The Hodges Family

Orthopedic Medical Missionaries to So d d o , E t h i o p i a

following in the footsteps of the great physician He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5 & 6

A Note From Brian and Autumn:

Since 2006, we have had on our hearts to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ in the midst of serving those who find themselves in need of physical healing. The opportunities that Brian will have as an orthopedic surgeon to help the injured and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the reason we are choosing to live among those who so greatly need both. Over the last nine years, Brian has completed medical school and residency to prepare him for the calling God has placed on our hearts to serve at Soddo Christian Hospital in Soddo, Ethiopia. We will be serving through the Post-Residency Program, part of World Medical Mission, the medical arm of Samaritan’s Purse ministries. Your prayers and support are of great encouragement to us. Thank you for joining us in this endeavor and making it possible to say yes to going. He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2 Gratefully and Humbly, Brian and Autumn Hodges

Seeing the Need in Ethiopia

So d d o C h r i s t i a n Ho s p i t a l O r t h o p e d i c s So d d o , E t h i o p i a Located in one of the poorest regions of Ethiopia – the Wolaitta region Tribal religions and Eastern Orthodox traditions abound Islam is making enormous inroads at this time The streets are filled with orphans

So d d o S t a t s People in the Wolaitta region of Ethiopia : 5 million Ethiopians never see a doctor in their lifetime: 9 out of 10 Children die before the age of five: 1 in 5 Population 15 years of age or younger: 50%

Soddo has two orthopedic surgeons for a region of almost 5 million people, versus the United States having one orthopedic surgeon for every 11,000 people. Patients often have to wait weeks or months before being brought to the hospital to have a bone set or surgery done creating difficult surgeries and less than favorable outcomes. The wait may be due to lack of money for the operation or lack of transportation, as most families live in extreme poverty. The cycle of poverty continues when men and women are physically unable to work and support their families.

Ethiopia w i l l q u i c k ly stretch out her h a n d s t o Go d. P s a l m 68 :31

There is hope in healing. There is hope in Christ.

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11

Soddo Christian Hospital

Soddo Christian Hospital was founded in 2005, to provide excellent medical services, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to make disciples. International missionaries work side by side with a staff of 350 Ethiopians. As a part of Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), SCH is currently training Ethiopian orthopedic and general surgeons who are committed to staying in Africa to provide care. As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.” These men and women are being sent out across Africa to bring care and healing and the Gospel to more people than could ever be reached by one hospital alone. 30,000 patients per year are treated at SCH, where spiritual healing, along with physical healing, is the heart of the hospital through sharing the Gospel with every patient and discipling new believers. SCH is committed to caring for patients even when they cannot afford treatment or surgery. The heart and hope of SCH is to demonstrate to patients of all religions and backgrounds compassionate and loving care, and to share with each patient the Good News and love of Jesus Christ.

The Post-Residency Program

In preparation of serving as career medical missionaries, the Post-Residency Program allows physicians in all specialties to work alongside and be mentored by experienced missionary doctors overseas for a period of two years.

Being accepted to this program allows Brian to be trained under Dr. Duane Anderson, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon who practiced for 17 years in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and has worked at Soddo Christian Hospital for the last 10 years. Watch the video: http://www.samaritanspurse. org/medical/post-residency-program

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of who they have not heard? And how Will they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel

of

peace,

who

bring

glad

tidings

Rom a n s 10:14& 15

of

good

things!”

On Her Own Two Feet

Imagine being 27 years old and having never walked upright. That was the plight of Mihret. She had been born with a congenital knee dislocation in both legs that made it impossible for her to stand on her own two legs. Recently she came from Addis Ababa – the capital city five hours away, after she had heard that Soddo Christian Hospital was working miracles for people who had never walked. For her entire life Mihret had crawled on her hands and knees. She wore flip-flops on her hands to protect them from the hot city pavement.

going into the tibia. Mihret lost a lot of blood, an issue complicated by the fact that her blood type was O negative – the most rare type. But she got transfused, and recovered for three weeks before having the right side done. According to Dr. Anderson, “With the experience on the left side, we were able to do the right side without as much bleeding.”

She was poor, and didn’t even have enough money to get x-rays taken of both knees. A deal was worked out so that she could at least get the x-rays and talk to our orthopedic surgeon about treatment options. Since birth, her dislocated knees had only flexed in the wrong direction, making it impossible to stand. Dr. Anderson saw her in the orthopedic clinic and felt that if her knees could be fused, she would be able to stand, and even walk with assistance.

