Fourteen years ago a group of twelve from Jasper, Alabama traveled to Limon, Honduras to serve as short-term mission volunteers. Each year following that trip, the team grew exponentially. Eventually the first team broke into many teams. The group incorporated into Alabama Honduran Medical Education Network (AHMEN), serving under the auspices of UMVIM. This year thirteen teams served. They are estimating over 15 teams will be serving in 2012.
Each team has a general medical component, as that is the basic tenant from which they operate. However, their reach has expanded to eye care, dental services, sewing and woodworking schools, a refuge home for at-risk teenage girls, many feeding kitchens for orphans and widows, a program to supply shoes to children, the creation of fifteen libraries, the construction of schools and community centers, veterinarian services, and most recently clean-water efforts through bio-sand filtration systems.
AHMEN is now collaborating with Servants in Faith and Technology (SIFAT) on an initiative to train community health agents in issues of empowerment, environment and economy. Dr. Byron Morales is directing over fifty community agents who have committed to three years of quarterly workshops. Examples of the types of workshops include: vision testing, clean water and the prevention of parasites, importance of checking blood pressure and maintaining good health practices, and safety of children
(Excerpt from SEJ Newsletter)