Reaching Out to Kiribati

Kiribati (pronounced Keer-ree-bas) is a remote country of 33 coral atolls spread over more than 2,000 miles of the equator.

For a number of years a couple of our church members here in Edom have ministered to this region of the world. Once a part of Australia, this independent country (consisting of these 30 some odd islands) is now considered one of the most medically needy by the United Nations World Health Organization.

What started off as an endeavor to ship medicines to the Line Islands (one of the most remote parts of Kiribati) has grown into a much larger mission. These church members have formed PIMA (Pacific Island Medical Aid) to help with this mission.

In the past four years, PIMA has supplied thousands of dollars of medicines, eye clinics, eye glasses, radio installation and upgrades (for the doctors to communicate with the nurses and other care givers on different islands), school supplies, and much more. Edom United Methodist Youth and the church at large have helped with some of these endeavors.

The most recent undertaking for PIMA was to ship 11 heart patients to the US in order to have life saving heart surgery in Plano, Texas. So far, 4 patients have received the heart care that they needed, with 6 more having arrived just this week to receive their care.

Today I had the opportunity to meet the islanders, their home doctor, their nurse and a few of our church members that have been a part of this process. We ate lunch together, prayed together and even sang and danced together (Joe has assured me that my dancing video will soon be on the world wide web!).

One of the most miraculous stories is of a gentleman that had a multiple bypass and is already up eating and singing with the others. These people's resiliency is nothing short of miraculous!

PIMA is impacting an area of the world with the love of Christ is some very profound and life altering ways.

I have two things to ask you in the days to come.

First, as you can imagine, this ministry is hugely dependent upon the resources that are available by people's gifts to the ministry. I would invite you to visit this non-profit's website and download their brochure that gives more information about all of the wonderful work that they are doing. You can find them at http://pacificislandsaid.org/. After reviewing the information, I would invite you to prayerfully consider having them come and do a presentation for your church or group and that you would consider partnering financially with them for this mission in the Line Islands.

Second, with half of the heart patients already seen, I would invite you to pray for these people's healing. Below you will find a list of people's names that are undergoing various types of heart surgeries along with their age:

Tenimakei Boota (Ten-e-mak-e Boo-ta) age 20
Ioteba Rabwena (I-o-tea-ba Rab-wee-na) age 23
Notia Remweru (No-see-a Rem-wee-ru) age 35
Tovioa Boanereke (To-vee-a Bo-ahn-a-re-ke) age 45
Teaoia Rimon (Tea-o-e-a Ri-mon) age 53
Tawana Wilder (Ta-wa-na) age 45
Iaabeta Terabwena (I-ah-ba-ta Te-rab-wen-ah) age 15
Marianna Vakaliki (Mary-anna Va-ka-le-ke) age 22
Tiorea Katauru (Te-o-re-a Ka-tah-ru) age 9
Kaitaake Urii (K-ai-ta-a-ke Urey) age 36
Matavalu Tekamaeu (Ma-ta-va-lu Tea-ka-ma-u) age 22

Please also keep the other care givers and transportation folks in your prayers.

Blessings,

Russell