“We are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle or zoos. We are people and we want to be respected, not to be victims of intolerance and racism.”1
— Rigoberta Menchú1, 1992

There are a number of ways for compassionate doctors to give something back to mankind in the way of humanitarian, random acts of kindness or Christian witnessing. Some give their training and talent, some give their money, some give needed equipment and supplies. Some work, some teach, some witness and some serve the volunteers.

Some do it all.

James E. White, MD, FACS, owner of Advanced Surgical Concepts of Chattanooga, Tenn., his family and some friends, turned their March spring break vacation into a never-to-be-forgotten medical mission trip of mercy to treat varicose veins among the Maya people at Villadolid in the Mexican state of Yucatán.

The Maya describes the 7 million people who embrace many distinct populations, societies and ethnic groups in the Mexican states of Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Chiapas; and in the Central American countries of Belize, Guatemala, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. The largest group is found on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

The Need in Mexico
All over Mexico there are people who need help. Medical care that we take for granted is a luxury many cannot afford.

In 1965, Dr. Roberto Rodriquez, a Mexican surgeon and educator, said God laid on his heart the desire to do something about this need. It was then that he and his wife Norma began to organize and run projects that would meet the medical, physical and spiritual needs of the poorest in their homeland of Mexico.

They found individuals who were interested and willing to come alongside to care for these people. Individuals from the United States, Canada and Mexico bring their differing talents that combine to form a “project.”.

Now, the work continues as International Medical Assistance (CIMA), which supports projects that are carried out all over Mexico. Thousands of people each year are helped and lives are changed.
The IMA is an interdenominational medical mission group that provides the opportunity to serve God by providing spiritual and physical healthcare to people all over Mexico through short mission trips.

 
Dr. Rodriquez, along with IMA, has recently built an out-patient surgery center/hospital in the small town of Villadolid on the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico as a base for year-round work along with the short-term projects.

 “International Medical Assistance provides the opportunity to serve God by providing spiritual and physical healthcare to people all over Mexico,” he said. “We love the Lord and want to share His love and good news providing exceptional medical care in a compassionate way so that people can come to know Him.

“We serve as an avenue for people in the United States to go and work on projects in Mexico at their own expense, and also to make donations to the cause.”

Villadolid is practically in the shadow of Chichen Itza, a large pre-Columbian archaeological site that includes world-famous pyramids built by the Maya civilization, that is located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula and is listed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World.

The varicose vein mission project, like one Dr. White took a year ago in September, was under the auspices of the IMA. The IMA requested an urgent need for a general surgeon to help with a hernia project in September 2008. Dr. White and his close friend and fellow church member Brian Shoemaker volunteered to participate in that project. During the hernia project, Dr. White — himself is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Diplomat of the American Board of Phlebology — noted the tremendous amount of venous disease among the Maya.

The IMA has 19 different medical mission trips, ranging from primary care to dentistry to general surgery, on the calendar for 2009. Yet, a project directed to venous disease had never been realized. With many prayers, e-mails and opened doors, a varicose vein project was mapped out.

The purpose of this trip was two-fold. Medically, the trip was to complete surgical and EVLA for patients with varicose veins and other vein disorders; train interested physicians in techniques for ultrasound evaluation and endovenous laser ablation techniques; and train local physicians in wound care and compression therapy for end-stage venous disease. The trip was also evangelistic. The medical team would assist the ministry team when possible and perform random acts of kindness under the guidance of the local pastoral staff.

Overcoming the Barriers
Moving high-tech equipment and people into Mexico, for a first-time mission trip to treat varicose veins, the team would have to overcome huge barriers, including equipment logistics, customs, supplies, language, pre-arrival promotion and follow-up.

Dr. White had previously purchased an Optical Advantage 1500 laser 980 nanometer multipurpose surgical diode laser system from LiteCure Corp., a powerful laser with a small footprint that had been recommended by David Centanni, co-founder of Total Vein Systems in Houston. LiteCure donated the use of another of the 12-pound lasers that Dr. White was able to carry on the plane.

