Note: MAP International has supported the medicine for these relief efforts.

This is a direct report from from our mission partner, Bishop Ef Tendero of Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches on Friday, October 16, 2009 Philippines time.

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners:

I was in Cagayan de Oro City last October 9 to speak at the 25th anniversary of Evangelism Explosion. I also shared the situation of people hit by the winds and raging waters. Among the first who responded to my call were two young, seven-year old twins. They had been saving money for their bikes, but upon realizing what happened to the flood victims, they decided to give up their dream rides and give the money to relief instead.

At PCEC/PHILRADS and i HELP we too are doing our best to help those in need, with God’s guidance and provision. We have served almost 10,000 families with emergency assistance consisting mainly of food and clothing, in 20 communities in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan. We are also facilitating the relief distribution of our ministry partners, from here and abroad, ensuring that their goods go to the most needy. We likewise processed the release, from customs, of the donated supplies and medicines worth about 12 million pesos. In the next few weeks, we are targeting to provide another 10,000 families with food and other help as well as medical intervention and trauma counseling, in identified depressed communities in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces. Some of these communities are still flooded.

We are also directing our efforts to northern Luzon provinces hit by “Pepeng” and the subsequent flooding. The situation there is no less critical. With your partnership, we will do greater intervention in the next few days.

All these are possible because of your help. You can help the people some more. Many still need emergency food aid, plus clothing, blankets and other household items. We are also looking into rehabilitation projects that would help them recover and improve their situation in the long run. You can send your donations to the Evangelical Center at 62 Molave St., Project 3, Quezon City, or deposit to PHILRADS: BDO Anonas-Kamias Branch, Peso SA No. 3980000251, or USD SA No. 3980032226. For further inquiries, you may call PCEC/PHILRADS at (632) 9136615 or (632) 9131655.

Thank you very much for your partnership. As Matthew 5:16 says, “…In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” We pray that you will continue to find joy in doing good deeds to help people in need for the glory of God.

I returned from Lusaka, Zambia, Africa, August 30, 1999. It was like waking up from a dream because everything I saw and experienced was so far from what I know as reality. But I cannot forget Juliet. Of all that I saw in Zambia, I have not been so moved with compassion than with Juliet.

Juliet is just two years old and cute as she could be. She makes me think of my own two year old daughter. Juliet is like any other child running around the house, playing games children play and generally having a good time. Barefooted, like the other children, not because she has a choice but because most children in Zambia are. As Juliet rounded the corner running through the kitchen she ran headlong into her cousin carrying a large pot of boiling water. Juliet is severely burned throughout her face, shoulders and arms.

Juliet's parents have no transportation so there is no way to get her quickly to the hospital. Fortunately however, Jennie and Sandra, who I am staying with and are my mission partners in Zambia, answer the call for help shortly after 5:00 p.m. Friday, the 20th of August. Jennie and Sandra rush her to the hospital. I stay behind because I have other things to do and hey, I would not be able to help even if I went. About an hour later Sandra comes rushing into the house tearing through the cabinets, the bathroom and bedrooms looking and asking for burn medication. The hospital has no medication on the shelf for baby Juliet!

It is after 5:00 p.m. and the prescription the doctor wrote can not be filled since the pharmacy is closed and will not re-open until the morning. Worse, the hospital has no I.V. for Juliet and no pain reliever. Juliet is in a state of shock and Jennie and Sandra are sure Juliet will die.

Somewhere in all the confusion I am getting a wake-up call. Things here are not the way they are in the states. Jennie and Sandra had asked me to bring some Children's Tylenol and my wife and I did pick some up from Costco. But it had already been distributed and was no longer available to us. As I scrambled through my toilet articles I found a small tube of Neosporin. I also had a small bottle of aspirin, only about ten left in my computer bag.

The severity of the situation remains touch and go through the weekend. My travel guide, Emanuel and I go to the hospital to see how Juliet is doing on Monday. By chance, she has just checked out and we are able to catch up to them as they are filling a prescription. We learn from the mother and sister they will be short on the fare to take a cab home. The money they have is all that they have. Immediately we make and cover the necessary arrangements. The total fare is less than two U.S. dollars. Over the next few days special care is given to Juliet and her state improves but the mother does not seem to truly understand the continual need to keep the flies off the open wounds. It's an educational process. It seems no one is fully aware of the associated risks of disease.

