His Hands Free Medical Clinic

State’s mental health reform may ease Linn’s budget woes

2012-03-03T14:49:00.000-06:00

State’s mental health reform may ease Linn’s budget woes

Interesting article about mental health issues in Linn County. His Hands Clinic refers a lot of patients to the Abbe Center (referenced in the article). We have many patients come to us for depression and/or anxiety issues. Often, these patients need the ongoing care of a single psychiatrist, something we simply cannot provide at the free clinic. But we help where we can.

First Dental Clinic - EVER!

2012-02-28T13:39:00.001-06:00

It's official: His Hands now offers dental services!

On February 24, Dr. Akey (His Hands Dental Director) saw our first patient ever. (See above picture.) That day, he assisted 4 dental patients - and His Hands offered approximately $850 of services absolutely free of charge.

Praise God!

Michelle Retter (Dental Coordinator) and I taught a Sunday School class last Sunday (Feb. 26) about the need for dental in our community and country, and some of the statistics really surprised me. Did you know that 23% of adults in our country have untreated tooth decay? Tooth decay leads to abscesses (which bacterial infections in the center of the tooth), which are very painful. So, to extrapolate, 23% of adults in the US are either in extreme tooth pain or are headed for it. Wow!

And here's another not-so-surprising stat: 4 out of 10 hiring managers admit that a job candidate's bad teeth would influence their hiring decision. That's 40% of employers - and those are just the ones that admit it.

Bad teeth affect a person's health, job, and employment future. It's an area that desperately needs to be addressed.

In the grand scheme of things, our little clinic doesn't seem like much. But to the 4 people who got assistance last week, it meant a great deal. In our little corner of the world, we are doing what we can to help.

Please continue to pray for us: that we schedule the right patients, that we get the volunteers we need, that we find a steady funding stream for dental, and that the scheduled patients actually show up.

And.... if you're in the area, stop by! The clinic looks terrific.

Dental starts next Friday!

2012-02-10T15:58:00.001-06:00

"It's awesome!" That's what I heard Dr. Akey, Dental Director at His Hands, say when he came to do a walk-through with our new dental equipment. And he's right: it IS awesome!

Dr. Akey and our Dental Coordinator, Michelle, (both pictured above) have been hard at work to get everything ready to see patients. We are still waiting on one more letter of approval, and then we are good to go.

God has really confirmed this decision to start dental. At the beginning of January, we sent letters to area dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, asking for volunteers. To date, we have heard back from 7 dentists and 1 oral surgeon, 8 hygienists, and 11 dental assistants. Wow!

Please keep this new ministry in your prayers. There are so many patients that need dental assistance - pray that God will lead us to the people that need the help most. Pray that we would find the volunteers that we need for the dental clinic, and that they would come when they are scheduled. Pray that we will offer the services that people need most, and that we will structure our program in the way that serves God - and our patients - best. And continue to pray for funding! Dental is an expensive undertaking.

Feel free to stop by see our new space!

The Income Divide in Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act Will Help Restore Fairness to the U.S. Health System - The Commonwealth Fund

2012-02-08T15:45:00.000-06:00

Note: We are NOT wading into the debate about healthcare reform. But this article has some great statistics about the relationship between income and access to healthcare. (Did you know that 22% of adults with higher incomes (just under 400 percent of poverty, or $89,400 for a family of four) are uninsured???)

Obviously the article has a political slant, but it still contains some interesting stats for free clinics. Check it out:

The Income Divide in Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act Will Help Restore Fairness to the U.S. Health System - The Commonwealth Fund

Sharon

Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Makes Donations to Area Free Clinics

2012-01-30T11:46:00.000-06:00

Hello friends,

I reviewing my old emails, I saw this article about PCI's donation to Cedar Rapids free clinics. Their donation to us paid for our new dental unit (2 chairs, opening in mid-February). What a blessing!