Soddo Christian Hospital has a weekly chapel service at the hospital on Wednesday mornings that is attended by most of the hospital staff. Mihret was given the opportunity to attend chapel, but not just attend. To walk down the center aisle. Never before had the staff reacted to a patient’s recovery like they did with her. There was exuberant cheering and applause, and some of the staff cried as Mihret gave thanks to them and to God. A day of rejoicing at Soddo Christian Hospital that will not soon be forgotten.

She didn’t have a penny to pay for such a surgery, so the Soddo Christian Hospital Benevolent Fund covered her entire treatment. A week after admission, Mihret underwent the first surgery on her left leg. A complex procedure that lasted hours and involved putting a rod through her femur, bridging the distorted knee, and

Just a few days after that, for the first time in her life, Mihret stood upright on her own two legs.

Watch the video: https://vimeo.com/119006959

The Need is Great

Will you partner with us? This is our opportunity to build a team of people who desire to be a part of this incredible work. It is your opportunity to be a part of serving the least of these. We will go! Will you send us?!

For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to Me. …In as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.

Matthew 25: 35-36, 40

Will You Send Us?

Although our family will be living in Ethiopia and working at Soddo Christian Hospital, we will not be receiving any funding from the hospital itself. We will be serving as full-time missionaries! The cost for our family of six to serve at Soddo Christian Hospital is $165 per day. Please consider being a part of our monthly support team. It will be because of you that we are in Ethiopia reaching people for God! By signing up for monthly support now, you can also contribute toward our start up costs. We are also looking for one time gifts of $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, and $10,000 to go toward our start up costs. All donations are 100% tax deductible! By being part of our team, you are making it possible to bring hope and healing to the people of Ethiopia!

Donate:

Online: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/medical/wmm-doctors/ Search: HODGES, BRIAN AND AUTUMN (004783) Mail: Checks Made Payable to: Samaritan’s Purse P.O. Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607 Memo: Hodges, Acct #004783 Phone: 828.262.1980 All donations are tax deductible!

Thank You

Thank you for making it possible to say yes! Your support and prayers will have an eternal impact on the lives we are going to serve.

upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3

apeaceofourlife.COM [email protected]

I will heal them I thank my God

stay in touch:

and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. Jeremiah 33:6b

instagram: @apeaceofourlife

Pray Pray for the multitudes around the world who are sick, hurt, and dying because of a lack of proper medical care. Please pray for us as we treat the sick, heal the hurt, and share the love of Jesus overseas.

Give

Help our family provide medical care and support to Soddo Christian Hospital in Soddo, Ethiopia. Give online at: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/medical/wmm-doctors/ Search: HODGES, BRIAN AND AUTUMN (004783)

Connect

To follow our family on our journey, stay connected with us at: apeaceofourlife.com [email protected] instagram: @apeaceofourlife

photo credit:

PAGE 1: SCHFaces126: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 2: SCH_BenevolenceFund109: Soddo Christian Hospital PAGE 3: AfricaMap: A Peace of Our Life

PAGE 10: SCHBuildingGrounds101: Soddo Christian Hospital SCH_Staff156, 193: Soddo Christian Hospital SCH_Ultrasound115: Soddo Christian Hospital SCHOrtho: A Peace of Our Life SCHOrthoWard: A Peace of Our Life SCHInterior: A Peace of Our Life

PAGE 4: HodgesFamily: A Peace of Our Life via Simply Kissed Photography

PAGE 11: PRP: A Peace of Our Life SCH_RecoveryWard119: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 5: EthiopiaMap: A Peace of Our Life SCHFaces141: Soddo Christian Hospital SCH_RecoveryWard103: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 12: BoyWithCast: cure.org SCH_RecoveryWard111: Soddo Christian Hospital SCHFaces102, 121, 149, 131: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 6: Seeingtheneed1,2,3,4,6: Faith and Mountains Seeingtheneed8,9: A Peace of Our Life SCH_SoddoLandscapes121: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 13: OrthoTestimony3,1,2: Soddo Christian Hospital

PAGE 7: SoddoMap: http://wvfoodandclimate.com PAGE 8: HopeGirls: http://africahope.tumblr.com SCH_SoddoLandscapes108: Soddo Christian Hospital SCHChapelBstudyPrayer_114: Soddo Christian Hospital PAGE 9: SatisfySoul: Faith and Mountains Isaiah5811: Faith and Mountains

PAGE 14: SCH_Other107: Soddo Christian Hospital PAGE 15: SCH_Other102: Soddo Christian Hospital PAGE 16: SCH_SoddoLandscape143: Soddo Christian Hospital PAGE 17: SCH_SoddoLandscape130:Soddo Christian Hospital