It began with “pins and needles” … a prickly feeling in his arms. Then his legs began cramping — not just when he exerted himself, but even when he was resting. Diogracio had no idea what was happening in his body. He had worked hard his whole life as a farmer in an impoverished community in Nicaragua. Now, he could not even button his own shirt. Farming was impossible. The pain in his joints intensified. His arms and legs grew weaker and weaker. The physical pain was only the beginning. Diogracio was devastated to be helpless. For the first time in his life, he had no control of his future.

But Diogracio had a friend who could help…

Your support for Esperança helped send a “Medical Brigade” into his community. We team with our local in-country partner in Nicaragua to send a doctor, a nurse, and medical students into remote areas — sometimes three hours one-way from the big city — to provide basic medical care. This is the only lifeline available to many thousands of Nicaraguans. Medicines and medical supplies are rare in these regions. Poverty is deep. Political unrest has made it virtually impossible for Americans to travel there. But Esperança’s dedicated Nicaraguan medical professionals are willing to make the effort — and take the risks — to help the neediest among their countrymen. Our Medical Brigades represent the only comprehensive primary care that many Nicaraguan children and families will know.

It was a Medical Brigade that saved Diogracio.

Because of the generous support of caring friends like you, Diogracio was able to get the help he desperately needed through a Medical Brigade that travelled to his community. Thank you!

He already knew about Esperança — he had actually served with our in-country partner as a volunteer on agricultural projects. But then he learned they were sending a medical team into his area … and he began to hope against hope that they could help him. That encounter changed his life. The doctor examined him and diagnosed a variety of conditions that would soon lead to heart failure. Without the support of our team, Diogracio wouldn’t have survived much longer. They prescribed him life-saving medication — and supplied it.

All thanks to a generous friend like you.  Diogracio got his life back.

Today his arms and legs are strong again. He is farming his land. He is grateful every single day. But Diogracio won’t be the last person in a remote Nicaraguan community who needs medical help.
Amazingly, it costs $800 to field an entire Medical Brigade — travel, medications, supplies,
basic necessities for the team, everything.

With your strong support today, we know we can launch one new Medical Brigade each
week. Your generosity today can touch hundreds of lives.

In the United States we have the privilege of “running to the doctor” whenever we need to. It is not easy to imagine a world without healthcare. But that is the world in which multitudes of impoverished
children and families live in isolated communities of Nicaragua.  For them, an ordinary illness or a simple injury can be debilitating … sometimes even fatal. These Medical Brigades are one of the many ways that Esperança provides opportunities for healing.