Extreme Medical Missions!
The Biggest Miracle!
As the time got closer for this big medical mission trip, we realized that another vehicle would be almost essential for the kind of traveling we'd be doing (on some of the most dangerous and remote roads requiring 4 wheel drive) and for the size of our group. It seemed impossible with all the other big financial needs we had, but we knew that God would provide somehow. We had been praying for a few months for a vehicle for the new Mayoyao mission that we're helping our friends, Briane and Joy (newest part of our team 
get started (about 3 hours from here). But wouldn't it be great, we thought, if God would provide it now for this trip! We tripled our prayers, found a truck for sale, and waited. The days drew closer. . . and not too late, and not too early, but the day before we left to go pick up our group, God provided a couple specific donations, and we purchased the 4 wheel drive missionary truck!! (You can see it in the pictures.) It was and is perfect for our needs! It holds 6 people comfortably and has a big bed in the back to haul supplies. What a great God we serve.
The Trip
I jokingly call this the "Extreme Medical Mission Trip" because we drug these dear people all across northern Luzon, camping on classroom floors, in missionary houses, and budget hotels--staying in 9 different places in 12 days! We drove from one end of Luzon to the other, it seems, with sometimes just a few hours of sleep! But, I did not hear a word of complaint! All I saw were increasing smiles, bonding, and great joy that only serving others can bring. What a team and what a trip God provided us!
The Team
We had 2 doctors, 5 nurses, one counselor, 2 camera men/women, and many with multiple skills that added greatly to the team (translators, drivers, massage therapists, medical missionaries, "pharmacists" and "ophthalmologis" etc đ We were thankful for the surgeon and dentist team from CVAH (the Adventist hospital close to us here in Santiago) who joined us for part of the time as well. We are looking forward to the video that our camera crew is making of the trip.
We had a very multi-cultural (from 5 countries) and diverse team, some seasoned missionaries and others visiting a developing world for the first time. Some were experienced, remote-area nurses and doctors, and others were just getting started. It was amazing how all the skills and personalities fit just perfectly for what was needed! It was also a great learning experience in many ways for many of us. I appreciated very much the spirituality of the team and the time and care taken with each patient.
Fun with Education
This was our first time also to make a real priority for education (and natural remedies) with half a day allotted at each site, just for that. And, though we still have much to learn and improve on, we were pleased with how things went. We gave our Australian team members (2 medical families) the responsibility of giving the health lectures and demonstrations, and they did an excellent job with top quality presentations! The people were eating it up, especially when we brought out the prizes for the quizzes between each talk! (The hats and baby blankets were the favorites that made the crowd go wild! But even the little notebooks and pencils amazingly caused a stir.) Some of the topics were hard to swallow (Nutrition, Water, Smoking, Alcohol etc.) but they really seemed to understand. It may take another generation to make the changes, but it has to start somewhere.
NEWSTART Health Fair
We called these medical missions: "NEWSTART Family Health Fairs" to distinguish from a typical medical mission. We encouraged the people to come and stay all day, which most of them were able to do. We tried to give people practical ways they could prevent and treat their problems even after we left. I feel we are finally finding a good balance between natural and conventional medicines. We used alot of garlic, charcoal, malunggay and lagundi capsules (local immune boosting and healing leafy greens), vitamins, sulfur soap, etc. Many of these things are readily available in these areas and they can continue using the fresh sources even after they run out of the capsuled versions we gave them. We taught them how to make and use their own charcoal and how to use water for healing. The local missionaries (mostly Philippine Frontier Missionaries) already teach these things to their people, but we were able to add credibility to them, which they really appreciated.
Counseling and Prayer
We enjoyed having a professional counselor along to join in the counseling station with our other "counselors". With their various backgrounds in health, they were also able to talk with each patient about their health needs. Depending on what the patient seemed interested in, they could counsel on spiritual, family, or health issues, or all three! We were so happy that God provided alot of great sharing materials too for this trip! (we're learning to give it generously away and God will provide more!) The counselors were able to pray with each patient before sending them on to see the doctor. They, along with the doctors, made notes on the patient's record forms and we left them behind for the missionaries to do follow-up. We found several special cases that need surgery or other special care that we're working on finding help for.
By land or by air: Speed the work!
This was also our first time to lead a big group up here and these guys were perfect guinea pigs! We learned alot, and more then anything it was confirmed in us the great need for a helicopter! (After all the traveling, I even developed a condition on my legs (Erythema Nodosum) that practically laid me flat for almost a week!). For now we will keep working on the ground, scouting the areas, and preparing the airbase until He provides for air transportation. Thanks for your prayers for this need that could greatly speed God's work in these areas!