Check out the article: Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa Makes Donations to Area Free Clinics

Healthy Living Program

2012-01-26T17:31:00.001-06:00

Dear friends,

Last week I met with Gary Witter, a contractor who sits on the His Hands board of directors, to talk about the renovation of the last chunk of our building. We call this space the '4th bay'. (Originally, the building was subdivided into four store-fronts. We've renovated the northern 3 'bays', but as you can see from the photo above, the '4th bay' is being used as a storage right now, and it is still pretty rustic!) Gary had some great ideas for how to maximize the space, and already I can see it starting to come together.

Cyndi and I have so many plans for this part of the building. There will be a big open space for orientations, meetings, and volunteer gatherings. it can also serve as an over-flow area for a future Physical Therapy ministry.

But what has us most excited is that the 4th Bay will give us space for the Healthy Living Program. This program focuses on educating our patients about how diet, exercise, and basic 'healthy living' can lead to healthier, productive lives. We want to help patients free themselves from monthly maintenance, learn how to control their diabetes, and find ways to take control of chronic illnesses.

In the back of the 4th bay, we want to put a basic kitchen, similar to what our patients have, so that we can have nutrition classes and teach patients how to eat healthfully within their budget. We are also thinking about how to implement a weight loss program similar to Weight Watchers - something that can encourage our patients and give them accountability.

This is such an exciting time, and I wanted to share it with everyone!

We are still waiting for some funding to come in, and of course every new program we add takes funds and staff time to implement. Please keep this renovation in your prayers!!

Sharon
(Executive Director)

Dental Coordinator

2012-01-11T19:24:00.001-06:00

Hello
Please let me introduce myself. I am Michelle Retter, the new dental coordinator for His Hands Ministries. I am so excited to be a part of this ministry and use my skills as a dental hygienist. I have been a hygienist for almost 30 years and have mostly worked part time. I currently work for Dr. Tim Michels on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays and will be at His Hands on Tuesdays and Thursdays and some Friday afternoons.

I am married to Mark Retter and have 3 children--Ashley Parham (27), Brad Miller (24), and Dylan Miller (14). My daughter is married and lives in Marion. Brad lives in Des Moines, and Dylan is still at home.

I have been busy working on finding volunteer dentists and have a handful who are interested in helping out. We are waiting for the final touches to the units and are getting close to ordering all our supplies. Please pray that all the final details will fall into place. There is such need for this service as the medical clinic gets at least 2 calls a week with people who have tooth pain and infections.

I will update this to let you all know our progress and opening date.

God's Abundance!

2012-01-09T15:45:00.001-06:00

Hello all,

Just another quick note to share that God has been gracious to us this year! We have had a lot going on - the capital campaign to move us into our new building, our actual move in August 2011, my leaving on maternity leave during November and December. In all of that, we have been simply trusting that God would take care of us financially.

And He has!

So far, end-of-year donations have added up to almost $70,000 - that's almost half of what we budgeted! I feel like these funds have already been spent - we have a new ministry (dental) to support, another staff person (the Dental Coordinator), more of the building to renovate, and so many projects to tackle. What a blessing!

Continue to pray for God's guidance and we seek out His paths for this ministry.

Blessings,

Sharon Patten
Executive Director

Dental at His Hands: Soon to be a reality!

2012-01-09T15:37:00.001-06:00

Hello friends,

We've been talking for months now about adding dentistry to the list of services we can offer our patients, and I am so pleased to share that that will soon be a reality! Because of gifts from our donors and Physicians Clinic of Iowa, we were able to begin ordering dental equipment and furniture in early fall. Since then, we have hired a Dental Coordinator to oversee the new service and manage the volunteers. Above is a picture of the dental room so far.

As with our other ministries at His Hands, our Dental Clinic will be staffed entirely by volunteers. We are actively seeking dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants who can volunteer their time to make a difference. Also, we will need receptionists and prayer supporters at these clinics, and administrative volunteers to help with collecting data. There is a place for everyone!

We will try to update this blog often to keep everyone in the loop. God has been so good to us - and we like to share it!

Blessings,

Sharon Patten
Executive Director

Ready for Dental???

2011-05-17T15:14:00.001-05:00

Apparently God is!

