International Aid

Imagine living in a remote village of Tanzania where lion attacks and water buffalo injuries are not out of the ordinary. Adventurous, no doubt, but how do you receive medical care?

Myrna Shelley has a passion and an answer. Just this past year, the Maasai Tribe in Tanzania received visitors and medical treatment for the first time thanks to a portable lab. The lab was a product of IA called Lab-in-a-Suitcase and was utilized by Gateway to Hope, a ministry led by Myrna Shelley of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Shelley was thrilled to have the opportunity to help the Maasai people by providing medical care. The lab was perfect for her because it required no training, ran on solar power and supplied all the needed medical equipment for the clinic. The nurses and doctors on the trip were able to dive in and get right to work.

After seeing that many of the Maasai walked 35 miles to get medical treatment, her heart went out to them and she knew she had to go back.

“We’re hoping to bring a bigger group of volunteers and return to the Maasai with a portable lab in September 2009. There’s many more who need our help,” says Shelley.

Interested in meeting the Maasai? Gateway to Hope is looking for nurses, pharmacists, doctors, English teachers and general support workers. Contact Myrna from Gateway to Hope to sign-up for an upcoming trip.

Learn more about the portable lab.