I will let the pictures and the upcoming video tell the rest of the story of this memorable trip đ
Pray for us as we plan another trip with a group coming this September.
May God continue to bless you as you share in this ministry!
Still Small Voice
By: Roy Reyes
The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic
Psams 29:4
â I do not usually go to health centers or medical missions, but I had a difficult condition in my 8 mos. pregnancy, I usually just go to my mother which is very known as a traditional healer in our village. But suddenly a change happened when a group of medical missionaries arrived (P.A.M.A.S.) ; a still small voice was ringing in my ears and was pushing me to go, immediately I got up out of my bed and wentâ.
This was a testimony of Norvena, a native Palawano Muslim. It was late in the afternoon when Norvena arrived in our medical mission. As soon as she entered in the room she almost fainted, her blood pressure dropped to 70/60 and she looked very pale. We immediately rushed her to the nearest hospital. They put oxygen on her because of difficulty of breathing. Her blood was checked and the hemoglobin dropped to 40 mmol. which was very low (normal range 120-160 mmol.). Immediately the doctor ordered  2  units of blood to be transfused. But there was no compatible blood for her, so the doctor talked to her husband for her to be transferred to Puerto Princesa hospital (4 hrs. from Brooks Point). Her husband didnât want to go, because they donât have money. But Praise God for His providence, the hospital provided for free ambulance conduction and endorsed the rest of the responsibilities to PAMAS.
In the hospital, 2 units of blood were immediately transfused (and later 3 more), and when she was in stable condition, they did an ultrasound and found out that Norvena had twins inside her womb. The babies were also distressed so the Doctor ordered an operation (Cesarean section);  They put IVâs to the babies and gave antibiotics because of Sepsis (infection in the blood). After 2 weeks Norvena and her twins were discharged in the hospital. The fear of Norvenaâs husband was answered by God with the help of PCSO (Phil. Charity Sweepstakes office) who took care of most of the costs! Bring back glory to God, 3 lives were saved, and the whole family are rejoicing and praising God. Jehova JirehâŚGod provides!"
Roy (author of story above)--suturing wound
Wendy asseses Norvena on arrival to our medical mission
Baby Samantha and Allison
Here are a few pictures of the medical mission that Norvena came to, and the 2 week meetings we held jointly for this special group of people in Palawan. It was an amazing, extremely busy, but so awesome two weeks! Satan tried in several ways to intervene, but we increased our prayer sessions and we were amazed at what God did! It was the best team work we've experienced with our team yet! (We are so thankful to the visiting team also!--from the States . And the speaker, and the Brennan family (with AWA) who made this effort possible!)
One attendee said "I have been unhappy and had questions for so long now. This is the first time in my life that my questions are being answered!" She requested Bible studies after the meetings.
After one presentation, another attendee said thoughtfully, "Now I see that Jesus is really God!". . . . She attended every night and helped with the medical missions too! She is currently studying the Bible with our missionaries.
Praise God for what He is doing around the world to reach these special people who don't yet know the truth about Jesus!
Wendy and Dwayne Harris
P.S. Norvena and babies are being cared for by our missionaries with regular home visits. Watch for more pictures and videos with her story and the twins! (who, by the way, were named after our dear SM's--Allison and Samantha! Speaking of which, they (Sam and Al) are on their way back to the U.S. now! 
But praise God they have caught the mission bug and we plan to see them back again soon! What a HUGE blessing they have been to us this year!! THANK YOU, SAM AND AL!
Our team, after an exciting, exhausting, and blessed week of Medical Missions & Meetings!
Caring Doctors--always smiling!
Special couseling, education and prayer booth
Nightly 2 weeks kids program--in conjunction with the meetings
Busy Pharmacists
Sam and Al--bye bye!!
Go Forward!
PAMAS made the cover!
See Wendy's cover story inside of the March 2011 issue of the Adventist World, entitled "Go Forward! God's impeccable timing in mission--and marriage".
http://www.adventistworld.org/
In the Midst of Turbulence
By: Andrey Mershalov
One day, early morning when I was going to bring Angela to school Pastor Kent Gorge called
up and ask if I could fly immediately. He explained to me that one woman fell from the tree.
She needs emergency help. It is happened deeply in the mountains , where missionary Nixon
works with people of the darkness. I departed immediately. The weather was not bad but when I
was flying over the mountains. There was a big turbulence. I worried about it and pray because
if I should not come the woman would die. I was feeling that God helps me and control this
situation . immediately God comforted me with his word in Revelation 21:3 â Behold the
tabernacle of God is with men, He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God
Himself shall be with them , and be their Godâ. And then I started singing and get quiet. I picked
up this woman and brought her to Camantian clinic. Our missionaries helped her . Praise God
the woman survived.