Volunteers In Medical Missions (VIMM), a team of Christian doctors, nurses and other volunteers who minister to the physical and spiritual needs of children and adults in developing countries throughout the world, donated the use of its Tital SonoSite portable ultrasound unit.

The SonoSite corporation also donated the use of a MicroMaxx SonoSite portable hand-carried ultrasound.

“Just a few years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to do this type of high-tech project, but technology has advanced so much in the last three years that we are able to have a portable ultrasound unit that has fine detail,” Dr. White explained.

The FDA has approved five-time reusable laser fibers and other venous access supplies that were donated by Centanni and Total Vein Solutions. Advanced Surgical Concepts provided introducer sheaths, sclerosant solutions, guidewires, suture and other required surgical supplies. Compression stockings were donated by www.brightlifedirect.com.

Armed with high- tech diode lasers, supplies and portable third-generation ultrasound units, the varicose vein project began to take shape.

High-tech equipment does not run itself.  Dr. White was fortunate in that his wife is a registered diagnostic medical sonographer. Casi F. White, RDMS, provided medical assistance for the team in detailed venous evaluations and during the endovenous laser procedures.

The ministry side of the mission trip was handled by fellow church members and friends, Brian and Amy Shoemaker. Also assisting were Amy Shoemaker’s mother, Sue Cofer; and Casi White’s mother, Bridgett Farner. The children, Cole and Carson White, and Jack and Alex Shoemaker, helped by playing Vacation Bible School games with the children of patients.

Language was handled by two translators, both local pastors. One translated English to Spanish and the other translated Spanish to Maya. Among Maya speakers, Spanish is commonly spoken as a first or second language, but some spoke only Maya.

Ricardo Rodriguez, son of Dr. Rodriquez, supervised a cooking team to support the families.
With the team intact, patient lists were compiled. Dr. Rodriguez and IMA, along with the governmen’s Department of Infants and Families, provided advance promotion for the varicose vein project for a month before the team arrived. Patients came from all over the Yucatan — by bus, by car and by foot. Dr. Rodriguez works in close association with the Mexican government, which is why Dr. White was able to carry high-tech medical equipment into the country through customs with little or no problems.

“Dr. Rodriguez eliminated one of our concerns regarding surgical follow-up. It’s great that we can fly in and do all these high-tech procedures, but who is going to be there for the patient if follow-up is needed or a complication arises,” Dr. White said. “But here’s a distinguished retired surgeon and educator who lives there, and I’ve been able to communicate with him about patients through e-mail.”

God’s Work in Surgery
Varicose vein problems are a worldwide problem, he said, noting that many think of this is as just a United States problem. “When you say 40 percent of women and 18 percent of men have this type of varicose vein problem, that’s the worldwide picture and not just in the United States.”

The team was a joint U.S.-Mexican team that consisted of 10 people from the United States and seven people from Mexico. “We had many general helpers, two translators, one registered ultrasonographer. as well as local help from the Mexican government’s Department of Infant and Families.”

The trip began Saturday, March 21, with an afternoon of consults.

“Normally in my practice we will do 20-30 endovenous laser ablations a month, but we did 54 in the next four days,” Dr. White said. “It about killed us, but the need is so great.

“The mainstay of therapy in the states is compression stockings. But if you live in a tropical country and you live in a thatched-roofed house that has a dirt or crude concrete floor and you work in the fields, it’s kind of hard to wear compression stockings.”

He said that the old surgical stripping is available in some places, but most people can’t take two weeks out of their life to have that type of invasive procedure completed.

The team was able to complete endovenous laser ablations for severe venous stasis disease and varicose veins, greater saphenous, lesser saphenous, anterior saphenous and pathologic perforator veins. Some veins were so large that limited surgical vein strippings and ligation of vein aneurysms were necessary. In addition, 22 sclerotherapies and compression stockings for more superficial varicose veins were completed in between surgical cases.

