ADRA Provides Medical Assistance to Dozens of Migrants in Mexico

November 15, 2022 | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | Sharon Domínguez and Inter-American Division News

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Baja California in coordination with Adventist health professionals and volunteers from the Autonomous University of Baja California recently joined efforts to provide medical services to dozens of migrants in two shelters in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

The ADRA initiative, which has been running since March of this year, consists of assisting migrants with much needed medical services, who have left their home countries of Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and across other states in Mexico, seeking temporary shelter in transit to North America.

This time 50 volunteers offered nutritional care, dental services, and psychosocial support as well as workshop activities for children.  Volunteers were coordinated by a group from ADRA’s Emergency Response Team (ERT), in collaboration with Adventist Medical Ministry in the region.

“This service to the shelters represents a larger impact because every week we come with ADRA’s Emergency Response Team, but have noticed that the needs are so great here that it requires the support of many more volunteers,” said Carlos King, ADRA’s ERT director.

A handful of health professionals travel once or twice a month or sometimes more to provide services to a dozen or so migrants during the four hours they visit the shelters, he explained.

Tijuana is known as one of the main borders in Mexico and according to the Secretary of Government in 2021, there were 31,201 migrants from outside of Baja California were identified in migrant stations. That means that the number of those registered in the immigration offices or shelters is estimated to be greater than reported, said King.

The 1,400 persons who temporary stay in the Ambassadors of Jesus and Little Haiti Shelters usually lasts a few days, or weeks or several months before they head north or figure out their next move, explained King. The shelters are run by a Baptist Church organization.

During the six hours that the large health brigade took place on Sep. 17, the nine chairs designated for the dental services section were kept filled with dozens of patients moving quickly, said Josue Armenta, coordinator of the medical ministry. “We were very happy to have seen 64 patients with various dental needs, including some with serious conditions,” said Armenta.  There were about 181 persons who benefitted from the medical services initiative.

“God has blessed us with the opportunity to have more mobile equipment for these types of impact [assistance],” said Armenta. “We now have an x-ray machine that allows us to see the oral condition deeper of each patient so that we can provide better medical attention.”

More equipment is needed, he said, but it is a blessing to be able to help so many right now, Armenta added.

“Thank you for coming to care and support us,” said Guadalupe N., a 60-year-old woman who uses a walker. She travelled with her children from Honduras. They have been staying at the shelter for over a month. “I have several health problems but thanks to this visit, my tooth doesn’t’ hurt anymore,” Guadalupe said.

Among the member so the ERT was Veronica Robles who has a education degree and assists in the psychosocial attention to minors. Robles has seen great emotional needs at the shelters and is happy to provide support during the hours she visits with the team. “The fact that I was able to share with them a little of my knowledge and above all show love makes me feel satisfied,” said Robles. “I worry though as to the types of persons they will become if they do not receive a follow-through when it comes to their mental health.”

Coined as “Let’s Go Together,” the ADRA project will see more joint larger efforts to continue providing medical assistance to migrants in the coming weeks and months.

To learn more about this project, adventistasbc.com