Twin Missions International was founded in 2018 by my twin sister, Dr. Eunice Odiase, and myself. We are both medical doctors who started this nonprofit organization from our desire to use our skills as physicians to help those without access to medical care. As medical students, in 2011, we began volunteering in Peru. As we advanced in our careers, we continued to help beyond medicine as saw the the need for not only medical care, but also dental care, optometry, food, and education. We began bringing mission teams with us internationally and in 2018 became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It has been one of the most challenging undertakings we have ever done, but it sure has been most rewarding!
We have medical personnel on our team that specialize in pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology, hospitalist medicine, endocrinology, pediatrics, internal medicine, physical therapy, intensive care, and podiatry. We will be serving by offering free health care, medications, supplies, and education and serving the children and adults in these communities. In additional we will be providing dental and optometry care, providing food, toys, and clothes for underserved families.
We will be serving in the surrounding towns and mountain villages of Jose Galvez, a city outside of Lima, Peru within the district of Pachacamac. This are is a very poor area with many that do not have money, the means, or any access to healthcare. Some villages have a large indigenous population of Quechua people. Because of this these towns are often very isolated because they do not speak the native tongue. They lack food, have no clean drinking water, no means of transportation, and no access to healthcare.
We strive to help these dear people of Peru. I think it is important to to care for the whole patient and not just focus on the medical aspect. This is why we partner with the local mission site called La Roca. This mission site has a church, dental and OBGYN offices, volunteer physicians, pharmacy, prenatal center, clothes pantry, and a school from pre-K to 12th grade. These patients can continue to be followed and cared for and their children can also get education with connections at the school at La Roca.
Yep, we really went to Peru this year!
Wow, so many things have changed in the world we now live in! It’s hard to believe we took a team to another country in the beginning of 2020. COVID-19 was just beginning to make its presence known when we took our team to Peru and returned. Then everything began to shut down. We are so grateful we were able to go before the pandemic began! Now that our world has changed, we have to change with it. But we aren’t letting that stop us. Despite the condition of the world, we still have big plans to help the beautiful people of Peru in 2021! We can’t wait to tell you about our plans, but first, let’s catch you up on what happened on our 2020 trip.
We had 19 amazing volunteers on our team this year! Each member of the team was a key part of the mission. They worked hard, loved deeply, and served from their hearts. They each donated their finances, time, and efforts, but in giving, they were surprised by how much love they themselves received from these precious Peruvian people! The team consisted of three general medicine physicians, two pediatricians, one physician assistant, one podiatrist, one physical therapist, two registered nurses, and nine non-medical volunteers!
Medical Campaigns
We separated into two teams and went out to many different neighborhoods to set up remote medical clinics.
In some locations, families from the church opened their homes to us, moving furniture to create space and inviting all their neighbors to come get free medical care and hear the Gospel. In other places, we set up in community centers, churches, hair salons, or schools.
In addition to providing basic medical care, we provided prescription eyeglasses (using portable auto-refractor technology), dental care, and free groceries from the large food pantry we organized!
We served over 800 Peruvians in
11 different neighborhoods!
MAKING A LASTING IMPACT
Although this was a short mission trip, it was important to us to make a difference that would last after we were gone. While the team worked at the mobile clinics, our Peruvian partners also connected with the patients.
We set a bold goal of raising $30,000 for the mission trip and reached it! We thank our wonderful donors for helping us reach this goal, and Dox Foundation, for also contributing to help me get to Peru and continue this outreach that I love. Funds were used to help purchase groceries for the food pantry, medications for the patients, and other needed supplies for the mission. Also, a significant amount was allocated toward making a lasting impact on the community by creating scholarships and providing food to low-income families.
Thank you for being a part of this mission! You made a difference in so many lives in Peru!
