SW Iowans teach, heal in Belize

Thirty-two southwest Iowa residents and nine from other states  traveled to Belize in June to give a week of their time and effort on a mission trip – the 13th for the Southwest Iowa team.

Among those on the trip were Dr. Warren Hayes, pharmacist Peggy Hayes, and RNs Jenny Hecker and Christina Solt, all of Red Oak.

The story of why they went begins in 1990, when Paul Whisnant, a 19-year-old Bible college student, went to Belize to start a mission to teach Belizeans about Jesus. In its 28th year, Dr. Paul Whisnant still directs International Servants (iServants.com), a non-profit Christian mission group based in Texas.

In 2011, Rich Van Dellen of Clarinda started what would become the Southwest Iowa team to serve with International Servants. The SW Iowa team ranged from two to eight members until 2016, when it jumped to 16. The Southwest Iowa team was always working in support of another group. It was Van Dellen’s dream to do at least one mission when he was 80 years old and to lead a team that was large enough that it would be the entire team for that mission.

Because of some serious recruiting by loyal team members such as Dr. Tom Baer of Malvern; Solt; and Van Dellen’s daughter, Kim, part of that dream came true this year when a team of 43 made the trip to serve in Belize. The team consisted of 31 members from southwestern Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The remaining 12 members came from across the country. Dr. Whisnant named Rich and Kim to lead the team. Rich normally serves as the pharmacy director and Kim coordinates the registration and vital signs stations.

The teams have been working in southern Belize. There, the population is small and very poor. The average income is $60-$80 a month for a family, if any of them can find work. They live in grass and stick huts with thatched roofs and have little to no access to medical care.

The youth ministry team is the heart of the Mission. Its goal is to teach the local children about Jesus Christ and His love. Andrea Morrison of Glenwood was the leader. “It was kind of like a vacation Bible school,” said Lori Murphy of Glenwood. “We taught them Bible stories, sang songs, played games and had snacks. They always do lots of activities.”

They encountered about 500 children.

“The people there have so little, yet the kids and people are open, loving and accepting of us,” Murphy said. “It makes you humble that we have so much and we take it for granted.”

The medical team set up a mini-clinic in one of International Servants local churches or a local school. Its goal is to demonstrate Jesus love by providing badly needed health care to the locals. Dr. Tom Baer of Malvern was the lead provider on this, his third mission. Baer was one of three providers on the Southwest Iowa team. The other providers were Dr. Hayes, Dr. Mike Crawford from Council Bluffs and Juanita Alvarez, a nurse practitioner from Omaha. The four of them treated nearly 600 patients in four days. Dr. Hayes’ wife, Peggy, was the clinic pharmacist.

“It’s hard work but it is a very gratifying thing because you can see you are actually helping people and they are very gracious for that,” Baer said. “I am blessed to have the gift to be able to help people.” “When you come back, you feel like the people have helped you,” said Baer.

Baer was joined by his wife, Sue, and their son, Christian. Sue was co-leader of the children’s team and Christian was on the construction team.

The construction team did a lot of maintenance at the Feed-a-Child Farm on the mission site and some of the local churches. The Feed-a-Child Farm helps feed the children at the local Feed-A-Child Center. Animals had been getting into the garden and eating the food, so the construction team built a fence around it to keep the animals out.

These volunteers pay their own way, approximately $2,000, and also raise funds to purchase the supplies that are needed for the medical clinic, the youth ministry team, and the construction team.

“I have helped people all my life,” Van Dellen said. “Just because I’m not working any more, I don’t think I should quit helping people.”

Van Dellen has been on 16 consecutive medical teams since his first one in May 2011. He was in Belize for five weeks this year and led all three medical teams – two with the help of Kim, who was with him for three weeks. He talks to groups and churches to promote and recruit for the mission trips.  

Before the group goes on a mission, he issues a warning to all the new members: “This is an experience you’ve never had before and you will come back a different person.”

To learn more about mission trips similar to this one, visit  

www.iservants.com. Van Dellen, Dr. Baer and  others are available to come speak to groups or church congregations interested in leaning more about the mission trips. You can reach Van Dellen by email at pharmacy@iservants.com.

2017 SW Iowa Belize Mission Team:

RedOak:

Dr. Wanner Hayes

Peggy Hayes, pharmacist

Christana Solot, RN

Felicia Taylor, CNAJ

Jenny Gettler (RedOak-Stanton)

Glenwood:

Barb Dilworth, RN

Mandy Dilworth-Lewellen

Donna Dickeson

Andrea Morrison

Isaac Morrison 

Jason Morrison

Lori Murphy

Jim Wheat, Paramedic

Kim Senecal Glenwood & Aurora, Colorado

Malvern:

Dr. Tom Baer

Sue Baer

Christian Bae

Tina Anderson-Hunt, CNA

Bety Joyce

Zack Joyce

Amber Schroder, CNA

Dusty Schroder

Carley Vandenburg, RN

Council Bluffs:

Dr. Mike Crawford

Jenny Hecker, RN

Phyllis Rodenburg

Clarinda:

Rich Van Dellen, team leader

The Red Oak Express

2012 Commerce Drive
P.O. Box 377
Red Oak, IA 51566
Phone: 712-623-2566 Fax: 712-623-2568

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