This afternoon, Cyndi and I had an amazing meeting with our Dental Committee and a representative from Patterson Dental. God is certainly blessing this endeavor! Local offices are donating all the cabinetry (which, if you think about the cabinets in YOUR dental office, is pretty specialized) and a digital Panoramic x-ray machine. There is still a lot to get - we need two dental chairs, sterilization equipment, and all the dental tools - but, if everything goes as planned, our dental setup might be complete by August.

Wow!

Dental is such a big need our community, and we are thrilled that God is allowing us to offer this service much sooner than we had planned. However, there is A LOT involved in offering dental, and we need to be strategic as we enter into this new ministry. Please pray for us:

that we continue to keep God at the helm of this process;
that we find excited and committed volunteers to help start up this new ministry;
that we spend the necessary time in planning for the nuts and bolts of offering dental services (it's more than just gathering equipment!);
that God shows us where to find solid and continuous funding streams to meet our dental expenses;
that we find the right balance of staff and volunteer time so that all our ministries can function at optimal levels.

Have a great week!

Gazette Article

2011-05-09T14:33:00.001-05:00

Check out the article about His Hands that ran in the Cedar Rapids Gazette this morning:

http://easterniowahealth.com/2011/05/09/volunteers-remodeling-building-for-his-hands-free-medical-clinic/

Pretty great!!

Good Friday Prayer Breakfast

2011-04-28T17:36:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to send quick shout out that His Hands received almost $3300 from the Good Friday Prayer Breakfast last Friday! Those funds will definitely be put to good use! What a great and inspiring event - I highly recommend that people attend next year if they can.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the breakfast - Berlinda, Mike, Grant and Trudy, Marion, Jeanette, Amber, and Charles. (6:00am came EARLY, didn't it?!)

Cabinets!

2011-04-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, we had been put in touch with Sheryl Konen, director of Kirkwood's Interior Design program. Sheryl's summer Interior Design class will be helping us with the interior design for the new clinic. For the last month or so, Sheryl has been meeting with us and helping us get our proverbial ducks in a row. Sheryl has been an amazing help to us - God truly brought her to us when we needed her!

Recently, Sheryl connected us with Dave Hausmann, Kitchen and Bath Manager at The Ar-Jay Center in Cedar Rapids. Cyndi Ziegler (Clinic Director), Darrell Sanford (Board Member), and I met with Dave and Bill Skelton (an Ar-Jay employee) last week, and they are completely on board with helping us out with cabinetry! They understand that to treat our patients with the dignity they deserve, we not only offer them quality healthcare but also a comfortable and professional clinical environment. They want to help us make the environment the best it can be. With Ar-Jay's assistance, we will be able to put in new cabinetry and include some pieces custom-built for our exam rooms and pharmacy.

Thank you, Ar-Jay!

I am amazed at the work God has been doing with this remodel. There have been so many areas for things to go wrong, but God is proving Himself to be the Master Contractor.

Best,

Sharon (Executive Director)

Building Update: We have walls! (almost)

2011-03-30T12:03:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Cyndi and I went to the new building to talk to the electrician about our electrical needs/preferences. The building looked so amazing that I wanted to share!!

It might not look like much, but a lot of work has been done. As a quick summary, our new building is basically divided into four sections, or bays. (It used to be four separate storefronts, but 30 years ago was converted to one large building.) The floor of each bay was at a different level; for example, the second bay's floor was 4" lower than the first, and the third bay's floor was 3" lower than the second. For the last few weeks, the carpenters have been leveling the floors and framing the walls.

Bay 1:

This picture is taken from what will be the pharmacy, located at the front of the building. If you look closely, you can see the doorways of our four exam rooms. Each exam room is around 90 square feet they are very large and will be very comfortable for our patients, especially when they need to bring a friend or family member. To the right (out of the picture) is a handicapped-accessible restroom.

Bay 2:

As you can see, the carpenters have completed leveling the floor in the second bay and have started framing the walls. Cyndi and my offices are on the left side, and on the right side you can see the breakroom, which will have a small kitchenette and space for volunteers to relax. The are in front is the reception office. The picture itself is taken from the waiting room in the front of the building.