“Please know that the patients were very grateful to receive help; both physically and spiritually. Our waiting rooms were full each day as the need indeed is great,” Dr. White said.

“I remember one lady came and waited for three days to have an evaluation in regard to her severe varicose veins. All of our surgical slots had already been filled, but she came back every day — waiting all day long, hoping that she could be seen and treated. On the third day, another patient did not show up for scheduled surgery and with tears in her eyes, the waiting woman was able to be treated. She thanked each one of us for helping her.”

Because of the huge need that he witnessed firsthand among the Maya, Dr. White is planning to go back later this year — possibly in October. He’s hoping that he can locate other doctors who would like to join that trip so that more can be done.

God’s Work Outside
The IMA is a non-profit corporation (501C-3) that exists in the United States to aid in the work of medical missions in Mexico. Bruce W. Bonnell, MD, is chairman, and Roberto Rodriguez, MD, is vice chairman and medical director in Mexico. Dr. Rodriguez taught at the medical school in Monterrey, Mexico for 30 years before “retiring” to work every day at his calling. Dr. Bonnell is a critical care surgeon with Towers Surgeons in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Work for Dr. Rodriguez in the early days was difficult because of the political climate, but he and his wife persisted.

“Since we began working in Mexico with groups from the United States we have seen more than 550,000 people and more than 50,000 surgeries have been performed,” Dr. Rodriquez said of his 43-year medical and mission efforts. “All of the patients are accompanied by at least one family member, which means that more than 750,000 New Testaments and Bibles that were handed out along with more than a million gospel tracts,

 “All of the patients have heard the message of salvation and thousands have received Christ as their own personal Savior. At least 10 churches have been organized with believers who are a product of these project.

In 1998, a group of people with a specific interest in the work of Dr. Rodriguez in Mexico organized to form IMA and to support the work of Fundacion Medica San Lucas, the Mexican arm of the work of Dr. and Mrs. Rodriquez.

IMA has a board of directors and is based in Columbia, Ind.

Tennessee Ministry Team
Dr. White said his practice is an openly Christian practice. During the time the Whites and the Shoemakers were in Villadolid, 53 people made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and 42 New Testaments were given to families in Spanish.

“There was a lot going on besides surgery,” Dr. White said of the activities handled primarily by the Shoemakers, the children and the mothers-in-law.

They worked with the two missionary resident pastors, who thankfully translated for both the medical and the ministry teams — one spoke Maya and Spanish and the other spoke English and Spanish.
The ministry team gave 50 gift packs to the children, filled with pens, pencils, paper, stickers, games, gum and candy. The children were also given 100 yo-yos, and 90 “Love” T-shirts.

Looking Forward to Going Back
The team flew into and out of Cancun, and took a three-hour bus trip from the airport into the Yucatán. The bus trip introduced the team to life in the Maya settlements and the wildlife in the area.
When the work was completed, the Americans were able to see the pre-Columbian archaeological site, including the pyramids built by the Maya civilization. After five days, the mission trip was complete and the families loaded back on the buses to go to a resort in Cancun for several days of resting and relaxing.

“We made it back from the Yucatán with everyone well, healthy and in one piece,” Dr. White said. “We didn’t encounter any violence during the trip.

“We had some fun with customs regarding the importation of the ultrasound and laser equipment – but with a smile and a good “can do attitude,” we made it through customs with all equipment intact.

“The next program that we do for varicose veins will be a joint U.S.-Mexico effort and there will be residents involved to teach because our goal is for them to learn how to do EVLA themselves and to try to get materials to them so they can provide service to their own people,” he said.

“The mission trip was a great success, and I’m looking for any doctor who wants the experience of a lifetime and a true feeling of having done something worthwhile to come along me in October.
“The need is so very great.”

Dr. White can be reached by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

1Rigoberta Menchú Tum is an indigenous Guatemalan of the K’iche-Maya ethnic group. She was the recipient of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and Prince of Asturias Award in 1998. Menchú is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. She is the author of the autobiographical work, “Crossing Borders.”