About Us

Over 60 years ago, a group of young American missionaries landed in the dense jungles of Ecuador. It was a matter of heart to Jim Elliot and his companions that the Waorani Indians (formerly known as Auca) could hear the joyful and frank message of Jesus. For that they took a high risk in purchase. For their dedication, the young men paid with their lives. But others took their place and were not frightened. Soon after, the mission hospital in Shell was inaugurated, on which the five martyrs had helped to provide medical care to the Waorani (or Huaurani) and other Indian tribes. 

For 55 years there was the Hospital Vozandes del Oriente, before it was closed at the end of 2013. These were strategic reasons for the HCJB radio mission, which changed its reputation as an unreached people and it was the financial cause of a loss-making hospital. The spiritual and medical need is still there. We see ourselves as witnesses to Christ in the spirit of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Flemming, Roger Youderian and Ed McCulley.

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Anna Claire and Steward Cusick

Are new missionaries from Northern Ireland. After language studies she started as a physician in the team. Steward has to find his way in maintenance and organizing projects.

 
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Dra. Graciela Paneque

Is also a Cuban physician, started as Family Practice physician, but she is also a specialist for endoscopy. This new servece is very needed.

 

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Dr. Miguel LLiquín 

Is Ecuadorian and also trained as Family Practice specialist in Cuba. Before he worked in Quito and now came back into the Pastaza province where he was born.

 

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Sandra Andrade

Is co-responsible for the farmacy and part time she works in our laboratory.

 

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Dr. Geovanny Oleas

Is our paediatric orthopedic surgeon with fellowships in Northamerica. He is our hope to take over the program for disabled children in Ecuador.

 

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Dra. Indira Caño

Is our clinical psycologist with experience en Psychodrama and worked with addicted patients.

 

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René Asqui

Was former x-ray technician in the old Hospital Vozandes del Oriente, Shell. Now he came back to work with us part time.

 

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Our new general surgeon:

Dr. Carlos Vimos

After his residency as general surgeon he gained experience in this region in state hospitals.

 

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Dr. Hamilton Cuvi is our new family doctor as of December 2020. He is an Ecuadorian coming from the Sierra. He studied in Cuba.

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Miriam Moran is the new face in the operating room. She began training as a surgery assistant by cleaning, prepping, and sterilizing the equipment. She has a lot of duties and has formed an important part of our surgery team. 

 

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Gloria Sánchez is the new trainee in our operating room. She is a weekly volunteer and works with so much enthusiasm. 

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Dra. Zobeida Guzmán is an Ecuadorian OB/GYN doctor who recently finished her residency with the Ministry of Health. She is very happy to be working in a Christian hospital. 

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 Dr. Alex Balarezo is our Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. He is an Ecuadorian working at a nearby hospital, but also works for us part-time. He is a valuable member of our team. 

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Germán Suarez was the anesthetist at the Vozandes del Oriente hospital before. When the hospital closed he found work in the State Hospital in nearby Puyo. Since starting our first surgeries, he has rejoined us. We will hire him full time as soon as we have enough patients for surgery.

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Jenny Tapia is an Industrial Engineer. She is our link with both the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Public Health. She is in charge of Industrial Safety at the hospital, and organizes practical and theoretical monthly training for our staff. Although she only has a part-time position, Jenny guides us with great enthusiasm.

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Ela Villacís, is an Environmental Engineer who worked in the Administration at Hospital Voz Andes in Quito and postponed her work for the care of her elderly parents. Currently she works part-time in reception and administration, though she also helps with environmental reporting and teaching of staff. 

 

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Maricela Freire works a few hours in the clinical laboratory. She mostly helps by uploading the results to the clinic's electronic system which helps with patient flow. 

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Corina Toscano worked at the old Hospital Voz Andes in the operating room area. She is proficient at cataloging instruments and equipment, making it ready for practical use in operations. She is also in charge of the Steam and Gas Sterilization area. Corina is gladly the queen of her "kingdom".

 

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Menkaye Yeti is Huaurani (also known as the Aucas). She came to learn from us because in her jungle community she is practically a nurse. After having worked with us for a time, she has noticed how much she lacks in knowledge and practice. We hired her by the hour so that she could also complete her training as a nursing assistant with the small salary. She hopes to return to her tribe with better education. 

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Rolando Guashima previously worked at the Vozandes Hospital in Quito. Then he moved here to be near his wife's family. He does odd jobs around the hospital. Currently, he has taken over the cleaning of the operating rooms and the prepping area. But there is currently not enough to do there. So he also works on the birthing bed.

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Marco Andi is responsible for mowing the lawn, but he can do many other things. Here he helps with the renovation of the eye clinic. None of us have only one job here. We have to stay flexible. Marco was recently baptized and is excited to be working with God!

 

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Our team at the hasty farewell of the short-term employee Christiane Wolf (in the middle in white), who had to return to Germany before the coronavirus locked her out of her home country, Germany.

So almost everyone came together again. The team has grown and been welded closer together. The photo is as of March 2020.

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Jonathán Banchón was a janitor in the old hospital. He is trained as an electrician and also helps with everything else. After a difficult childhood in Guayaquil, you can see how he takes his faith seriously. He is an empathetic team member.

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Patricio Sánchez worked for the old Hospital Voz Andes in the cleaning department. He works for us as head of maintenance. He leads the renovation work, checks on technical specifications for building (and hospital) codes, and stays in close communication with the hospital staff of their needs as well. What would we ever do without someone with such a multitude of skills!

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Dra. Mercy Batallas is our beloved dentist. She is dedicated to growing the hospital and always has a smile. When there are no patients, she sits in the reception and helps dispense medication. We rented the first house for her parents' office before we moved back to the hospital. She also lives in the neighborhood. 

