About

In 2009, our expanding group of providers and supporters elected to form a non-profit called Luke 9:2 Ministries in order to provide continuous care for underserved populations through financial and prayer support. Our medical services are overseen by Dr. Beth Ann Yakes, an associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and local services are provided by Dr. Jorge Ponce, a Honduran native and graduate of the National Autonomous University of Honduras School of Medicine. Over the last few years our organization has provided financial assistance and medications to Dr. Ponce in order to equip him to provide acute care and chronic disease management to underserved communities outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Additionally, our annual medical/dental short-term trip has expanded to twice-yearly opportunities in order to support our local physician as well as to engage professional and layperson volunteers in the ministry’s efforts.

Teams prepare for each trip by collecting and packing donated medications, eyeglasses and medical supplies. During each week-long trip, patients are evaluated by trained medical and dental professionals, and medications, eyeglasses and education are provided to these patients free of any charge. In addition, team members partner with local church leaders in order to share our faith-based purposes for being there and to share the Gospel with any interested patient. During a typical week of mission service, the team will evaluate over 2,000 patients, extract 700 teeth, provide 600 eyeglasses, and dispense over 10,000 medications.

By 2020, Luke 9:2 Ministries was providing consistent support to our in-country physicians and dentists, equipping local pastors through quarterly training programs, and maintaining safe water purification systems in the communities we served. Unfortunately, as occurred in much of the world, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic turned our well-laid plans upside down. And yet, the pandemic also served as a reminder that God is in control and that His plans cannot be undone by a mere virus. Our ministry pivoted from sending teams of medical volunteers to Honduras to supporting even more in-country clinicians with medicines, supplies, and encouragement. We converted our pastoral-training sessions to virtual workshops and we took advantage of phone apps to communicate regularly with in-country safe-water champions. And God provided.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke 9:2 Ministries has continued to host medical/dental clinics working solely through in-country clinicians and ministry partners. We continue to graduate pastors who have earned their Certificate in Practical Theology by completing our online courses. And we continue to support the local champions and partners who seek to provide safe water and health education even in a time of great upheaval.