WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE: BEHIND THE SCENES OF EACH SMA MEDICAL MISSION
Cheryl Cecil: My part in preparing for the mission trip was keeping all the information on the travelers together and their payments. In addition with the help of my son, David, Cecil and Mark David, SMA volunteer we packed 25 suitcases with various medical supplies. We packed reading glasses, gauze, tape, thermometers, band-aids, crutches and just about anything else medical you can think of. We packed and padded every nook and cranny of those cases and made sure not one weighed over 50 pounds. Along with Gail Topolinski we made sure all the paperwork was complete, signed and notarized and in the proper places. As you can probably imagine I was still packing the last suitcase on Thursday afternoon before I left on Friday morning. And all this took just a mere month and a half, but it was fun.
Mary Anne Fay: I solicited travelers/volunteers and collected all monies and deposits to completion. The most important job was establishing the budget and figuring out our expenses per traveler per day. This year was especially difficult as it is the first trip that some people are staying only one week. All of our other trips, we all traveled together. It is so important that we stay within our budget and have money for SMA to continue their work to carry out their mission.
Joe Kelly: How we get a mission trip off the ground?
1. Some basic guidelines that the SMA leaders have developed regarding carrying out a SMA mission in a foreign country. They are two: (A.) The mission must serve the needs of poor people in the country and (B.) an appropriate in-country partner must be identified who understands SMA's operations and is willing to work in a joint effort with SMA leaders and volunteers.
2. In the beginning stages of identifying a possible mission we discuss with the previous year's volunteer/participants if they have any ideas/contacts for a possible mission. Also sometimes we hear of some group/country that would be interested in having a SMA mission.
3. In the case of Ecuador, Doctor Patricia Hanchi, who has gone on other SMA missions, suggested her own country, Ecuador for a SMA mission. She lived in Guayaquil for many years, attended medical school there and practiced pediatric medicine for some years. While living in Guayaquil, she made friends with Father Anibal Nieto, a Spanish priest with a parish in Guayaquil. Father Anibal was especially concerned for the poor and started programs for them. As time passed Father Anibal is selected as Bishop of a new diocese that was forming - the Diocese of San Jacinto de Yaguachi. It covers a very large geographical area and is next to the archdiocese of Guayaquil.
4. Dr. Patricia was of the opinion that Bishop Nieto would be most interested in having SMA work within his diocese and conduct a mission. Dr. Patricia made the original contact with Bishop Nieto and he referred us to one of his staff, Renato Matteazzi, to work jointly with SMA to organize and carry out a mission in Educator.
5. I began communications with Renato explaining the work and missions of SMA and in February of 2013, I went to Guayaquil to work out the details of the mission held during August, 2013.
Cheryl Cecil: My part in preparing for the mission trip was keeping all the information on the travelers together and their payments. In addition with the help of my son, David, Cecil and Mark David, SMA volunteer we packed 25 suitcases with various medical supplies. We packed reading glasses, gauze, tape, thermometers, band-aids, crutches and just about anything else medical you can think of. We packed and padded every nook and cranny of those cases and made sure not one weighed over 50 pounds. Along with Gail Topolinski we made sure all the paperwork was complete, signed and notarized and in the proper places. As you can probably imagine I was still packing the last suitcase on Thursday afternoon before I left on Friday morning. And all this took just a mere month and a half, but it was fun.
Mary Anne Fay: I solicited travelers/volunteers and collected all monies and deposits to completion. The most important job was establishing the budget and figuring out our expenses per traveler per day. This year was especially difficult as it is the first trip that some people are staying only one week. All of our other trips, we all traveled together. It is so important that we stay within our budget and have money for SMA to continue their work to carry out their mission.
Joe Kelly: How we get a mission trip off the ground?
1. Some basic guidelines that the SMA leaders have developed regarding carrying out a SMA mission in a foreign country. They are two: (A.) The mission must serve the needs of poor people in the country and (B.) an appropriate in-country partner must be identified who understands SMA's operations and is willing to work in a joint effort with SMA leaders and volunteers.
2. In the beginning stages of identifying a possible mission we discuss with the previous year's volunteer/participants if they have any ideas/contacts for a possible mission. Also sometimes we hear of some group/country that would be interested in having a SMA mission.
3. In the case of Ecuador, Doctor Patricia Hanchi, who has gone on other SMA missions, suggested her own country, Ecuador for a SMA mission. She lived in Guayaquil for many years, attended medical school there and practiced pediatric medicine for some years. While living in Guayaquil, she made friends with Father Anibal Nieto, a Spanish priest with a parish in Guayaquil. Father Anibal was especially concerned for the poor and started programs for them. As time passed Father Anibal is selected as Bishop of a new diocese that was forming - the Diocese of San Jacinto de Yaguachi. It covers a very large geographical area and is next to the archdiocese of Guayaquil.
4. Dr. Patricia was of the opinion that Bishop Nieto would be most interested in having SMA work within his diocese and conduct a mission. Dr. Patricia made the original contact with Bishop Nieto and he referred us to one of his staff, Renato Matteazzi, to work jointly with SMA to organize and carry out a mission in Educator.
5. I began communications with Renato explaining the work and missions of SMA and in February of 2013, I went to Guayaquil to work out the details of the mission held during August, 2013.
In addition to our own luggage, each SMA volunteer transported at least one suitcase full of medicines, supplies, reading or sunglasses to Ecuador. A total of 25 suitcases of varying sizes were filled at the SMA warehouse with Ecuador-agency-requested medical supplies. An itemized packing sheet in triplicate is prepared: One stays inside the suitcase to be reviewed by Ecuador Customs, if needed, A second stays with the person of the ticketed airline passenger, A third stays with SMA office records. Other medications as needed is purchased in Ecuador with money donated through SMA fund-raising.