To all our sponsors thank you for your continuous prayer and supports. Bring back glory
to God!
A Changed Face and a New Hope
Aina's surgery--the docs did an excellent job!
Another heart warming story of a changed face, a new name, and a new life!
by: Allison Hanaway (one of our SM's)
I first met Aina Ulmedo when I picked her and 3 other cleft lip patients up from Rio Tuba. Merely hours before, our team learned of some free surgeries that were going on in Puerto Princesa and we were given 6 slots. Since we had just returned from a medical mission to Balabac Island, we knew there were a couple cleft lip patients there that were willing to undergo surgery. We contacted Randy and Arman at the Balabac Mission project and they were able to find and transport 4 patients to us by boat. I was chosen to accompany all 4 patients to Puerto and to act as their advocate during the surgeries.
Though shy at first, Aina and I were able to talk quite a bit on our trip to Puerto. This 24 year old had been born with cleft lip that reached up through her nose and up to her right eye. On the Island of Balabac, if you are born with a deformity, you are often called by that deformity. In this case, Aina had been called Ongi (cleft lip) her entire life. The 3 days leading up to her surgery, Aina and I had become close. So when it came to her surgery, I asked the doctors if I could go in with her. This way, I was able to be there when she went under and when she woke up. After all was said and done Aina had a new face, spirit, and overall goal for her life. One week and 2 days after meeting this incredible young lady, it was time for me to say goodbye to my new friend. As she left she gave me and hug and a letter, reading:
"Iâm very thankful to God because of you, mam Allison, for your kindness you showed to me when I was in the hospital. You were so patient with me and my colleagues. You were always by my side, you did not leave me at all times. I thank God so much for giving a person like you. You know what, before I dreamed of meeting a person who would care for my situation, and you are a fulfillment of that dream. Thank you so much. Now, I see clearer all the plans God has for me. I feel a new hope for my future. I hope God will forgive me for all the sins I have done before. Again, thank you so much for all of you, especially to you, Ate Allison. I will never forget you. God bless you and take care of you always. Aina"
Psalms 28:7 says, âMy heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. And with my song I will praise Him.â God used me to help change Ainaâs outlook on life. But at the same time, He used Aina to help change mine.
Allison, SM photographer/video editor--tells a Bible Story
Babu was Comforted
Just have to share this short, but heart warming story from one of our new missionaries, Roy Reyes. We are very excited how things are going with the project in Palawan, and we are very grateful to God for bringing Roy (and his family soon to follow) to help guide the project (along with Danny and all of the great team he has blessed us with!) I won't say more, I'll let the story give you a little more glimpse of what goes on in the mission world in Palawan. Enjoy the pics below as well.
Wendy
Babu Aida was comforted
The world is sick. Wherever the children of men dwell, suffering abounds. Every hand is seeking for relief. Babu is a PAMAS in-patient (Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services); she came from Balabac Island, a Muslim island in the tip South of Palawan. She was rushed to the hospital, in the middle of the night, because of a severe headache and chest pain. Brookes point hospital is the nearest hospital for the people of Balabac Island. It can only be reached through a 5 hr. boat ride and a 2 hr. car ride. During my pastoral visit I had noticed that she was very upset. âWhy are you sad?â I asked her.
âNothing. I just had a lack of sleep, last night.â I gave her advice on how to have a good sleep. But it was not her real need. âWhatâs bothering you, Babu? How do you feel right now?â I asked. âI feel much better right now and I have no pain. Itâs just hard to get good sleep at night.â Then she started to tell me her problem. I found out that the cause of her sickness was fear of an evil spirit. She told me that when the clock strikes 5pm, she feels very cold starting at her feet going to the top of her head. Then she begins to have a headache, chest pain and numbness on her head. But after an hour, she begins to feel well again. Most of the Filipino Muslims live in fear. They believe in spirit boundaries. They also believe that Satan is much stronger in one place and at a specific time. Babu Aida became nervous when the clock would strike 5pm because she believed that Satan was
the one giving her these bad feelings. After listening to her stories, I offered her a prayer in the name of Isa Almasi (Jesus). On that day, together with her older sister and nephew, I started giving them a
chronological bible study using picture rolls. We talked about the attributes of God, the fall of Satan, the fall of man and the plan of redemption. In that hospital ward, we spent an hour a night, for 5 nights,
studying Godâs goodness and praying together with the other patients. Since then, Babu Aida feels comforted and you will see a smile on her face after each lesson. Peace enters into her heart and gives
her a good slumber every night. Now they will go back home not only healed physically, but spiritually.
