HANDS INTERNATIONAL: 2008

Friday, April 4, 2008

GUYANA INITIATIVE

by Hedrick J. Edwards

In 2008 HANDS launches its mission with the Guyana Initiative - the first phase of its four-year Caribbean Basin Projects. In partnership with the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Davis Memorial Hospital, a team of volunteers will venture into the only English-speaking country in South America from August 3-17 to augment the efforts of others already there.

Davis Memorial Hospital

In seeking to mend the broken and empower the powerless, they will collaborate in conducting a health exposition, engage in medical assessments and referrals for diabetes, certain cancers, hypertension, etc., present workshops and symposiums on the Dynamics of Family Life and Wellness, identify community development projects for medium-term partnerships, and host a number of other public events that emphasize the importance of personal and community health both in church-planting and in nation-building.This initiative promises to be an exciting experience.

There is need for a few more physicians, nurses, public health and related professionals to complete the team bound for Guyana in August. There is also need for individuals and organizations to join in partnership with HANDS to support this and similar project.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Mission: Health and Development Services International Inc. (HANDS International) is an approved voluntary non-profit agency established to channel the knowledge, skills, and resources of dedicated servant-leaders toward human development. Inspired by the Spirit and deeds of Christ and in the tradition of luminous souls throughout history who have followed his example, the agency seeks to embody the ideals of compassion for the disadvantaged and care for the underserved. Through its programs and ministries it seeks to collaborate with those who hold similar principles, focusing primarily on promoting health care within the community, wholeness within the family, group empowerment through education and training, and on emergency relief linked with long-term community development. Those committed to these values are essentially volunteers without borders, serving the underserved without pay.

The Objectives: HANDS will direct its efforts toward achieving the following objectives:
1. Assemble intervention teams of caring and culture-sensitive professionals who are qualified to attend to health conditions prevalent in underserved communities and to engage in general health promotion.
2. Create and maintain model health and development programs that can be adapted to the special needs of the disadvantaged and the underserved in various cultural settings.
3. Based upon accurate data and effective global and local networking, maintain a dossier of under- served communities and people-groups which have special health and developmental needs.
4. Assist in developing and sustaining at least one international project oriented toward health promotion and recovery, education, family life, and/or community development.
5. Form partnerships with other agencies within the vicinity of the Inland Empire in planning and executing community-based programs or convention whose goals are consistent with the ideals contained in the “Healthy People 2010” framework.
6. Foster cultural diversity, sensitivity and competence through meaningful cultural exchanges and program partnerships with various ethnic churches and local groups.
7. Organize seminars and educational forums that address issues of current interest in the areas where health, education, society, and faith intersect with the goal of increasing general awareness or provide special leadership training.
8. Recognizing that the deteriorating state of the family in much of the modern world is a major source of physical, psychological and social ills, identify places of special needs and secure competent human resources to provide guidance and education in the dynamics of family life.
9. Maintain a state of readiness to participate in emergency situations in which natural disasters or calamities threaten significant loss of life, health, or property.

From the HANDS first Executive Director

January 30, 2008

Dear Colleague and Friend:

I am pleased to introduce to you Health and Development Services International, (HANDS), an agency dedicated to short-term mission service in selected regions of the globe. Heart-rending images of the most horrific natural disasters this generation has ever experienced stunned the world in 2004. Equally disturbing is the continuing cry of hundreds of millions - the most vulnerable on our planet - whose chronic debilitating health and social conditions contrasts so sharply with our position of relative privilege. Moreover, the need to resolve conflicts, foster understanding, and facilitate reconciliation among the diverse and often disparate inhabitants of our planet has never been greater.

HANDS was recently established as a conscientious response to these stark global realities. While it cannot redress all the world's ills, this fledgling agency represents a defining choice - a choice inspired by the spirit and deeds of Christ and luminous souls throughout history who have followed his example - to join forces with others to make a positive difference. Those who carry out its mission seek to embody the ideals of compassion for the disadvantaged and care for the under-served. Wounded healers themselves, they have chosen to be volunteers without borders serving the under-served without pay.The agency is therefore eager to welcome into its cadre of volunteers physicians, nutritionists, nurses, health educators and others of goodwill who identify with the vision captured in its compelling motto:

IN BROKENNESS, HEALING HANDS: IN CONFLICT, RECONCILING GRACE

Very sincerely,

Hedrick J. Edwards
Executive Director

HANDS Board

Current:

Reynold Agard, MD (Internal Medicine)

Linbrook Barker, MD (General Surgery)

Antonius Brandon, PhD (Clinical Psychology), MA

Hedrick Edwards, DHSc (International Health), MSPH (Health Education), MA (Counseling), MA (Biblical Theology)

Lester Horrell, MD (Pediatrics)

Julihana Madison, MS (Nursing), MBA

Norman Mitchell, PhD (Biology)

Naomi Modeste, DrPH, MPH (Health Education)

Paul Thorpe, MS (Computer)

Chair: Julihana J. Madison, MBA, RN; President: Antonius D. Brandon, PhD; Executive Secretary: Hedrick J. Edwards, DHSc, MSPH; Treasurer: Paul Thorpe, MS; Reynold Agard, MD; Linbrook Barker, MD; Lester Horrell, MD; Norman L. Mitchell, PhD; Naomi Modeste, DrPH

Founding Board

Chair: Norman L. Mitchell; President: Antonius Brandon; Executive Secretary: Hedrick J. Edwards; Treasurer: Paul Thorpe; Members: Linbrook Barker, Naomi Modeste, Paula Fox, Lawrence Weeks, Charles David

HANDS INTERNATIONAL

Friday, April 4, 2008

GUYANA INITIATIVE

King's House, Jamaica

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