Horizon International Medical, Evangelical Mission 2019
Ihiagwa, Ihitta Ogada, Naze, Obinze To Benefit
In April 2019, Horizon International Medical Mission (HIMM) will hold its free 19th medical mission to Nigeria. Other than serving the people in the eastern and southern regions of Nigeria, HIMM conducted free medical missions to the people of Haiti after the country experienced a natural disaster, which devastated the land in 2010 and provided free medical care to people living in rural Mac Rae, Georgia.
The indigenes of this area are mostly farmers who do not have access to health care facilities but their labor always help feed the masses in the United states. HIMM works to holistically restore hope to the hopeless spiritually by faith and physically by conventional medicine.
Medical Mission 2019 is a partnership between HIMM and Owerri Progressive Union, USA (OPU). OPU USA is a US based non profit organization comprising indigenes of Owerri, who are committed to making Owerri land a better place for future generations. The organization currently operates under the leadership of President Chief Adol Ibe of Ulakwo, a founding OPU member and visionary leader in promoting progress.
The organization’s goal is to enhance and support development in Owerri, Imo state, Nigeria and improve on the standard of living for the people. The organization operates through executing projects in various domains including, healthcare, education, technology, agriculture and community welfare.
OPU ‘s healthcare objective is to establish annual medical missions to the six local government areas of Owerri. The Owerri LGAs are Owerri North, Owerri West, Owerri Municipal, Ngor Okpala, Mbaitoli and Ikeduru. This partnership with HIMM is the seed being planted for OPU to achieve its healthcare reform projects in Owerri.
Medical Mission 2019 will hold in the following areas and according to the following schedules….
Date. Location. Local Government Area
4/22/2019 Ihiagwa. Owerri West LGA
4/23/2019. Ihitta Ogada. Owerri North LGA
4/24/2019. Naze. Owerri North LGA
4/25/2019. Obinze. Owerri West LGA
Medical Mission 2019 is OPU’s first medical mission to Owerri. Through OPU’s partnership, Medical Mission 2019 will serve more people this year and will provide new services to people. The organization will plan projects in the other domains mentioned while enhancing its future medical mission trip.
HIMM practices holistic medicine, taking care of the body, the spirit and the soul. From the year 2000 when HIMM conducted its first medical mission and until 2003, HIMM’s President and Founder, Kennedy Okere, MD, single handedly managed both the evangelical and medical sections of the mission field.
Each year, as the outreach and attendance grew, he knew he would not be able to manage both. As of the year 2004, HIMM began recruiting local churches to support the evangelical section, while Dr. Okere managed the medical. In 2008, the Sycamore Network, Savannah Georgia USA, led by Rev. Dr. Micheal D. Reynolds began partnering with HIMM in evangelical outreach programs.
The Sycamore Network joined Rev. Clement Amadi, Assistant Secretary ( retired) of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, to plant a new church in Owerri Municipal between 2008 and 2012. Sycamore will begin a new project in Naze starting this year, 2019. For Evangelical Mission, 2019, United Nations Fellowship Church of Lewisville, Texas, USA, led by Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Okere also partnered with HIMM evangelical outreach to all the mission sites. Half of the mission team members are evangelical missionaries who counsel and pray for those who need spiritual healing.
Over 19 years, HIMM has built relationships with entities such as educational institutions. HIMM’s objective has not only been evangelical and medical but it has also engaged in bringing medical mission awareness to the younger generations.
Since its inception, HIMM has mentored three residents , two medical students, one nursing student, one high school student and three elementary school students.
The organizationhas also guided them on different medical mission trips. With hard work and dedication, the residents and medical students are all attending today. One example is Chiaka A. Igwe-Onu – Oparaocha, MD who took part in Mission 2005 as an undergraduate student. Post her mission trip experience, Dr. Oparaocha completed her medical education and residency program in Internal Medicine in Orlando, Florida. She now joins HIMM for Mission 2019. Chiaka says that she is proud to be part of HIMM helping her people. It is her dream come true.
The team started on the first day with Ihiagwa as her first port of call with a brief stop over at the Palace of HRH Eze Sir Lucky Ajoku the Traditional ruler of the Ihiagwa Ancient Kingdom.
The leader of the team, Dr. Kelechi Kennedy Okere informed that HIMM was pronounced the first free medical mission in 2000 by the then Health Commisioner, Dr. Caroline Amadi and has not only sustained the vision, but has improved on it for 19yrs.
He however informed that, they do not only take care of the physical needs of beneficiaries alone but also take care of the spiritual health through evangelism adding that the team is also made up of pastors and counsellors.
Welcoming the crew, the traditional ruler who thanked them informed that, Dr. Kelechi Kennedy Okere is a true son of Ihiagwa who has for years devoted his time to improve the health needs of his people.
Appreciating the team, he assured them of the community’s continued cooperation and prayed that God guide and provide the material, knowledge, opportunities to continue offering such services while he wished them a peaceful stay.
Ihitta Ogada outreach kicks off today, while Naze and Obinze will follow consecutively.
