Lighthouse Media Group reporter Paula Levy accompanied a team of medical professionals from the South Shore to Belize in Central America from August 29 to September 6, 2009.

A reason to Belize South Shore professionals offer free medical care to impoverished Part 1 A mother rushes in clutching a two year old in her arms. Jason's face is covered from the scorching sun. His limbs flail as she walks quickly towards the elementary school in the small village of La Gracia. The village is 50 kilometres down a heavily pot holed dirt road. Sections of the road are so mucky there were fears the vehicle wouldn't make it through the slippery slop. The 40 families that live in the remote village in Belize near the Guatemalan border do not have access to health care. The nearest doctor is at the Mopan Clinic in Santa Elena. It is the only free clinic in the vicinity but it is more than an hour away by car. Since basic necessities, such as clean drinking water and proper sanitation do not exist in La Gracia, transportation to see a doctor is an unattainable luxury. Click to read more Part 2 Lunenburg family physician Dr. David Martell reassures the quickly organized six-member South Shore team that a medical mission in Belize will be worth their efforts.  He visited Belize last year on a project from Green Solutions. The charity sent a container full of donated items for schools.  Although in Belize last year to help schools, Dr. Martell happened upon a volunteer opportunity for his medical services through Keith Froom of 4 the World. The U.S.-based non-profit organization has ongoing projects in developing countries such as Belize. Mr. Froom organizes volunteer teams to help with construction at schools and sponsors teens to attend high school.  It can cost a family up to a $1,000 a year for their teenager to attend secondary school. According to UNICEF, only one quarter of Belize's poor children attend high school. In addition to educational opportunities, Mr. Froom is beginning to mobilize teams of medical professionals... Click here to read more Part 3 A dishevelled middle-aged man approaches the clinic in San Marcos. The man's eyes are swollen and red from crying. He places his hand on his chest and says through a translator that his heart hurts. He came to the clinic, not for medicine or because he suffered physically; he came because of his mental anguish. Mission organizer Dr. David Martell, Lunenburg, has the foresight to understand that the people of Belize suffer from things that medicine cannot heal. As a result, he welcomed social worker Allison Rew to be part of the week-long mission in Central America. Click here for rest of article

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