Volunteers Take Boats and Planes to Help Indigenous People in the Amazon

July is known as a month of winter vacation in the Southern Hemisphere, but some people have been using this month to help others. That’s what motivated 36 volunteers to leave various locations in Brazil and travel by plane and boat for almost 48 hours to Michiles Island, an indigenous region of Sateré Mawé, in the municipality of Maués, more than 150 miles (250 km) from Manaus.

The Andrews Mission 2024 volunteers spent 10 days in the area and served six indigenous communities, totaling around 800 people. The team included professionals in the areas of medicine, nursing, dentistry, psychology, pharmacy, education, among other professions.

“We conducted medical consultations, delivered medicines — all with a doctor’s prescription — and applied bandages,” Claudeci Vieira da Silva, the mission’s coordinator, said. “We also gave lectures on domestic violence and health and spoke about sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] to six indigenous communities.”

Silva said that indigenous patients complained of lack of appetite, stomach aches, and headaches, and were diagnosed with worms, hernias, gynecological problems, diabetes, and depression.

“They live in a place far from the city with difficult access to medical care, psychological care, and education, among many other basic needs,” the coordinator noted.

Andrews Mission built a mission base with dormitories, kitchen, bathrooms, and an auditorium on Michiles Island to house pastors and volunteers who arrive in the region every year to help indigenous communities.

An Extra Precaution

Ellen Silva de Carvalho, a specialist in vascular neurology, was taking part in her second trip of this nature. She says that since she was a child she has dreamed of being a doctor and a missionary.

“I confess that the mission in Amazonas was quite challenging due to the natural conditions. The long journey by boat, the very hot and humid climate, and sleeping in a hammock,” she said. “But the outcome was very positive because of the opportunity to serve as Christ did, to take a little of what He gave me to these indigenous communities. It was very rewarding to help alleviate pain, treat infections, among other needs.”

“One of the indigenous children, Jessé, was very active and friendly with everyone. But due to a long-standing urinary tract infection, which had not been diagnosed beforehand, he was left prostrate for a few days. It was moving to see him doing well after receiving the appropriate treatment,” the neurologist said.

For Silva, “coordinating a mission in the heart of the Amazon rainforest is a responsibility that God gave me. Seeing people smiling, children running around in the playgrounds, people thanking us for coming and saying that we were the relief of their pain, is very gratifying,” she said.

Gratitude and Hope

Josibias Alencar dos Santos is the chief of the Sateré Mawé indigenous tribe on Michiles Island, and he emphasized how important the group was.

“They helped us have a better quality of life and better health. I want to thank all the missionaries for helping our community,” he said.

Agnaldo Guimarães de Almeida, leader of the Michiles Island Adventist church, added that he witnessed the joy of the children, young people, and adults of his Sateré Mawé ethnic group, where he has lived for 24 years, and has been an Adventist church member for 14 years.

“The health and education talks, and especially the talks for couples, were very important. Our people were treated with medicines and physical and spiritual food,” Agnaldo explained.

“We want the volunteers to come back more often,” Almeia said.

About Andrews Mission

The project’s name is a reference to John Nevins Andrews, a missionary who dedicated his life to helping others. Since January 2017, the Andrews Mission has been sending doctors, nurses, dentists, and other professionals to provide free care to people in need in Africa.

Andrews Mission is a lay-led supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church. The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.