Pastor Sosa, along with his assistant Jesus and YLMHC’s Servant Event Facilitator helped load up hospital beds and other ambulatory equipment for migrant shelters with clinics

In Mexico, though medical services are offered “without cost” to its citizens, there are many smaller hospitals and rural clinics with limited funding, which creates a financial strain to both the institution and its patients.

Ambulatory equipment were among the donations brought by OGT in April and May

These small and rural health institutions become dependent on donations from different governmental programs and non-profit organizations, which is what makes it possible for them to provided needed medical equipment and supplies to their patients, such as walkers, wheelchairs, and adult diapers.

In the last two months, Orphan Grain Train (OGT) brought down several donations to Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLMHC), and over ten pallets of medical equipment were set aside to be picked up by Mexico’s DIF (Integrated Family Department). Several hospital beds and medical chairs were also among those donations brought by OGT, which were picked up by Pastor Sosa, who oversees a ministry that cares and funds for several migrant shelters along the Texas border on the Mexico side. Several of these shelters have small clinics, where nurses care for migrants with medical needs.

Walker and wheelchairs were taken to a rehabilitation center in the sierras of Chihuahua

The ten pallets of medical equipment, which included isolation gowns, surgical gloves, walkers, wheelchairs, and other items, were taken into several different rural clinics in Mexico. The donations were given to Mexico’s DIF and taken across the border to be distributed to where the greatest need was.

CAAPS Anapra received gloves, gowns, disinfectants, and even some treats for their staff

A municipality located in the Chihuahua mountains, La Montada, has a clinic where several patients received walkers and wheelchairs, giving them a sense of independence and hope along with the ability to move on their own.

The CAAPS Anapra clinic offers free healthcare to the surrounding community, where 50% of the population lives under the poverty line, attempting to survive at $40US a week. When shelter and food are hard to come by, this clinic provides care for health problems, such as diabetes, hypertension, and other long-term illnesses.

Their limited access to medical materials and equipment, however, can become an impediment for patient care. The donation of sanitation wipes, isolation gowns, gloves, and other personal protection equipment was gratefully received by the doctors and nurses of the clinic.

“They are always grateful to receive donations,” YLMHC’s Mexico Missions Facilitator shared days after the materials were distributed, “Personal protection equipment such as gloves and isolation gowns are hard to come by for clinics like CAAPS and other rural places. To be able to provide wheelchairs and walkers to rehabilitation patients is a joy for healthcare workers.”

It is a blessing for YLMHC to work side by side with organizations such as OGT and DIF, making it possible to help these clinics serve their communities to the best of their abilities.