Liz Kirkland – Denver, Colorado … A recent mission trip to Peru saw the revival of a longstanding church tradition at Newday Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, as Kenneth Martinez, Newday associate pastor, and a dedicated team of volunteers partnered with AdventHealth’s Global Health Initiatives (GHI) to bring critical medical and community support to underserved Amazonian regions. The multi-team effort resulted in a remarkable impact across health, sanitation, and spiritual connection.
The mission, lasting a little more than a week of intensive service, was organized through GHI, an AdventHealth initiative that facilitates several international service trips annually to various locations throughout the world. Three specialized teams—medical, water sanitation, and mobile clinics—served hundreds of residents in remote towns outside of Iquitos, Peru.
The medical team served at the Ana Stahl Adventist Clinic in Iquitos that is known to be one of the best medical providers in the region. Due to financial and other resource limitations, however, the clinic will sometimes have to postpone treating patients until one of the mission groups is available. During this particular mission visit, the medical team completed around 18 surgeries at the clinic.
Meanwhile, the water sanitation team delivered and installed approximately 80–100 water filters, a vital solution in villages lacking clean water, sewage systems, and consistent electricity. These locally maintainable filters were life-changing for communities without many resources that were drawing unsafe water.
The mobile clinic team included doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and Martinez assisted as one of a handful of interpreters being fluent in Spanish and English to assist in their efforts. In the five days the mobile clinics operated, 571 individuals were treated, averaging over 100 patients per day. Many cases were basic yet crucial—malnutrition, stomach issues from unclean water, and chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. One particularly urgent case involved a man facing blindness from tree resin exposure; the team personally transported him by boat to the Ana Stahl Clinic, ultimately saving his sight.
Beyond physical aid, the trip stirred spiritual renewal and outreach. “The value of serving is definitely part of the Gospel, to alleviate pain, extending the healing mission of Christ,” remarked Martinez.
He noted several spiritual conversations emerged naturally during the trip with other volunteers outside of the Adventist denomination or organized faith. “I was praying that I could be able to also help in a spiritual manner. As a pastor, this was a great evangelistic and ministry opportunity. There were three volunteers in particular with a spiritual interest. One of them said, ‘I would like to go to your church,’ and I hope that this person comes with their family. For me, it was very fulfilling and meaningful to be able to provide some spiritual guidance and counseling and be able to help them in their spiritual journey to connect with Jesus.”
Martinez expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity: “Global Health Initiatives provides this framework for people to serve.” Looking ahead, he hopes to mobilize more church members, broadening the impact of the mission of hope, health, and healing, commenting, “I wish more pastors and members would serve because it’s a very intimate experience; you get to know people at a more personal level. It is the perfect environment to bring up spiritual conversations.”
—Interview conducted by Liz Kirkland, Rocky Mountain Conference Communication director. Initial article draft curated by ChatGPT based on the interview; revisions and editing by Liz Kirkland. Photos courtesy of Kenneth Martinez.
