And the work continues . . .

I am sitting in the Lima airport awaiting my return flight to the States. This is a flight I have made many times – and yet, I always feel a bit anxious about the trip. Perhaps my anxiety is born from the feelings I have leaving Peru and in the recognition that there is a great deal of work that needs to be done in preparation for my next trip.

This has been a really “full” trip – with the First Annual Arequipa Connect Conference, many meetings to plan an upcoming research project, preparations for the Second Annual Alto Cayma Healthcare Conference and Training Symposium (in April) and our outreach campaign to Carabayllo. Next week, a group from Affinity HMO in Appleton, Wisconsin will be visiting the Mission of Alto Cayma to work with Dr. Bob Gehringer and Nurse Karen Falkenstein to determine ways that the Mission Clinic and the Affinity group can establish a collaborative partnership to advance healthcare services to the people of Alto Cayma.

On Tuesday afternoon I flew back to Lima for a series of meetings with critical HBI in-country partners. These meetings are important to the on-going work of HBI as they help to establish the connections that make our work so valuable. In addition, the meetings afford a tremendous opportunity to brainstorm about future programs and projects.

Speaking of future projects - I am excited to get back to Portland to prepare for an important upcoming collaborative project in Arequipa with the University of North Carolina Wilmington School of Nursing. In early March, HBI and UNCW will be partnering on a community assessment research study to evaluate healthcare access, utilization and satisfaction amongst people of the Alto Cayma communities.

Our hope is that this Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved study will help to bring greater attention to the needs of impoverished peoples in the periurban communities of Alto Cayma and help to direct future interventions. HBI will be posting more information about this study in the coming weeks.

On a separate note - I have recently learned of a change in U.S. law that makes it easier for people to donate to non-governmental (U.S. 501 (c)(3) registered) organizations like HBI.

The U.S. Congress has passed legislation that allows those over 70 1/2 years of age to forgo their required minimum distribution for the calendar year 2009. They have also extended the legislation that allows those 70 1/2 years of age to make contributions directly to a charity. The benefit of giving from your IRA, is that you do not have to take the income on your 1040. This is a major benefit for those who use the standard deduction rather than itemizing. Should you wish to donate to HBI - please see our website for details: http://www.hbint.org/donate/money.php

As always, thank you for your support of HBI and our on-going work of serving the poor and building bridges for sustainable change.