The Starfish Fund mission in Mexico is to support the expansion of access to medical care for the indigenous Tzeltal Indian people of the state of Chiapas, Mexico.  The Fund is partnering with the Mayan Synod of The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, Hebron USA and the Mills Family Mission to promote and complete this important work.  The first phase of the project involves the building of a medical clinic in Ocosingo, Chiapas.

The provision of medical care is a luxury not afforded many people in Mexico.  The state of Chiapas has over one million people that do not have access to health care.  Most of these people are Tzeltal Indians who live in thousands of small villages throughout the region.  Their access to health care is hampered by racism and discrimination in addition to issues of transportation and culture.

Background

In 1990, the Maya Presbytery bought land near the town of Ocosingo for a new bible school.  Ocosingo is the largest county in southern Mexico and the town is the commercial center of the region 

Over the next few years, the Alfa and Omega Bible School was built through funds donated by local churches along with volunteer labor supplied by each church, an unheard of feat in Mexico.  Finished in 1995, the school opened that September with 18 students.

After the damaging floods of 1999, the Presbytery realized the need for more medical services for the indigenous people of the area.  Pablo Feliciano-Cruz, the executive director of the Presbytery had become friends with John Mills, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Free Clinics, and the two began discussing the possibility of building a clinic on bible school property.

Having visited Ocosingo for seven summers on mission trips, John knew of the needs of the local people.  His work with volunteer free clinics for the uninsured in North Carolina and across the United States was a valuable resource he believed would help the people of Chiapas.  So in 2004, John Mills, along with his wife Ginny and daughters Holly and Maggie, made the decision to make a difference in the life of others and move to Mexico to facilitate the building of the clinic.

Medical Clinic Project

The new medical clinic in Ocosingo will serve all people regardless of their situation, but will focus on the needs of the indigenous people of the area.  Chiapas has over 30 different language groups, including the Tzeltal Bachajon, Cho'ol, Tojolabal, and Tzeltal Oxchuc people.

The medical clinic will include 6 exam rooms for outpatient medical care, 3 dental operatories and space for related lab, x-ray and administrative services.  The clinic expects to serve 150-200 patients a day through a variety of primary care and preventative care services.

Medical care will be provided by indigenous medical staff  and foreign volunteer medical personal.  Visiting medical mission groups will be able to work in the clinic or travel to outlying villages to provide on-site medical care.

Future plans call for training patient advocates.  These individuals will be bilingual in Spanish and the various native languages, allowing them to serve as advocates for the indigenous Indians when they must access government supported medical care services.  This language issue is one of the major barriers to accessing more complicated health care needs for indigenous people.

Barefoot Doctors

An important mission of the new clinic will be to serve as a training and support center for Barefoot Doctors or Paramedicos.

The concept of Barefoot Doctors began in the 1950's with a Wycliffe missionary nurse who taught those interested native Christian individuals the basics of medicine.  Her efforts included teaching  basic skills such as first aid, basic diagnostic skills, suturing skills, basic treatment skills for common diseases (i.e. bronchitis, worms, gastritis) and tooth extraction.

The new medical clinic will serve as a site for training and continuing education for the Barefoot Doctors, serve as a place where they can refer people from outlying communities and villages, and access consultation assistance in the field.

Mexican Culture

To learn more about Mexico and its culture, click on the link below:

Mexican Culture

Photo Album

To see more pictures of Ocosingo and its people, visit our Photo Album page.