Bay 3:

Here you can see the leveling of floors in action! The floor in the third bay has to be raised around 7". The carpenters are currently in the process of placing the floorboards on our leveled floor. The third bay will house our chiropractic rooms, our physical therapy/massage therapy room, another restroom, and the prayer room. The section in the far back has been reserved for a future dental ministry. (Yes, the purple wall will be repainted!)

We are so excited about our new space and can't wait to share it with everyone! Stay in touch for upcoming open houses. As usual, please contact us for information on how to donate or participate in this relocation.

Small beginnings and big changes...

2011-02-10T16:17:00.018-06:00

As you may have heard, we are in the midst of renovating a new building to give us room to breathe and bless us with room for growth. Our contractor Gary has been working hard. A couple pictures from the construction site at 400 12th St. SE:

It may not look like much yet, but we are joyful to repeat the words found in Zechariah 4:10a: "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand."

We are excited for our new building, but only because we are even more excited about the work that God is already doing and will continue to do through this ministry.

Please pray for us as we make our way through this welcome transition -- a lot has been done, but there is still much to do. If you are interested in donating your time or resources, please contact the clinic at 319-862-2636 for more information. Plenty of volunteer opportunities will soon be available for individuals or groups of skilled workers, able bodies, or desiring hearts. Cookie bakers also welcome! :)

Eye Care

2010-12-08T10:18:00.002-06:00

A big thank you goes to Lens Crafters at Westdale Mall for their free eye clinic on December 7. From 8:00 a.m. until noon they gave patients who cannot afford eye care free eye exams and glasses. There were 8 patients referred to this clinic by His Hands. One of the patients, who is also a volunteer, showed up to work her shift in the clinic sporting a new pair of glasses and a big smile. She had lost her glasses in the flood and had been making due with readers, but now has the trifocals she really needs. Next time you are at Westdale Mall stop in and give them a big thank you from His Hands Clinic!

Construction people wanted!

2010-11-22T11:28:00.004-06:00

I just got off the phone with Gary Witter, a member of the His Hands board and the contractor for our renovation. He and I were talking about how to use volunteers and volunteer groups during the renovation. Apparently, there is a lot to do!

Concerning volunteer groups, Gary's immediately thought was the basement. The basement walls are made of concrete blocks, and they are old and leaky. The walls need to be scraped clean, coated with sealant, and then repainted so that it looks nice. It's a big basement, and there are many walls to work on! Gary thought that this would be a great project for clubs, youth groups, or Sunday School classes - no experience is necessary, and the work can be done at pretty much anytime. Plus, there is enough for lots of groups to share!

Gary also said that he needs experienced workers - general laborers, electricians, plumbers, etc. If you are interested and have a skill to share, he will be happy to contact you when your skills are needed.

Thank you all for your support! Call the Clinic if you want to help out, and we will get you in touch with Gary!

Blessings,

Sharon

PS: Gary also said that he might be able to fix our backdoor lighting situation and get the street light working again! Thank goodness that we have knowledgeable people in our midst!

A New Chapter Ahead

2010-05-05T15:54:00.002-05:00

A lot is going on at His Hands Free Medical Clinic this spring and I want inform you of some coming changes and ask you pray for the ministry.

We're Moving

First of all, the rumor that we are moving is true. Our board was informed that the new “Medical Mall” facility will affect our current location and we will need to move. The board is searching for another building. The timeline is unknown but we could move by the end of the year. Please pray for wisdom for the board as we look at alternative properties.

Staff Changes

Secondly, it is with sadness that I inform you that I will be leaving His Hands in September. My husband is going to graduate school at Ohio State University, so we will be relocating to Columbus this fall. It has been an amazing privilege to be a part of this ministry for the past 6 years! I’ve been tremendously blessed by how so many individuals and churches are working together to provide medical care to the poor. Please pray for the board as they look for a replacement.

We are taking resumes for the new Executive Director position. We are searching for a self-motivated person who can lead our organization in vision, discipleship, fundraising, and marketing. The ideal candidate would be ministry-minded, has experience in nonprofit management, and can agree with our organization’s mission and statement of faith. This position is three-quarters time. If you or someone you know is interested in applying for this position, please contact me by email at director@hishandsclinic.org.