Praise God for opening doors, and for being with us as we continue reaching people with His Word. On behalf of PAMAS, Thank you for your prayers and financial support. Bring back glory to God.
Maranatha.
By Roy Reyes
Roy served 7 years with his family in Balabac with PFM (Philippine Frontier Missions), and then 3 years as Field coordinator for all the PFM projects of Palawan)
Wendy and Roy in Balabac (with former helicopter evacuated patient (in yellow)
“Overnight Medical Flight” video
Back in December, members of our team went on a Helicopter Medical Mission to the PFM West Palawano project near Risal. They did a medical clinic for the people there before the missionaries started an evangelistic series. Here is a video of their Mission.
‘P.A.M.A.S. Update: Meet the Team’ video
One of our missionaries put together a video to update everyone on our progress on the Palawan project while also shining the spotlight on our hardworking team.
A Blessed New Year
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
Hope you're all enjoying your holiday time with loved ones. We're here at AIIAS with my parents, enjoying watching the blizzards, ice storms, and floods from afar! Glad to talk to many of you and know that you're safe and sound.
Land
Things have been moving slowly still on the land purchase, BUT we have made some significant progress! After God provided a donation to purchase the land, we then were waiting on the final paperwork to go through for our non-profit corporation to be officially incorporated. But, just before we came down for Christmas last week, we finally got the papers! So, now we can purchase the land under our official corporation, PAMAS (Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services). Dwayne will be able to start that process when he gets back up there in a few weeks (see below). Please pray now that the land purchase will go smoothly as, some of you know, there are many problems and land issues that often arise in this country even with the best precautions. It's all in God's hands, though!
Visit to Rice Terraces
Before we came down last week, we decided to take a day trip over to
the famous rice terraces (supposedly they were starting to be built 2,000 years!), which are only a few hours drive from our place
now, on a shortcut, dirt road. We had a great time! It was a perfect, clear
day and such a beautiful drive. We ran into some landslides--one that held
us up a couple hours, but not too bad. And we were glad for our 4 wheel drive in several places where it was very muddy, But, it was a grand adventure to explore new areas. We took a hike down to a beautiful, little native Ifugao village where the views of the rice terraces were amazing. I'll attach a few pictures (though pictures hardly do justice!).
FCA Indonesia!
Next week we head to Indonesia, where we will be speaking at the first Faith Camp Asia in Indonesia! We will also help with some of the afternoon break-out sessions and anything else we can do to help support. It seems God has something special planned for this event. Besides the unexpected miracle that we received when some of our dear relatives offered to pay our way as a Christmas gift, we have heard of many other miracles in relation to this program.
Visit to Palawan
Then, as soon as we get back from Indonesia we will head to our Palawan project. We have some new missionaries arriving and other visiting nurses coming to see what missions is all about. Dwayne has some things to check on and things to do on the helicopter. He will probably just stay a few days, but I will stay another couple weeks. I will do a little medical training and then we will also hold a "medical mission" (as they call it here) down in Balabac, the southern most islands of Palawan. One of the PFM (Philippine Frontier Missions) projects will be doing their first evangelistic meetings and they've asked us to do a couple days of free clinics and health education before it starts. Our missionaries in Palawan just did another one like this the other day in another PFM project. You can read about their exciting adventures on their blog on our website pamasmission.org (bottom left under "Blogroll" and " PAMAS missionary blogs"). This was their first real medical mission without us--and for some, the first one ever--but sounds like they did a great job You can imagine our need for a larger helicopter since at the moment we can only take one or two other small people besides the pilot!
God will provide
We thank you so much for your prayers for the project in Palawan as well as the new project in northern Luzon. We know that God will provide as He always has and in His perfect timing! We will be ready to start building again (another hangar and adjoining housing, just like before!) in a very short time. So, we appreciate your prayers for the funds needed for this exciting new project as well.
Aircraft update
We are still waiting for God's timing and provisions for new aircraft. Our first priority is a helicopter for this new Luzon project and a bigger one to replace the Palawan helicopter. We also need an airplane for longer distances and inter island use.
We have much to praise God for as this year comes to a close. One of our biggest blessings is each of you--our dear friends and family who pray for us and support us in so many ways! This means so much to us and really does keep us going.
We hope you have a restful holiday season and a blessed New Year. Though this world is full of pain and uncertainty with things only getting worse each year, praise God for the hope we have of His soon coming and an eternity of perfect joy with our Saviour! May we each be ready for this fast approaching day.
