Serving Our World
On the sugar cane village of Angelina, Dominican Republic, Maple Shade found the extension of their mission and their heart. Arriving on a hot summer day, 38 employees unpacked their dental office under a shade tree. Converting lawn chairs into dental chairs, scuba tanks as our source of air pressure and shop vacs for suction, we were ready to see patients. Within minutes, hundreds gathered where many would experience for the first time, the caring hands of a dentist, or hygienist, Angelina is a town where the only “industry”, as well as the primary source of food, is sugar cane. A continuous diet of sugar cane results in the beginning of a painful existence for many, so giving of ourselves for one week was a privelege! We were able to provide dentistry for approximately 1200 men and women (the number of children was unknown), extracting 2000 teeth and using 3500 carpuls of anesthetic. While some did dentistry, others walked from hut to hut providing construction, while others sang songs and read stories to children. We saw and heard how our little effort made a significant difference in their lives. We were not the same people when we returned home. Some came back with just the shirt on their backs, for they had given everything else away. Others came back with a bigger heart, realizing that compassion knows no limits and that the giver is really the receiver.
Serving You
Twice a year Maple Shade provides dental and cosmetic services for one of the women who has progressed through the life skill classes at the South Side Mission. The South Side Mission is a place of hope for many women. South Side is Peoria's oldest rescue ministry, serving the poor since 1925. From their homeless shelter to youth ministries & career training, they are changing the future for thousands of people each year by bringing to life the awesome love of Christ. It is our privilege to help these woman to develop a better quality of life for themselves and to begin anew their lives for the betterment of society.
Dr. George Duncan, Dr. Nizar Merheb, Dr. Timothy Ruffner, Dr. Erin Shanahan, Dr. Barry Simms and Dr. Rodney Willey - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry to the area of North Peoria, East Peoria and Dunlap, Illinois (IL).