These are all big things and I don’t necessarily understand the timing of it all but trust that God has a plan for this ministry. Thank you for praying for God’s leading and wisdom as we start a new chapter at His Hands.

His Hands Insider March 2010

2010-03-08T20:00:00.001-06:00

Meet a Patient

JR is a full-time waiter and Kirkwood nursing student. He has had severe pain for months and after a few tests, it was determined that he needed to see a specialist. When we gave JR the news and enrolled him into Project Access which would help him see a specialist at no charge, he smiled and said, “I was preparing for the worse case scenario. I was afraid I was going to have to deal with tons of medical bills in order to get better.”

We see ourselves not only treating people’s medical needs but also helping them keep their jobs. If JR would have gone untreated, he would eventually be forced to quit his job and would have struggled to stay in school.

Prayer Requests

1) Please be praying for patient who needs healing. For the past 8 months, she has been feeling ill, to the point where she can hardly eat anything. She is a stay-at-home mom and so her condition makes it really hard to care for her children. Please pray for the specialist she is seeing to have wisdom to diagnose and treat her. Pray for God's healing touch to bring her relief.

2) Please pray for a grant proposal we are waiting to hear back on. Last month at our board retreat, we discussed the possibilities of hiring another staff person for a Care Management Program, to assist patients with long-term chronic diseases in getting the best possible treatment for their condition.

A week after the retreat, a grant request was issued and this program fit perfectly into it! We pray that our proposal would be funded so that we can start this valuable program, which will be a tremendous help in extending this ministry.

Volunteer Needs

Volunteer Positions needed include:

* Nurses
* Pharmacy Technicians
* Receptionist

Go to our website www.hishandsclinic.org for a volunteer application.

Supply Needs

White cardstock
Recycling Bin
Small Garbage Can

Items can be dropped off Tuesdays between 5-7 pm or Thursdays between 3-7 pm. Or call 862-2636 to arrange another time.

"But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him."
-Luke 10:33

Prayer Update July 15, 2009

2009-07-15T16:59:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit embarrassed to have let over a month go by without posting a prayer update. Where does time go?

Anyway, thanks for praying for this ministry, even when I don't give you new fodder for prayer.

Praises:

1) Praise God for the gradual opening of hearts of our patients to explore His Word. Last night we had a young man at the clinic who didn't want a Bible last month when he was in but this time gladly received one. Please pray that him and others who receive Bibles will have a genuine curiosity to read God's word and that it will change their lives.

2) Praise God for a patient named Steve who so graciously helped move some very heavy exam tables. We received 2 new tables from another office that upgraded, however, at the last minute, I had to find someone who could help move them and take the others away. I knew Steve had a trailer and when I called him he eagerly came to help. Please pray for a special blessing and encouragement for Steve.

Requests:

1) An on-going prayer request is for protection and safety for our patients, volunteers, and facility. The crime in the area has seemed to taper, but we continue to pray for safety for all who are coming and going.

2) Please pray for favor for a grant we submitted last month for an equipment upgrade. All of our current medical equipment has been donated after many years of use and some of it just doesn't work well any more. We desperately need things like otoscopes, thermometers, and blood pressure cuffs-which are all pricey. We ask God to provide what is needed.

Prayer Update

2009-06-10T13:07:00.003-05:00

Many of you are busy getting ready for Healing the Heartland, family reunions, or summer vacations. The last couple of days I have tried my hardest to be efficient and get as much done as possible. This morning, it suddenly hit me that the most important thing I can do is pray. If you have never read the book, Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels,I highly recommend it! The title says it all.

Here are some things to keep in prayer:

1) Praise God for his provisions to allow us to do blood pressure screenings at Healing the Heartland. For awhile, I was unsure whether or not our insurance would allow us to participate but I got word today that yes we can! Also, thankfully, we have enough volunteers to staff our booth.

2) Please be praying for Healing the Heartland Festival this weekend. Please pray for good weather, safety for all, and for soft hearts to hear the Gospel.