Waiting and Progress
Land purchase for new airbase
Just wanted to give you an update on the latest happenings with us here in the Philippines. We are still working on processing the purchase of the land that God seems to be directing us to here in northern Luzon where we plan to build another airbase/ helicopter/medical mission. In the meantime as we wait for various aspects of the process, Dwayne has been doing some wonderful improvements on this house that we are staying at in Santiago City (around a half hour from the land). Putting up screen in the living room and kitchen has been my favorite improvement since the mosquitoes were eating us alive-and then fixing the toilet so it would flush, the shower head so it would spray properly, the bathroom faucet, the heavily leaking kitchen sink etc. have been other improvements much appreciated by me! Dwayne has also put in better locks on the front door and gate, a request by the owners, which we were happy to do. We are happy to do improvements on their house, as they have been so gracious to let us stay here. Dwayne has also spent time experimenting with making a different kind of hollow block form for possible use in our next building.
We have been waiting on a lot of things lately, much to Dwayne's frustration, and this includes internet. They have been promising to come and install internet in our house for the last two weeks. We hope next week it will finally happen. In the meantime we have been wandering our neighborhood trying to search for some wireless waves to borrow so we can make important phone calls at odd hours and check bank accounts etc.
I have been enjoying the waiting time, as I've also been working on getting this house to a more livable state, packing some of the owners things in boxes to put in storage and doing lots of cleaning and organizing. Dwayne is helping me start a small garden, which is fun too. I've also been learning to cook with some new foods, one burner, and no oven etc. (But it's been fun. We actually have a lot more available here food wise then we had in Palawan).
Medical opportunities
Last Sabbath we helped with a medical mission at a nearby prison. The hospital church goes there every Sabbath afternoon. They seemed happy for our help. Another thing that will keep me busy for awhile is working on a little medical handbook that I can share with our missionaries and those I come in contact with who are interested in medical missions. It will just be something basic that I can use as I share with people what I've learned through the years. I do not feel like an expert, but I can see how sharing some of my experience could help people get started.
Trip to Pagudpud
For example, we just came back from a trip up to the northern tip of Luzon where we visited another mission and their 5 new SM's who are struggling with how to take care of patients. The doctor that was supposed to be with them wasn't able to come (and they are not even nurses). I shared with them a few tips in our short visit but realized they could use some simple training and resources just to be able to do the basics. Some of the doctors from the Cagayan Valley Adventist Hospital (close to us here) go up there now and then so I offered to ride with them when I can and continue to help the SM's and the clinic there.
Books needed
I also see a huge need in Mindanao where the famous SULADS student missionaries from Mountain View College (MVC) work all throughout the mountains with schools for the remote indigenous people. At this point they do very little with the medical needs because they have not been trained and have very little resources. There is a 2 book series called the "Village Medical Manual" that has been my favorite throughout the years that I think would be so helpful for all missionaries out here. It is very comprehensive and it's written for people with and without medical training. I have given a few sets to missionaries now and then, but lately we decided we really need to get a whole box shipped out here to share and teach from everywhere we go. We would also like to get a bunch of "Where There is No Doctor" books which is even more basic. It's good for training local health workers and it uses more natural remedies.
Expanding into Mindanao!
A few weeks ago we were able to attend the Faith Camp Luzon and Faith Camp Mindanao. a very encouraging, motivating, and spiritually uplifting camp meeting type program focusing on faith and missions. One of the main speakers was David Gates and we saw how God provided this opportunity for us to spend time with him especially in Mindanao as we made some real progress on plans to expand to that region soon also (near MVC).
Ready and waiting for helicopters
As soon as we can get another helicopter pilot here in Luzon and some construction workers to oversee the building of this airbase, we can move forward with the Mindanao project. There is a huge need for a helicopter there as well. With the 32 schools and 3 high schools (run by the SULADS) scattered all over the mountains (some taking 2+ days to hike into) we could keep busy just supporting them with supplies, medical and missionary transport. But then you add theology students from MVC that could be flown out on the weekends to the many remote areas begging for help or nursing students that could fly out to other areas and provide medical relief--the opportunities are endless. We talked to many people while we were in Mindanao and we see how this place is just waiting and so ready for a helicopter to help speed the gospel to go throughout the vast mountains.
Exciting things are in the works, as God seems to be opening doors for His work to move forward! We hope to be able to share with you more exciting progress in the near future. And we ask you and thank you for your faithful prayers for this ministry. We know that God will continue to provide in his way and in his timing for this work and we thank you so much, all of you who have been a part of it by your prayers and support.