Third World Medical Conference

It’s not a secret that medical care in developed countries is drastically different from that in third world nations.  The types of illness presented, the attitudes and beliefs about medicine, the lack of health insurance, the heat, transportation difficulties, the poor facilities – the list goes on and on – make medical care an often challenging, yet rewarding task in Haiti.  With many years of experience under our belt, we’ve learned a few tricks of the trade and best practices.  But we know there’s always room for growth.  To put it in Biblical terms, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

To stay up on the latest developments, Espwa team members will be attending this year’s Third World Medical Conference, hosted by Medical Missionaries, at George Mason University, 13 – 15 November 2015.  The conference covers a wide range of topics, including treatment of infectious diseases, clinical tropical medicine case challenges, field management in resource-poor environments, mission support topics, and discussion group breakouts.  Our Espwa President, Jen Schmidt, CFNP, will be a panel member during a discussion titled Short-Term Missions vs. 24/7 Operations.

The conference begins on a Friday evening and ends by 4 pm Sunday.  The registration fee includes 6 meals, and, for medical professionals, CME credits. Prices are reduced for those not in the medical field.

We’d love for you to come out and meet Jen and some of our other Espwa team members at the conference.  In the past, it’s been a great networking event and the lessons learned have helped our medical teams provide better care.

More information about the conference and registration can be found at:

Medical Missionaries Link


New Espwa Website Goes Live!

After months of development, the new Espwa website has been publicly released!  Thanks to all who’ve contributed photos, insight, tech support, feedback, and encouragement – we couldn’t have done it without you.

Let’s walk through some of the website’s features.  The new Home Page features a quick overview of what we stand for and has a scrolling section near the bottom with recent updates.

We’ve added an About Us section that includes our story, the mission and values of Espwa, our team members, and a little information about Cap Haitien, Haiti, where we serve.

The Projects area illustrates our approach to poverty alleviation, some of our success stories, and current projects in need of support that may interest you.

Our News Feed will be updated with Espwa news, articles, book reviews, and any other information pertinent to Haiti and our cause.  Facebook will continue to be our primary social media outlet, but the website will serve to better advertise project developments, fundraisers, and trips.

Finally, each page has a Donation button, contact form to sign up for our newsletter, link to Like Us on Facebook, and quick links.  Our newsletter is currently set up on a quarterly basis, so you won’t be constantly spammed if you choose to sign up.

Thanks for your interest in Espwa and the work we do in Haiti.  The recent photo of our Peace & Joy families that serves as our featured image for this post is a good reminder of why we do what we do. We are grateful for your support!