The Festival is a time for people to come together, celebrate, and enjoy some family fun following a tough year. However, the larger purpose in it is for people to hear the Good News of Jesus and how they can put their hope in Him.

3) Please pray for a grant proposal we are submitting this week to the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation requesting funds to help us upgrade some of our medical equipment. Many of our volunteers have experienced missing equipment, dead batteries, or malfunctioning items. By getting some newer items, our volunteers would be able to spend more time with patients and less time fixing things.

4) Praise God for his continued financial provision through many individuals, churches, and now some grants. Just this week we received money from Wells Fargo & Farmers State Banks as a result of grant proposals we sent to them several months ago.

As always, thank you for your prayers and your on-going support!

Healing the Heartland Volunteer Opportunities

2009-06-03T22:46:00.003-05:00

As many of you know, Healing the Heartland Festival is coming up on Saturday, June 13.

There are many opportunities to be a part of this event:

1) We need people to help give out His Hands info and nurses to take blood pressures. We have various 1.5 hour shifts between 11am-5 pm. Contact me at director@hishandsclinic.org if you can help out.

2) Become a FRIEND during the festival. Through various festival events, speakers will give an invitation for people to know Jesus personally. They need people who can come stand beside those folks, pray with them, and take their information so a local church can follow-up. This is mostly an informational activity, not a counseling event.

There are 2 training events (you only need to attend one):
Thursday, June 4 at 7 pm at River Of Life Ministries, 3801 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE
OR
Tuesday, June 9 at 7 pm at Peace Church, 6600 C Ave NE. If you are interested in attending the training on Tuesday, please let me know.

3) There are other volunteers opportunities, find out more here and scroll down to "Opportunities to Serve". You can sign up at your local church or email me with your serving preference.

Together, we can help our community celebrate the recovery following the flood and provide healing to those in need.

Community Walk

2009-05-23T09:13:00.004-05:00

I'm so proud of our volunteers! Thursday night there was a community walk to help show people that we are concerned about the recent violence in our neighborhoods and we are going to speak out against it. Six volunteers and their spouses came out along with hundreds of others to walk through the Wellington Heights and Mound View Neighborhoods.

As I was walking, I saw an older woman sitting on her front porch, with tears streaming down her face, telling passer-bys "Thank you".

We pray for God's protection for this woman, these neighborhoods, and those who live and work in them.

Check out the following news sites for pictures and information:

The Gazette

Fox 28/CBS 2

KCRG

2 Prayer Walks this Week

2009-05-19T13:33:00.003-05:00

This week, there are two opportunities for prayer walks.

1) Community Walk through Eastside Neighborhoods Thursday, May 21, starting at St. Paul's United Methodist Church (2nd Ave & 13th St SE)

BBQ from 5:30-6:30 pm
Walk starts at 6:30 pm

2) Prayer Walk around Kingston Stadium for Healing the Heartland on Friday, May 22 at 3pm. Meet in the Ice Arena Parking Lot.

Healing the Heartland is a festival sponsored by Serve the City (which His Hands is an affiliate) June 12-14 to commemorate and celebrate the survival and healing from the 2008 Flood. We will be helping on the Saturday event by providing a mobile medical clinic.

Each affiliate has signed up to pray prior to the festival and our day to pray is Friday. If you are unable to join us you are welcome to pray on your own for all of the planning details to come together as well as opportunities for people to come to know Jesus in a real way.

Prayer Update on National Day of Prayer

2009-05-07T10:29:00.001-05:00

Here is the prayer update. Don't forget it is also the National Day of Prayer!

1) Praise God for a wonderful evening at our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Friday evening, May 1. We had a great meal, a great speaker, and a great prayer time for volunteers heading to Africa on a medical mission in June. Praise God for providing such great volunteers!

2) Praise God for providing a couple to do prayer support for our Friday morning chiropractor clinics. For the last 2 years, we had a volunteer who has been providing prayer support during one of those clinics but due to her husband's job relocation, she is moving away. A week after she notified me, David & Dixie Estrem, sent in their volunteer applications and indicated there were available and willing to pray! Praise God for his provision at just the right time.