We purchased a mosquito net for Juliet to sleep in and mission partner and Mike Mealey carefully washed the wounds with water that had neccesitated being cooled off after boiling. Mike knows well the cleaning process as he is a double amputee himself. A hero in his own right, he is now a hero for Juliet despite her protests and cries throughout the careful process of cleaning the wounded areas.

Juliet has made a full recovery as of this writing, September 10, 1999, and her survival and quick healing is incredible.

Since her recovery, it has become a project focus to of mine, to provide more medical supplies through one of our project partners, MAP International. Now we have several suppliers of medicine that we work together with. Medical supplies will be taken in bulk to this nation, Zambia, to hospitals and the crisis nurseries.

One person really can make a big difference through leverage giving. Depending upon availability at the time of purchase, $450 buys these children medicines through MAP International, from various companies, which wholesale value can be more than $20,000.

Working together we can make even a bigger difference and multiply that many times over. You, your company, your employer, your church, or some other entity you know of should sponsor one or more "Travel Packs" or even a full container.

Private Vs. Public Donations

Private

• Cost of attorney and accounting fees
• Record keeping, bookkeeping and preparation of tax returns
• Pay 2% excise tax on any investment income annually
• 5% of private foundation assets must be distributed annually to avoid income tax
• Verification of all charities for income tax purposes
• All information of contributions and disbursements are public record
• Cash gift deductions are limited to 30% of your annual gross income and 20% on capital gain property

Public

• No fees - simply fill out a donor form, or your check can be used as a tax receipt too
• Pure Works handles all bookkeeping and tax receipts
• There is no tax on any investment income
• There are no minimum annual distribution requirements for a public foundation
• Pure Works verifies tax status for you
• Your contributions are confidential with Pure Works
• Cash gift deductions are 50% of your annual gross income and 30% for capital gain property

Rich Young presents medicine to Madam First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa at the Zambia Statehouse in Lusaka, Zambia, AFRICA, in May 2003.

PROJECT: "ZAMBIA MEDICAL BRIGADES" -

WHEN: October 2012

WHERE: Zambia, AFRICA

ELEMENTS:

1. Twelve doctors: four pediatricians, four gynecologists, and four general medical practitioners;
2. A container of medicine valued at more than $2.5 million dollars, wholesale;
3. Thirty-two mornings of medical seminars, thirty-two afternoons of free treatment to Zambian orphans, widows, and other vulnerable persons;
4. The research to submit immediate and sustaining solutions for leap-frogging a nation's medical system into today's most current technology available.

SUMMARY: There are two basic elements to this Pure Works project: to treat orphans, widows and other vulnerable with medicine in hopes to better their lives, sustain them for a longer life, in some cases, save their lives; and, to further educate local medical personnel. Other longer term benefits are associated, such as sustaining solutions to the medical system of Zambia that will save countless lives.

THE PLAN: A dozen doctors will be divided into four groups. Respectively, each group of three will travel to one of the four major cities in Zambia: Kitwe; Livingstone; Lusaka; and Ndola. Each group will be comprised of a pediatrician, a gynecologist, and a general medical practitioner.

THE TACTICS: Each doctor will teach curriculum in eight morning sessions over a period of two weeks. Each doctor will participate in afternoon hands-on treatment of patients. Evenings will be left for statistic compilation, journaling, and outlining technology solutions.

THE HUMANITARIAN AID: A container of medicine from Pure Works donors containing more than $2.5M wholesale medicine is ready to be shipped to Zambia from Brunswick, Georgia. The list of medicine has been approved by the Zambian Ministry of Health, and as soon as a contract is signed, the medicine will ship. This container of medicine will be supplemented as is needed as deficiencies are identified.

CELEBRATIONS: The Rich Young Band will play in Kitwe, Livingstone, Lusaka and Ndola celebrating this years medical missions in Zambia.