Beloved family and
friends!
It is with much
excitement that I am fwriting this letter. Around nine years ago, I felt called
to medical missions. Since then, I have completed my undergraduate studies and
medical school, and have begun my third year of pediatric residency.
Recently, Elizabeth and I submitted our applications to work with World Medical
Missions (Samaritan’s Purse) for two years, and we are prayerfully awaiting
their decision. This Fall, I will be going to Bangladesh on a two week
Global Health rotation, that is a medical mission and scouting trip, under the
auspices of World Medical Mission.
Bangladesh is an
Islamic nation that was once part of India.
After partition, it became known as East Pakistan. In 1971, Bangladesh
successfully gained independence from Pakistan at great cost; horrific genocide
claimed the lives of between 300,000 to 3,000,000 Bengalis. Bangladesh is
also one of the poorest countries in the world; their GNI PPP per capita (which
is a fancy way of saying their adjusted gross annual income per person) is only
$2,030, which ranks 137th out of 169 countries listed by the World Bank
(2014). Their infant mortality rate is rated 142nd out of 188 countries
(CIA 2012). Per 1000 children, an estimated 48 children die by the age of
5 years old. The physical and spiritual needs in this country are
enormous.
My family is at a critical stage in our
lives. We feel compelled to follow Christ’s Great Commission to “go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) We want to go. Yet the
questions remain: Where? With whom?
As I stated earlier,
in September I will be embarking on a journey to help answer this question.
At this point, I am writing with several requests. Most importantly, pray
that God guides us clearly to the place He has for us. Pray that God
keeps us safe and gives us wisdom throughout this process. Pray that our
financial needs will be met, and that we live by faith without worrying about
the stresses of the world. I still have debt from medical school, which
we are trying to pay back as quickly as possible. Because of this, I am
also asking for financial support to fund my short-term trip this Fall. If I am selected to work with Samaritan’s
Purse, the extra money will carry over. If God has put it on your heart to help
us with this, we would greatly appreciate your support. However, if you
are in a place where you cannot give: please, do not give money. Instead, pray. We cannot do without prayer. I know God
will provide for our needs and yours. To God be the glory, great things
He hath done!
Thank you so much!
The Helms
There are three ways by which an individual can make a donation to our project account.
There are three ways by which an individual can make a donation to our project account.
1.
Go to the following
website:
At the bottom of the donation page type in (Helm, Ethan) and
follow the prompts to make a credit card donation
2.
Alternately, you can make donations by calling in with credit card donations to
Donor Ministries at 828-278-1555 ET 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. You will need to give
my name (Ethan Helm) and project code number: 005030.
3.
The third way to donate is to mail a check made out to Samaritan’s Purse with
my name (Dr. Ethan Helm) and project code #: 005030 in the memo line. The
project code number assures that the monies will go into my account.
Please mail the check to:
World Medical Mission
Attn: Cathy Greene
PO Box 3000
Boone, NC 28607
*** If you choose to
donate to our account, you will receive a receipt immediately if donating
online and within 5 – 7 business days if donating by phone or mail. This
receipt will allow you to claim a tax deductible donation to Samaritan’s
Purse.***
If the money raised exceeds the amount of this short term trip, and we are selected to work with World Medical Missions for 2 years, the excess money will go toward supporting us while in Bangladesh.
If the money raised exceeds the amount of this short term trip, and we are selected to work with World Medical Missions for 2 years, the excess money will go toward supporting us while in Bangladesh.
Comments
Post a Comment