Reclaim (previously IDEAS)

A. WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO?

Reclaiming health, hope, and life for unseen children and adults challenged by topography, trafficking, and tremendous population density. 

IDEAS has changed its name to RECLAIM. Our mission, vision, and core values remain unchanged, but our name now reflects our commitment to serve the unseen and to introduce them to the One who can reclaim hope, dignity, and life for them!  The health work within RECLAIM includes the following: 1. Assistive devices (such as wheelchairs) and rehabilitation in Guatemala; 2. Anti-human trafficking; 3. Faith Hospital, Clinic, Community Health, and Health Skills Development Project in Bangladesh.  

1. Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices. In the challenging topography of Guatemala, many disabled people struggle to find access to wheelchairs, assistive devices, and rehabilitation services, so they lose hope. RECLAIM helps the disabled and their communities to flourish by adapting assistive devices to their specific situations, enabling them to function in their communities. Many can then change their attitudes towards the disabled. The results are meeting needs and changing hearts.

2. For Anti-human trafficking, we integrate methods in our programs to identify and mitigate risks for vulnerable individuals and those victimized by human trafficking. Reclaim works to address injustices and care for those at risk so they feel valued, seen, loved, and protected.

3. Bangladesh has the world's largest unreached people group. In the tremendous population density of Bangladesh, Faith Hospital seeks to serve marginalized children and adults with a central clinic, mobile clinics, water and sanitation (WASH) program, and by growing into a small hospital. Faith Hospital is located on the APAB complex with an orphanage, autism and special needs children program, and school. (APAB stands for Alacrity for Poverty Alleviation Bangladesh and is a project of Asia Focus from South Korea.) The needs of children are often unnoticed, so Faith Hospital and APAB emphasize children and neglected adults.  The Health Scholarship and Skills Development Program enables orphans and young adults from poor families to develop practical health care skills (not just degrees) needed to promote health among the unseen poor like their own families.

B. WHO ARE WE SEEKING TO JOIN US AT FAITH HOSPITAL?

Physicians, Surgeons, Nurses, Physical Therapists, Dentist, Public Health Practitioners, Water and Sanitation Engineer, (WASH), Computer Consultant for digital health information system (HIS).

C. CAN YOU EXPLAIN MORE?

The activities to RECLAIM health, hope, and life in Bangladesh are exemplified by the two accounts described below. 

We have been encouraged by the improvement of one of the lupus patients treated at Faith Hospital. This mother of two teenagers has been repeatedly blessed by God for the last 20 years. The disease has been increasingly attacking her kidneys, and this past year she was suffering from extensive edema (retaining fluid in her body). Her condition was worsening severely. She was losing hope. Many people were praying for her. By God’s grace and guidance, a change in the medicine regimen improved the function of her kidneys, and the fluid in her body has gradually decreased. She lost 11 kg of fluid and improved more than anyone expected. She looks like a new person. God improved her kidneys and liver much more than the doctors or change of medicine could have. God obviously intervened. Praise God!

Bangladesh Faith Hospital Mobile Clinic & WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene):

The team continues to do mobile clinics in extremely poor villages who have baseline health statistics much worse than other communities. We were very pleased to see how the sanitation in a new partner village has improved after the WASH intervention in December 2024. Routine handpump wells are not feasible there, so 4 deep tube wells with electrical motors and 20 latrines were installed in the village. Each pump provides safe water for 10 families. The population participated actively in this project by supplying pipes, water tanks, cement, bricks and, brought the water right into their houses. Previously they had to carry water a long distance and were going into the jungle to relieve themselves. Now they enjoy safe water and latrines in their houses. We thank Jesus this has brought a wonderful transformation to their community and lives. We persevere with them to reduce other causes of malnutrition in their children and pregnant women.

We are praying for additional Faith Hospital Professionals to Develop Skills in Orphans and Others from Poor Families so they can do Evidence-based Health Care and Disease Prevention for the Least Served.

1. Professionals: Physicians, Surgeons, Nurses, Physical Therapists, Dentist, Public Health Practitioners, Water and Sanitation Engineer, (WASH), Computer Consultant for digital health information system (HIS).
2. Develop Skills: Not only to train. To ensure that our health professional team and partner community members have proven proficiency.
3. Evidence-based, up-to-date medicines, procedures, and prevention with conscientious care.
4. The Least served, the unseen, the left behind: We search for and partner with the least served communities. We adapt to their situations, and we help them to develop tools to participate in their own healthcare.
5. Perseverance: Skills require a long time to develop, correct, improve, and teach how to pass forward to the next generation. Therefore, for expatriates, long-term learning of the language and culture is needed. In specific situations, a two people covering one position by alternating repeated 6-month short-terms may be possible.
6. Purpose: So that all have access to the One who can reclaim hope and life for them.