Mission Emanuel

Mission Emanuel’s medical center serves Cielo, Nazaret and the surrounding communities in Bayona. Within the center are four ministries — community health, dental care, pediatrics, and physical therapy.  The following contains information about each ministry.

Community Health

On February 15th, 2010 Mission Emanuel began the Community Health Program.  The purpose of this program is to emphasize preventative medicine.  Health seminars are given in the community on topics ranging from communicable diseases to basic hygiene, dental care and prenatal health.  A community health education course began in April and finishes at the end of July.  This 15 week course teaches basic preventative health measures and how to be a health promoter.  This includes information on how to take blood pressure, temperature and administer vaccines.  From this class 10 community health workers have been selected to work in Cielo.  Each has been assigned a number of families (10 to 12) and is responsible for educating these families and knowing their health concerns.  The community health workers report back to the Community Outreach Coordinator, which helps to provide more accurate information on the health conditions in Cielo.

In addition, a program called Sanidad del Cielo is under the Community Health Program.  Sanidad del Cielo provides financial assistance for short-term and long-term health needs.  Those in need of assistance meet with a doctor to discuss their health condition, treatment and economic situation.  The doctor fills out a form, which is then provided to a committee to determine how much money will be awarded.  This committee also works to find funding to assist those in need.

Staff: Dr. Maria Mosquea and Diana Zorilla Reyes

Dr. Pete Armstrong Dental Clinic

In 2000, a complete dental office was donated, transported and then installed in the newly remodeled room all set up for our children’s dental clinic. This new program and facility was outfitted in the memory of Dr. Pete Armstrong who was a beloved friend, sponsor, and former mission project member. Donations are always welcome to support the ongoing health care needs.

In 2008, Dr. Mark Johnson and his wife Heather from Winston-Salem, NC donated two exam chairs and dental equipment from their practice in North Carolina to outfit the new dental clinic at the Medical Center in Cielo. Dr. Johnson has been coming to Mission Emanuel for years and provides dental care in the community when he visits.

The dentist is available Monday mornings and works with the school children in the Mission Emanuel sponsorship program.  He has his own private practice and also works with the Dominican government providing dental care.  Part of each grade comes to the dental clinic on Mondays to receive information on how to brush and care for their teeth.  Afterwards the dentist sees each child individually to provide a teeth cleaning and evaluate their needs.  It is very important to teach the children while they are young to care for their teeth and prevent cavities and infection.  It has been amazing to see how many three and four years olds mouths are full of cavities and abscessed teeth.  These infections can spread throughout the body and eventually prove fatal.  For this reason, Mission Emanuel hopes to be able to provide another day or two during the week for the dentist to work with the community at large.

Staff: Dr. Jose Manuel and Heidy Caceres

The Mary Lynch Budd Children’s Clinic

This clinic is currently located inside the new Mission Emanuel Medical Center in Cielo. A memorial to Mary Budd, this facility carries on the compassionate work of its namesake.

The clinic provides consultations to over 50 children and their families weekly.  The clinic is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:30 to 12:30.  Consultations are given for 50 pesos (less than $1.50) and medicines that have been prescribed by the doctor are provided for 5 to 10 pesos a piece (about $0.15 to $0.30).  Vaccines provided by Public Health and UNICEF are administered at the clinic for free.  Vaccinations provided include tetanus, polio, Hepatitis B and measles, mumps and rubella. Mission Emanuel provides over 1,000 vaccines yearly to children in the schools and the surrounding community.

Staff: Dr. Tatiana Cespedes and Melissa De La Cruz

Physical Therapy

The newly equipped and painted physical therapy center has been a blessing to special needs children living in the community.  The children can come up to three times a week (PT has the same hours as the children’s clinic) and receive physical and occupational therapy in the well-equipped and spacious physical therapy center.  Many of the special needs children that are currently being seen have Cerebral Palsy while others have Down’s Syndrome, paralysis, or developmental issues.  Aquilino, our therapy tech, has been working with the mission for years and is a passionate, dedicated employee who loves the Lord and the children he serves.

Staff: Aquilino Morillo and Alex Payanos