This year, AMOS is celebrating our 15th anniversary!
Thanks to your support over the past 15 years, we have learned so much, overcome numerous challenges, and saved countless lives along the way. As we turn the page to our next chapter, we want you to know how much your support means to us and the more than 28,000 people you help us serve in Nicaragua.
We’re looking back at some of the most inspiring stories of hope you have made possible over the years, starting with Santiago!
Santiago’s Story
| In 2018, Santiago was 48 years old and living in the community of Apantillo, in Matagalpa, with his wife. He had been a farmer for almost all of his life, but for the last 9 years, he had been suffering from a severe skin illness that prevented him from working in the fields. |
His skin turned almost completely black, which affected his arms, back, and chest. He experienced pain, burning, and itching, and the worst was the effect on his face. Santiago did not like to even look at himself in the mirror.
| During those 9 years, Santiago searched for help in different health centers and hospitals. Doctors tried different treatments, but they were never able to successfully help him. At some health centers, doctors gave him prescriptions so that he could buy medications, but they were extremely expensive. “I could never afford to buy those pills and shots. I was not even working, and we were barely eating. I had to buy 120 pills, which cost me $60,” Santiago said. On a supervision visit to the community of Apantillo, Socorro Acuña, a member of the primary health care staff at AMOS, learned about Santiago’s health problem. Socorro arranged for him to be seen by a doctor at the Samaritan Clinic on the AMOS campus. Santiago initially refused to get care because he was concerned about not being able to afford the transportation, doctor’s fees, and medications. |
Socorro explained to him that thanks to the AMOS Patient Care Program, Santiago would not need to pay for anything – he would receive health care and medications completely free of charge.
| At the Samaritan Clinic, Santiago was diagnosed with an allergy to the sun. After receiving free treatment, he felt much better, and his neighbors in Apantillo were amazed by the improvements they saw in his health! Santiago remembers the compassionate care and patience of the doctors at the Samaritan Clinic. “They gave me completely free health care and medicine. I did not have the money to cover the expenses of my treatment, but at AMOS, they saw my needs, attended to them right away, and helped me get better.” Santiago’s allergy had drastically affected his quality of life in different ways. “The hardest part was the burning feeling,” said Santiago. “I couldn’t sleep at night because the burning was so intense.” Normal activities, such as taking a shower, used to cause him so much pain and discomfort. |
But after he received care from the Samaritan Clinic, Santiago started feeling a significant difference in his quality of life. He started to enjoy showers again. He was able to walk without feeling pain. And his hope had been restored.
