Studies. These graduates are (from left to right):
Top Row: Josué Ramirez, Mauricio Jiménez, Carlos Rivera, Adalberto Gutierrez, Elvin Espinal Middle Row: Geovanny Moreno, Luis Sosa. Bottom Row: Martha Moreno, Osiris Sosa, Shary Chavez, Marvin Garcia, Guadelupe "Lupe" Mayo
Approximately 60 guests from the U.S. attended graduation, 6 of whom were here for the first time. It was a wonderful week with guests, as well as our students, interacting and experiencing many of the week's activities together. |
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When a church or individual wishes to sponsor a child in the program, we assign a child and send a photo and history. The cost to sponsor a family is $25 a month, which qualifies the entire family, not just the child, to receive free food every 10 days or so. This supplemental food consists of beans, milk, sugar, rice, oil, corn flour (for tortillas) and any other foods which have been donated, i.e., spaghetti and sauce, etc. Then, the entire family receives free medical/dental care, medicines, vitamins and spiritual help when the mother or guardian comes for the food.
In addition, unless there is good reason not to, the mother is required to attend our sewing or hair care classes to enable her and the family to become self-sufficient and/or get a better job in a factory, restaurant or shop, and therefore be able to better care for the family.
Every 3 months the doctor at the Clinic does an evaluation on the child. If the child has not improved, it may be that someone is selling the food for alcohol or drugs or it could be the child is in such a state of health that he/she is unable to improve.
The $25 a month is sent to the Westover Hills church in Austin, TX, the sponsoring congregation for both the Clinic and Baxter Institute. When a child leaves the program, if the sponsor is continuing with the support, we inform that sponsor that the child has left and then assign another child/family. Usually a child remains in the Nutrition Program from 6 months to a year, sometimes less, depending on the child’s progress. We have some cases where the child is mentally or physically handicapped and we keep that child in the program indefinitely. We also have some widowed grandmothers who are raising grandchildren and we help these women on a regular basis. We also make exceptions when a mother comes to the Clinic and it is obvious there are children, not in the program, but who need food and clothes. So, we do make exceptions, depending on the situation.
We have sponsors who just contribute to the program and do not wish to be assigned a family. This is how we make up the difference when we have families with no sponsor.
In 2005, 14 women in the Nutrition Program were baptized, so not only are we feeding bodies but souls as well. We currently have about 59 families enrolled in the program. Our limiting factor is the number of sponsors.
Please consider participating in this incredible program. If you need more information, please email Carlos Carbajal, clinic director, at nutritionjma@yahoo.com . |
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Remember that book about everything I need to know, I learned in kindergarten? Well, I didn’t go to kindergarten, so I am at a disadvantage. One of those things I might have learned is: “It isn’t nice to say that people are crazy!” But, you know what? People are crazy!
There are different levels of crazy. I’m no psychologist, but allow me to elaborate:
1. Real Crazy—there is a guy in Tegucigalpa who I have seen a couple of times. He walks around buck naked, without a stitch of clothes on. And no one seems to mind. Why? He’s crazy! Everyone knows it. He probably knows it. There was an article in the paper a few months ago about other guys in Tegucigalpa who do the same thing. This country just doesn’t have the resources to put them in an institution where they should be.
2. Sorta Crazy—Sometimes it is fun to be Sorta Crazy. This is when you can just do stuff that “normal” people don’t like to do. Like Karaoke. You have to be really good or Sorta Crazy to do that. I have two sons who are both Sorta Crazy most of the time. I still don’t have the desire to see the camp video of one of my sons drinking a glass of other people’s spit! Actually, that may be pretty close to Real Crazy!
3. A Little Crazy—Each of us is crazy to some degree. Back 10 or 15 years ago, there was a big liberal movement toward Multiculturalism, which said that there is no difference between the many cultures in the world. They are all equal. The head hunters of Papua New Guinea are just as moral as the Mormons. This is maybe more than a Little Crazy. I believe in diversity. I like diversity. I am really glad people are not just like me. I like having the choice of Strawberry Ice Cream or Chocolate Ice Cream. When people are different from you, they seem to be a Little Crazy. I once saw a book written many years ago about Alexander Campbell. It is a fictional account of his life. The title is A Fool For God. I like that. I wouldn’t mind being called a Little Crazy for God. Throughout history and especially in the Bible we see some very strange characters: Jephthah, John the Baptizer, Jeremiah, Job. Each of these was uniquely different. Even among the Apostles, James and John were the Sons of Thunder who wanted to bring down lightning and strike people with whom they disagreed. Peter may be my favorite. He was different from each of the other apostles. He really was a Little Crazy. He was the first to put his foot in his mouth on many occasions. He was the first to use his sword when they came to arrest Jesus. He didn’t really understand at that time.
We need to not be afraid of being fools for God. In 1 Pet. 2:9 and in Tit. 2:14 in the King James Version we are called a “peculiar” people for God. That has meanings on several levels, but we need to be different. We need to be at least a Little Crazy in the eyes of the world. We have some crazy ideas, like loving your neighbor, putting others first, telling the truth, keeping your promises, marrying for life, monogamy.
May God make us a peculiar people for him. May our witness before the world be emphasized by our standing out as a peculiar people for God.
May the love of our Lord and Savior surround you each day and keep you safe from the Evil One.
Steve White
Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
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If you haven't been to the website in a while, please check it out. Go to:
We are constantly updating the website, so check often to see what's new. Please note when you click on both Baxter Institute and JMA Clinic, you will find "Current Needs" listed. We are hoping this will help the many groups who come each year, as well as individuals, Bible classes, etc., who want to either bring or send items to help Baxter and the Clinic.
The Clinic always needs basic medicines and supplies that either are not available here or, if they are, are very expensive. Baxter's needs are a little different. Many of the items that have been sent or brought in the past (such as personal items, soaps, shampoos, clothing) can be purchased here for about the same cost as in the U.S. We will still list specific items you can collect to bring or send for the students and, of course, any gift is always appreciated; but for the most part, it is just more feasible to send money to Westover Hills church of Christ, earmarked for the items you want to donate. For example, if your church or class wants to donate shoes for the children, you can send the money earmarked for that gift and we can purchase the shoes here in the city. We can get just the right size and the specific type of shoe that each child needs. If you can email us when you send a donation of money in to let us know how much and what it is for, we will make sure it goes for that purpose.
You can find more specific information about giving to Baxter Institute and JMA Clinic on the website. |
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We appreciate your interest in Association Amicus, the Baxter Institute and the JMA Clinic. If you would like to help us by making a financial contribution to these works, please send your check to: Westover Hills Church of Christ, 8332 Mesa Drive, Austin, TX 78759. Write in the "memo" line on your check how you wish your contribution to be applied -- to the Clinic (Medical/Dental), Nutrition Program, Baxter or Non-Specified. Non-Specified donations are split with 70% for Baxter and 30% for the JMA Clinic.
Because He lives,
Dr. Steven White, CPA
Association Amicus
internet phone: 281-205-9161
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