She is a loyal support in the team.

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Amparito López has worked as the head of the laboratory since the days of Voz Andes and continues to work in that capacity for us. Her husband is a doctor in the military hospital and has a private practice in Shell in the evenings, but we are not competition. We work together. Amparito has grows enormously as a Catholic Christian and is sincerely devoted to serving our God.

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Manuel Brito is our gardener and employee for everything around the building. He married a woman who was rejected several times as an unloved child and still suffers from it today. They met at a Bible school. Manuel is a passionate preacher who loves to talk about the Lord; his sermons are known to go long. His life is a role model for many. Manuel exudes love and can do hard work like no other.

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Laura Sagñay has been in the laboratory for many years. She has a lot of professional experience and is the loyal soul of the laboratory. Sometimes she comes to help quickly when we get overloaded. Such people are pillars of the team and we are glad that we have Laura.

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Marco Carvajal was already an X-ray assistant in the old hospital. He originally worked in the military and retired there for reasons of age. He has a great heart an occasionally prepars a morning prayer for us.

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Ramiro Arias originally wanted to be a priest, but then he went to the United States for a few years. He came to us shortly before the hospital closed. He is always coming up with new ideas to improve the hospital. He is spiritually mature and leads others to read the Bible and pray together. He is fighting to get his nursing assistant certificate approved in Ecuador. Ramiro also must be the father figure for his grandson whom he cares for on a daily basis.

 

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Tatiana Viñán is an accountant who was in the old hospital. She works in patient registration, medication dispensing, and other general administration duties. Even if there is a large number of patients, she keeps her nerves and is friendly even to stressful patients. She is a pillar of the team. We are happy to have a permanent team member.

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Dr. Aslin Santos is a general practitioner from Cuba. She came to Ecuador with her family and came to us after the "year in the country" required by Ecuador. She enjoys the climate in our facility. Her plans are to form a team with us for a long time. She has a heart for the poor and leads our internship students. Her husband works as an IT specialist in a night-time community college.

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Dr. Jacob Bezemer is a missionary from the Netherlands. He came with 3 children, now there are six! He got his approval as a doctor in Germany in record time. He completed his "year in the country" in the jungle. His family learned Quichua and they built a house in a Quichua community at the outskirts of Shell. There they are heavily involved in the community. He is currently conducting a study on leishmaniasis, a not so rare tropical disease. The family's goal is to stay here for a long time. A project of his wife Linda (nurse and midwife) is to open a maternity hospital for the Indians.

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Lurdes Delgado was the central accountant in the old hospital. She has been with us for over two years and is the head of the Administration Dept.  She is dedicated to improving the hospital and many times works long hours in order to keep us on top.

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Luz Erazo is a volunteer; she is not employed by as and is not paid, but she has such a heart for God's people and wants to share the Good News to the poor, sick and needy. She has been with us from the beginning. Since she works independently with patients one-on-one, she often has a unique perspective on them and she offers us valuable advice. 

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Michelle Escobar is one of our youngest employees. She came to us fresh from university, Due to her training in medication, we are able to carry medication from the narcotics group. She also works part-time in the laboratory and still has a lot to learn. Watching her spiritual development has been a joy. She is there with body and soul, and learns quickly. Young people like her will become leaders of the future!

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Neily Freire  was a nursing assistant in the old hospital sometimes working in the operating room. Then she went to study nursing. With her rheumatic joint disease, she can no longer work in the operating room, but she can place infusions and strictly observes the standards in the clinic. During the morning staff meeting and prayer time, she also listens for the alarm (emergency) service.

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Rita Calapucha has been keeping the hospital clean since the beginning. She is a Quichua Indian who worked even when we had very little to offer her. She arrives at 5:30 in the morning to clear, wash, and prepare breakfast for patients. She is always ready and eager to share in our morning devotionals. She is the grandmother of a large family. 

 

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A brief history leading up to the opening of the new Hospital Shell

 

Our team on March 31 2016 (left to right):
Nelly Freire, Nurse
Dra. Yolanda Maldonado, Dentist
Dr. Lazaro Rodriguez, Family Medicine - Cuba
Dr. Jacob Bezemer, Tropical Medicine - Holland
Rita Calapucha, Cleaning
Dra. Klaudia Wolff, Family Therapy
Dr. Eckehart Wolff, Surgeon and Trauma
Laura Sagñay, Laboratory Technician
Ramiro Arias, Nurse Aid
Dra. Marcy Batallas, Dentist
Dra. Doris Pérez, Family Medicine - Cuba

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This is us!
It is always normal people who carry such a large project on their hearts.
Eckehart & Klaudia are missionaries of DMG interpersonal e.V. Buchenauerhof, 74889 Sinsheim
A foundation has been set up in Ecuador that the hospital can buy and manage: "Misión Cristiana de Salud". Only reliable Christians from Ecuador belong to the board. Klaudia and Eckeharrt Wolff are currently the only foreigners on the team. In the picture above you can see the hospital staff at the closing. They let balloons of hope soar. 

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Below is a picture of the regular prayer meetings that people are holding to reopen their hospital.

In the meantime, our volunteer team has grown. Former employees and others have joined because their concern for a hospital shell is important to them. Our weekly prayer meetings are getting bigger. And we know that more and more people share our concerns abroad. It is God's worldwide work.

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The old Hospital del Oriente from 1956 no longer exists.

In 1985 HCJB switched to new construction. We continue this tradition that began with ideas from the 5 missionaries giving their lives for the people of the Amazon.

Aerial view of the old hospital. We want to continue the beneficial story of the Shell mission.