As amazing as it is, on April 30 of this year, we will have been opened for three years already!  Praise God!  During that time, we have recorded over 6,000 patient visits, and ministered hope and wellness to thousands in this community.

It has been some time since I have updated the newsletter, but with the new website, thank you Paul, I felt I had to take the time to share the wonderful things that have happened since the last newsletter:   

• November 2009:  We held our Third Annual Health Fair at Eagle’s Nest Church.  There were approximately 35 vendors, with Spectrum Health Visiting Nurses providing 100 free flu shots and we had about 400 people who attended and were served free hot dogs provided by Hansen Collision.  A fun time was had by all with wellness and health education abounding!
• We formally adopted All Nations Springs of Life medical clinic as a “sister clinic” to Oasis of Hope Center.  I will be visiting and providing medical care there during a mission trip beginning November 4, 2010.  We continue to support them prayerfully and are currently saving surplus supplies to bring on the trip in November.
• As 2010 unfolds, we are seeing a benefit to our volunteers that we did not anticipate-the people who are students are being admitted to the programs they are hoping to get in to.  Those who are newly graduated and need experience are acquiring experience through their volunteer efforts and getting the jobs they hoped to get.  And, in this economy, those who are volunteering here while unemployed seem to have a “leg up” when it comes to getting work because of the volunteering they are doing here.  Amazing!  The universities and schools which are represented by the volunteers here are:
• Michigan State Univ, Western Michigan Univ, Grand Valley State Univ, Ferris State Univ, Western Theological Seminary (Cornerstone), Grand Rapids Community College, Everest Institute, and Ross Medical Education Center.

• We are grateful to the State of Michigan Department of Community Health and Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Michigan who both awarded us grants during the fall.  In this tight economy their dollars have helped to support our efforts to remain a totally free provider of health care to persons who have no option for health care.
• Feb 2010:  We held a volunteer appreciation dinner and invited the over 100 volunteers who had served during 2009.  We had dinner provided for 70 people by Brann’s Grill and Steakhouse on Leonard Street. We could not do what we do here without the wonderful volunteers who give the hours they do to serve the forgotten!
• March 2010:  We were able to send our surplus supplies to a surgical and orthopedic hospital in Haiti blessing thousands of people who are on the other side of the world (see photos on our webpage).
• April 2010:  We started another focus of our ministry as a domestic medical mission and have a team of people available providing for the Spiritual Care needs of the people we serve.
• 2009 and 2010:  The spotlight has been shown on Oasis of Hope Center through numerous awards being given to the Director.  God receives all the glory for the things He has been able to accomplish in this place.  He is our provision and our strength!
• We continue to believe God for the building next door.  We have dental equipment to set up a couple of dental operatories to meet the huge dental needs in this community and the rest of the space will be used for overflow.  Believe it or not, we are running out of space with the many volunteers who are providing services, we are in need of the additional rooms for the added services we offer.
• Thank you to all who continue to support us prayerfully and financially.  There continues to be so many miraculous happenings that can only be attributed to God using Oasis of Hope Center and the volunteers here to Provide hope…in Jesus’ name.

 

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!!                     Barb


If you would like to volunteer, or support us in any way, you can call or write at:


Oasis of Hope Center
522 Leonard Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI  49504-4258
(616) 451-8868 or fax (616) 451-8899
volunteer@oasis-of-hope-center.org
donate@oasis-of-hope-center.org
Donate on line
We are a 501(c)3 organization, all donations for support are tax-deductible.
THANK YOU SO MUCH,
Barb Grinwis, Director