HBI’s goal for the meeting was to gain advice and guidance in our recently initiated plans to develop a pilot nurse health advocacy program in Lima for medically fragile poor children and our commitment to facilitate a community health promoter program in conjunction with the Mission of Alto Cayma and with the local communities in Las Zonas Altas of Alto Cayma on the edge of Arequipa, Perú.  The Partners in Health leadership graciously pledged to share information and experience for our projects and we hope that this can be the start of a growing relationship in our common efforts.

Under the direction of HBI’s Director of Nursing (Karen Falkenstein) and Medical Director (Dr. Bob Gehringer), the Colaboracion Girasoles Project is seeking to build a model for monitoring and evaluating high-risk youth for vulnerability. HBI is assuring that all legal and ethical standards are maintained throughout the project and we are working closely with Union Biblica to assure cultural competency in data collection.

This week the team has been to the high Andes, the jungles of the central Amazon and they are on their way to the city of Iquitos tomorrow. So far, so good. The data collection has been a bit slow – as one would expect; but, the team is able to provide desperately needed dental screenings and medical consultations. HBI Staff – Dr. Bob Gehringer, Nurse Karen Falkenstein, and Ms. Carmen Zavala – and volunteer medical student Daniel  and three volunteer Peruvian physicians and dentists, have all been on the “Magical Mystery Tour. We are so appreciative of their hard work.

The third day of the Strategic Planning retreat is over and we have develop a clear direction for our work.

After a number of moderator led discussions, the group of assembled stakeholders (many representing the communities of Zonas Altas [i.e., the communities situated above the current settlements of Alto Cayma]) developed a vision statement to represent their desired collaboration around health services delivery and a set of clear objectives that answered the question of how they plan to operationalize their work. Meeting in the church of the Mission of Alto Cayma under the invitation of Father Alex Busuttil, the retreat was a focused around developing a strategic plan for expanding health and social services to the newer squatter settlements that punctuate the sand hills above Alto Cayma.

The sessions, a collaborative effort to bring together a number of community leaders and North American stakeholders around planning health services delivery, were a huge success – if for the simple fact that the retreat offered a rare opportunity for community leaders and stakeholders to meet together and carve out their own future. Careful attention was paid to planning for services that directly met the requested needs of the community leaders. Consideration was made to the efforts of the Government, other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Church supported projects.

The many discussions that made up the three day retreat we moderated by HBI. Our role was to help to engage participants into planning discussions. HBI will be instrumental in helping to operationalize the next steps for health services expansion. We are helping to develop a report from the meeting and a 2-page Strategic Document that will guide the communities efforts. In addition, HBI will be involved in helping to convene another Strategic Planning meeting and working with community leaders to disseminate the Strategic Document.

We are very grateful to the many committed stockholders (from the U.S.) of the Mission of Alto Cayma who traveled to Arequipa to help shape this retreat. We are also thankful to the many community leaders and Peruvian health professionals for their time, energies and commitment to the retreat. Most of all, HBI is very thankful for the efforts and continued dedication of Father Alex. He is a true servant leader and an inspiration for change in the world.

We have pulled together stakeholders from all over the U.S. People (physicians, nurses, public health professionals) who have a long term commitment to support the Mission of Alto Cayma. Along with our North American colleagues, we are bringing together people from all of the communities that the new health services program will serve. In total, we are a planning retreat of over 45 people.

Yesterday was an in-depth discussion about the current challenges and opportunities that face the Mission of Alto Cayma, the Province of Arequipa and the communities we are planning to serve. We discussed the data from the CARE IV research project (Dr. Kae Livsey did a fantastic job discussing the data sets from the study and how the information will influence our work). We also heard from the local Ministry of Health representative, young Peruvian physicians and nurses who are working in the area, and a member of the Peruvian government who is involved in administering the SIS (analogous to the U.S. Medicaid program) insurance program for the lowest socioeconomic communities in Arequipa.

All and all, it was a day filled with discussions and knowledge acquisition. Today the plan is to break into small groups and beginning the process of developing a strategic plan. We hope to lay the ground work for defining next steps and begin the development of a strategic direction document. The steps to change are enormous. The opportunities before us are plentiful. The real challenge is pulling together a cohesive framework for delivering holistic healthcare to a large squatter community with a very limited budget. Alas, that is why we are spending three days in this retreat – to truly plan our efforts and collectively define ways that we can support the Mission of Alto Cayma in their work.

We will be meeting to talk about the research data from the CARE IV community survey project conducted by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and HBI. We will also be reviewing new data from the WHO and PAHO and considering the strategic direction of the Peruvian Ministry of Health and the Arequipa Regional health ministry.

In three days time we hope to develop a strategic planning document that can be used to help shape a community based health services model for a population of over 25,000 people. Our goal is to build a model, alongside other public, private and non-governmental health delivery models, that can help to advance the health and wellness of Peruvians all over the country. Our ultimate goal is to build a structure that can be translated around the country and work alongside other unifying efforts.

Stay tuned to the Blog for updates on our progress. Thank you for all of your ongoing support of HBI.

