Mission To Haiti / Guest Blogger

Today we have a guest Blogger…my Assistant and our Office Manager, Ranelle Walkenhorst. She recently interviewed one of our Office Volunteers who just got back from a Missions Trip to Haiti. What an incredible story. I love these. I can’t wait until my vision is realized of someone from our church being somewhere in the world every week of the year doing Missions in the name of Our Lord!!!

Dr. Ulrick Pardo A Man with a heart for Missions in the land of Haiti

Ulrick Pardo was born in the small town of Marmelade Haiti on December 29, 1931.  He went to elementary and secondary school in Gonaives, and although he was always very serious about his education, loving scholastics and achieving in school, he also enjoyed sports and had fun playing football as well. Upon graduation from high school, he entered college at Petion Lycee in Port-au-Prince, where he initially intended to study engineering.  Upon the suggestion of his very wise brother to consider studying medicine, he did just that, and thereupon began a life of service and ministry which he continues today.

He graduated from medical school in 1956, and practiced general medicine in Haiti for 2 years before coming to New York to study Internal Medicine at the Bronx Hospital.  There, in addition to continuing his studies…he met a lovely R.N. named Renee’ who stole his heart.  They married and had 2 daughters and 1 son, and now they are the proud grandparents of 3 children.

After completing his training in New York, Dr. Pardo and his family went to Chicago, where he practiced Internal Medicine until 1999 when he retired.  In 2000 they moved to South Florida.  He has been coming to Oasis Church since about 2004.

Dr. Pardo has been such a blessing to our church, not only because of his friendly manner, but because of his willingness to give of himself to reach out where help is needed.  He is a regular volunteer in the church office, helping with mailings and stuffing bulletins.  We only recently became aware of how far-reaching his help to others is, as he told us of his missions trips to Haiti.

He has always had a tender spot in his heart for his homeland of Haiti.  While he originally began doing missions work in Haiti on his own, for the past 20 years he has gone on missions trips to Haiti twice a year with the St. Phillip Congregation in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Along with a team of 6 – 7 doctors, nurses and the pastors of the St. Phillip Church, they minister to the people of Thomazeau and surrounding area bringing medical help, food, water and spiritual counsel as well.  The people, who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the team greet them with great joy and hope.  The people are given medical examinations and tests, those with on-going conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are given a 6 month supply of much-needed medicine, until the next time the team will arrive.  Minor surgeries can be performed right there, and emergencies are taken to the closest hospital which is in Port-au-Prince.

It is not unusual for the team to see 2000 people in one week.  Many of the patients they see are children.  Dr. Pardo says that one of the most rewarding things they are able to do is save a lot of children from malnutrition, and to provide safe drinking water.  He said he always knows that Jesus is with him when he goes on his missions trips, and though sometimes there may be dangers, he doesn’t have any fear, knowing that Jesus is there.

In addition to the missions trips Dr. Pardo participates in twice each year, he has chosen a very meaningful and tangible way to bless the people of the town where he was born.  Five years ago Dr. Pardo, along with a very close friend, built a church and school on the outskirts of Marmelade.  They now have 150 grade school students, with plans to build a new school building.  Following the death of his friend 2 years ago, Dr. Pardo, on his own, has assumed the financial support of the church and school.

Dr. Pardo truly has a heart for missions…for reaching out with the love of Christ, as he lives his life committed to bringing hope and healing and encouragement to others.