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AUSTIN (KXAN) – For the past several years, physical therapist Brianna Oliva has treated patients in both Austin and Guatemala City.
“One case stuck in my mind because I’ve seen this gentleman for several years now,” said Brianna Oliva.
Austin nonprofit that connects the homeless with stable jobs
Oliva is part of the Tesoro Project, a non-profit organization that aims to provide access to health care for people living in poverty. The group works with those who live and work in the Guatemala City landfill.
“That’s their livelihood to survive and feed themselves like a recycling center,” said Sharon Dunnivan-Mitchell, another physical therapist who made the trip.
The group was able to start the annual trip this month after years of waiting due to COVID-19.
“In May of this year we got a call that said we were taking on teams. Do you have people who want to come?” Aimee Kelso, another physical therapist, said.
Six physical therapists traveled to Guatemala City to provide therapeutic services to 125 people, but some continue to put their missionary trips on hold.
Riverbend Church members have no plans to travel this year and have no plans for the next year. The Church continues to sponsor partners through gifts to aid their local endeavors, and Church members say they have stepped up their local efforts in Austin because they cannot travel.
Each week, the Church feeds more than 800 households through its local food pantry, Harvest Blessings Food Pantry. The Church also opened the Woven Blessings Clothing Boutique in East Austin to provide affordable clothing to the local community.
Meanwhile, others like Mission to Mexico have recently started traveling again.
The physiotherapists are just glad they could walk.
“You are so grateful, and it means a lot to the community, that you actually were the first medical team to come back since the pandemic and work with Potter’s House,” said Dunnivan-Mitchell.
The nonprofit also works with health care students, but due to COVID-19, they weren’t able to take students with them this year.
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