Where: Andina Restaurant: 1314 NW Glisan St., Portland, OR, 97209

When: Monday May 20th & Tuesday May 21st
5:30pm ~ cocktails and passed appetizers “bocaditos”
6:30pm ~ 5-course dinner with specially paired wines
5:30pm – 7:30pm ~ Silent Auction including: artisanal Peruvian gifts, local attractions packages, fresh alaskan salmon, health & spa treatments, and more…

How Much: $150 per person (including gratuity)
~ $80 of each meal is a tax-deductible donation ~

Reservations: There are a limited number of reservations available each night.
Please contact us at Info@hbint.org with the following:
1) night you will attend
2) number of guests
3) any important dietary restrictions Andina should be aware of
4) a contact phone number where we can confirm the reservation.

Call Benjamin Grass to make reservations – tel. 608/354.7567

Tickets: Seats for the event can be purchased in two ways:
1. Send a check $150 per person to:
HBI, PO Box 8813 
Portland, OR 97207
2. Donate online: http://hbint.org/donate-to-hbi/
Please specify in the “purpose” box: Andina Dinner, along with the night you will be attending Monday May 20th or Tuesday May 21st.

Further questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact Benjamin Grass
email. Benjamin@hbint.org
tel. 608/354.7567

Though our focus is healthcare services delivery, we appreciate volunteers from all professions and all walks of life.  Young and old alike, we will keep you busy.

If you are interested in international outreach, and have questions or concerns about your involvement in the Team Perú project, further details can be found here:

Team Perú 2013 ~ Info Packet

They were married yesterday in Mala at the Union Biblica Camp Kawai. Family and friends from all over North America and Peru came to celebrate this joyous occasion with two extraordinary people.

HBI is so proud to work with Billy and Kate and we wish them a fantastic honeymoon.

To the Health Bridges International Community:

We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to all of you.  Our HBI team – Dr. Wayne Centrone, Ben Grass, Dr. Bob Gehringer, Dr. Daniel Bueno-Rojas, Karen Falkenstein, and our newest team member Carmen Zavala – experienced a level of support in 2012 that surpassed all previous years.  Thanks to your support – we have touched thousands of lives.

Each and everyone of you comprise an ever growing, ever more intricate network of individuals and passions that bring fortitude, vision, and determination to the work of Health Bridges International.  You are our committed change agents, who generously share your passion for the work of HBI.  You are the quiet contributors, whose monthly donations keep our wheels on the ground.  And most of all you are the volunteers who stepped out of your daily lives to join us in service and in learning throughout this year.

Each one of you, in a very real and powerful way – make up the HBI Community. Together we work to create human-to-human connections and build powerful bridges of hope and support.  Together we work to build relationships that strive for sustainable changes in the health of communities and individuals. For those whom we have been privileged to serve this year are also those who teach us what it means to live to the fullest extent and possibility of our own humanity.

Together with all of you, we can proudly say that we are Health Bridges International . . . we are change agents . . . and we are the bridge.  So here’s to you, for making the blessings of this year flow over.  Thank you.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year,

The Health Bridges International Team

Before we go there –  a huge thank you must go out to the team that made the 2012 event possible: Dr. Daniel Bueno Rojas for his amazing organizational skills and tireless efforts, Ms. Carmen Zavala for her “never-say-never” attitude and dedication to full-on service, Ms. Lilia Herrera for her help and support in the City of Arequipa, Mr. Benjamin Grass for his dedication and commitment to making the events happen, and Ms. Karen Falkenstein for her ever-present  smile and her unbelievable heart of service. Special thanks also goes out to the many sponsors and support staff in Lima, Piura and Arequipa who made the events a reality. Thank you!

Now, what about 2012 – well, the 2012 events received record press. We had articles in every major newspaper in Peru, were featured vignettes on a number of television and radio programs, and created a real buzz of conversation and interest in all three of the host cities. AND – what next? It is all well and good to create excitement and draw people into a conversation about social change – but do we really need to do? What will help take the Bridging the Divide experience to the next level?

Our responsibility is to define the necessary steps to build the Bridging the Divide events into a true movement. Over the last couple of days we have been talking about what that might look like. Our challenge is to take a set of 50-kilometer runs and make them more than just runs. Our challenge is to ensure that the messages of collaboration, partnerships, and social justice take center stage – fully outshining the physical efforts of running 150 kilometers.

This years event was a huge success. We had more people join us on the roads of Lima (close to 1,000) Arequipa (350) and Piura (counting the 300 school children who ran three blocks with us – we had over 450) than in 2011. We received press in every major newspaper and on multiple radio and television outlets. We connected with well over 25,000 people in the cities where we ran. We expanded our efforts and ran an additional 50-kilometer event in the City of Piura. We received valuable support from Peruvian Congresswoman Carla Schaffer Cucculiza. And, we had amazing support from local municipalities and community organizations. It was an incredible year . . . and, we built a number of bridges. Yet – there is more to be done.

Over the coming weeks we will be seriously asking ourselves “what next?” We know that the Bridging the Divide event has the potential to be a powerful tool for change – and our responsibility is to be ever mindful to the bigger picture of the project.

Thank you for all of the support to make this event successful. We raised over $12,000 and drew a number of people into the HBI family. As a parting note for the 2012 Bridging the Divide event, please check out the following videos developed by one of the runners (Martin Peters): http://vimeo.com/55306875 and http://vimeo.com/55445783