3) Please pray for more physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. We have been turning away more patients recently because we don't have enough appointment slots. To be fully staffed with 2 providers at each of our clinics we need 5 more volunteers. God, provide us with what we need!

Thank You to Our Volunteers

2009-05-04T14:41:00.003-05:00

This is a letter I wrote for the program of our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, thanking our volunteers for their GREAT work.

Dear Volunteers-

To each one of you, thank you for your incredible service. This ministry literally wouldn’t exist without the offering of your skills and gifts.

Thank you for coming to serve when you are busy, when you are tired and want to go home after a long day, when you would rather be out enjoying the nice weather, or when you feel like you have nothing to give. Often. that is when God uses us the most.

Last fall, when we surveyed our patients, 100% of them said they felt like they were treated with respect & dignity while at His Hands. This is proof that the work you are doing is excellent and that you are serving the patients in more ways than you know.

I’m proud to serve in a place where it is evident that the Church is coming together to meet a real need in our community. May you not grow weary but continue to trust in God for strength, energy, and encouragement so that you can continue to display His Love to those who do not yet know Him.

Blessings,

Andi Doane

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1

Volunteer Appreciation 2009

2009-05-04T13:44:00.012-05:00

Friday, May 1 was our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. I don't know about others, but I had a great time and was reminded of the privilege I feel of being part of the His Hands community with some many great friends.

If you missed it, here is a synopsis!

Mercy Medical Center provided us with a wonderful facility & volunteer Linda Palmer decorated the tables with African Artifacts to go with our "Africa" Theme.

Volunteers coming in and mingling before the dinner starts.

Our speaker, Valerie Dorsey, a nurse missionary with Children's Relief International to Mozambique, spoke about how God's plan is not always our plan but that he can use all of our experiences for his glory. She had a lot of great "nuggets" to share with audience.

These pictures are of the dolls Valerie brought and lined up along the steps of the stage. These yarn dolls were made by a local craft person and volunteers got a chance to "purchase" a doll for $5, name it, and pledge to pray for the child that is going to get the doll in Mozambique.

We also had a prayer time for Pam Skelton, a His Hands volunteer, who is going with a team from Hillside Wesleyan Church on a medical mission to South Africa and Zambia in June. We can't all go to Africa, but we can pray for those who are going there to care for people and share Jesus' love.

Lastly, and most memorable for me was ending the evening with the song, "Sanctuary". But before we sang it Jim Bell went through to words with us, that this song is a prayer-that we would be a dwelling place for God.

Sanctuary

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary

Pure and holy, tried and true

And with thanksgiving

I’ll be a living sanctuary for you

Prayer Update

2009-04-06T14:16:00.003-05:00

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry. Please pray for the following:

1) Protection for volunteers and patients as we come and go from the building. There seems to be a recent rise in crime in Cedar Rapids and there was a woman who had her purse snatched a few weeks ago near the clinic.

We prayer for God's protection for our well-being.

2) Praise God that a long-time patient has volunteered to replace our rusted, drafty backdoor.

Last week, a quiet patient who has been coming to the chiropractor clinic for a couple of years asked if we had any projects that needed to be done. When I showed him the backdoor, he grinned and said that this was a standard door and that he has replaced 100's of doors and windows in the past 30 years in his job as an apt maintenance man!

The awesome thing isn't just that we might get a new door at no cost, but is that he is recognizing that he has something to contribute to this ministry.

Volunteers-Save the Date!

2009-03-30T16:53:00.003-05:00

Save the date for His Hands' Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Friday, May 1 at Mercy Medical Center in the Hallogen Education Center.

Valerie Dorsey, a nurse missionary with Children's Relief International, will share how God is using her in Mozambique, Africa to provide for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those without adequate resources.

It will be a great evening!

Ecumencial Community Center Open House, this Sunday

2009-03-26T08:47:00.002-05:00

Our former neighbors, the Ecumenical Community Center, moved to their new location at 601 2nd Ave SE and are having an Open House on Sunday, March 29 from 1:30 pm-3:00 pm. The public is invited to see their new facility.

