FAME has partnered with Del Corazon de JesuCristo in the city of El Catey, Dominican Republic since 2004. Dr. Steve and Julie Dorsey are the Directors of the work there.
Recently, FAME took a team of 20 team participants, which included 15 associates who work at Hancock Regional hospital in Greenfield, IN, to partner with the Dorseys and with Dr. Leslie Valenzuela. Dr. Leslie is on staff at Del Corazon and she sees patients at the Del Corazon clinic who are from El Catey and surrounding communities.
We were so blessed throughout the week to be able to serve through medical outreaches in locations that were chosen by two local Pastors. These medical outreaches opened doors for evangelism long after our team left for home.
There are two medical outreach stations that I have always felt hold a special place in our medical ministry. Our preventative “Health Education” station and our “Kids” station. Why the “Kids” station you might ask?
The purpose of our “Health Education” station is to provide education on how to stay well and how we can prevent disease. Simple handwashing is an example of how we can eliminate almost all diseases, but yet, this is not a common practice in many developing countries.
FAME’s Dominican team shared these topics when teaching at our “Health Education” station – how to treat a sore throat without the use of medications, treatment of diarrhea, and the importance of exercise and a proper diet.
What makes the “Kids” station so special? The smiles, giggles, sounds of balloons popping, face-painting, rope jumping, chalk drawings, bubbles, games, nail painting, etc: all lead to the beginnings of a personal relationship with each child, albeit for a day.
It was this type of relationship between Dr. Steve Dorsey and a young Dominican boy that changed this boy’s life forever!
A few years back, our FAME team was headed home after serving a week with the Dorseys. We were at the airport in Santo Domingo when we heard one of the airport employee’s yell “Hey, I know you!” When we turned around, he walked up to Dr. Dorsey and said, “You used to come to my town every year when I was a kid, and I remember you!” This young man had not forgotten all the attention and love Steve and others poured into him so many years before.
This story has an even more amazing ending. God’s plan all along was to call Steve to become a full-time missionary in the Dominican Republic.
Thank-you Dorseys, for allowing us to be a part of His plan for Del Corazon de JesuCristo!