The ECC houses Helping Hands Ministry, CompuPlace, Churches United, the SERVV Store, and other non-profits.

I, personally, will miss having Lois Rude of Helping Hands next door to share ministry with but am excited for their new building!

Prayer Update March

2009-03-09T09:39:00.004-05:00

Praise God for the following:

1) His financial provision through a grant for $5,000 from the Iowa Collaborative Safety Net that provides for some computer equipment, printing of brochures, and some of my salary.

Also for $4,400 that was raised at Peace Church from their Chili Contest & Pie Auction!

2) His provision of volunteers! Two weeks ago we had 15 people attend our new volunteer orientation and 4 more attending an abbreviated session a week later. Additionally, we had 2 people trained to do prayer support!

Please pray for the following:

1) Please pray for Jan*, that she would qualify for mental health services through the county. Jan started coming to us when we had a psychiatrist but currently we don't have one. Normally, we would refer her to MHDD (a county dept) to help pay for psychiatry visits and mental health meds; however, Jan applied a year ago and was denied. This is the only resource for Julie to get comprehensive mental health care (which she needs).

Pray for God's provision healing and/or treatment for Jan!

2) God has provided us with a new volunteer to help us with our fundraising efforts! This has been a need for a long time, so we are thankful for Jason. Please pray for wisdom for Jason as he starts working on a fundraising plan and for the team as we work to increase awareness of this ministry among donors.

Ultimately, we look to God for His Provisions!

"Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."
-Luke 13:18-19

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry!

*the patient's name has been changed

Aid to Women's Open House

2009-02-27T17:10:00.002-06:00

It has been a long journey of recovery for the ministry of Aid to Women. They were displaced by 4 feet of murky water in June and their staff was spread across the city. Their client support services were at Cedar Hills Community Church and their pregnancy counseling services here at His Hands for the past 8 months.

But now they are back in their building and it is beautiful! I had the privilege of getting a tour earlier this week and was amazed. It is truly a picture of God's extravagant provision for His people.

You can see their facility, too!

Aid to Women's Open House

Sunday, March 1

2-5 pm

701 Center Point Rd NE.

2009-02-19T11:05:00.001-06:00

Praises:
1) We have 15 new people interested in volunteering at His Hands! Last week, I sent an announcement to 19 churches to let people know that we are having a volunteer orientation next week. Generally, the orientations are good if 5-7 people attend, but 15! I just wonder what God has in store for this ministry.

2) Aid to Women moved back to their facility this week! It has been a blessing to have them here but I know they are glad to be back in their newly renovated building, 8 months after the floods. I got a sneak peak on Monday and it is gorgeous!

3) We have received several grants in the last few weeks! No matter where the money comes from, we know that it is God's provision.

Alliant Energy-$1,500 for medical visits
Jarod & Carol Hills Foundation-$1,000 for medical visits
Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation-$2,000 for roof repair

Requests:
1) We pray that God would bring us who and what we need. In the past year, I've been thinking a lot about the vision of His Hands and how we can expand our reach. It seems every time I have an idea and do some research, nothing comes to fruition. So, I decided, maybe I should just ask God to bring us what we need or who we need to accomplish his plan for us. None of us know when another big catastrophe, like the flood, will occur. Nor do any of us really know how long this economic recession will continue. What we do know is that God knows, and we can trust him to give us wisdom to put in place what we need for his plan.
Isn't it relieving to know that we don't have to have all the answers?

2) Along with the above request, please pray for the volunteer orientation, that God would bring the people we need. Also, pray that I have wisdom in knowing what position to place each of the new volunteers. Specific volunteer needs include:

5 more providers (doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners) would allow us to have two providers every Tues & Thurs and would provide 40 more visits per month
4 more prayer support volunteers to cover every chiropractor & medical clinic
2 admin volunteers who could help me in the office during the day

We trust God to provide for our needs!

3) Please pray for wisdom as we modify our chiropractor services. In the last few months, we have noticed more and more people needing the services to the point we are booking 2-3 weeks in advance. Pray that we would create a policy that would help those who need the help but not create dependency on our services.