BY DAVE CHOATE
Over the last 10 years, the Christian Medical Mission has traveled the world to help the less fortunate.
“The group was founded for the purpose of taking medical missions, with the Dominican Republic being the primary mission supported. We saw the need that was really present there,” Norman Roberge of Dunbarton said.
In addition to the Dominican Republic, the Christian Medical Mission also travels to areas such as Nepal, India, South Africa, and Mexico. Groups of 18 to 30 people travel by plane to the country of choice and provide dental and optometry work to those who could not normally afford care.
Norman said he and his wife, Claire, one of the group’s founders, returned on Saturday, July 28, from a two-week trip to the Dominican Republic. Normansaid the group did medical, evangelical and construction work.
“Claire will do some dental hygienist and eyeglass work, fitting eyeglasses after the correct prescription is determined. I am usually an all-around whatever needs to be done outside of medical needs, and the past two weeks I was on the construction crew,” Norman said.
The Concord-based group has a roughly 80 foot by 40 foot clinic in San Jose Adrento, a city about 20 minutes away from the capital of Santiago. Norman said the facility has five dental chairs, supply areas, and some room to expand as needed.
The last trip featured 30 people, among them two dental hygienists, four oral surgeons and a general practitioner. The team comprised residents of Dunbarton, Concord, Campton, Hopkinton, and Hampton.
“It is an overwhelmingly rewarding experience. The ability, number one, to see the satisfaction and the appreciation from people getting their teeth fixed, their vision corrected, some being able to read now for the first time,” Norman said.
The mission is funded by donations from individuals and churches from around the region. The Roberges are active in Dunbarton, as Norman is the president of the local Lion’s Club and Claire is a member. Norman said he is also a library trustee.
The Christian Medical Mission has two planned trips next year. Norman said the group is planning to head to Kenya in April, with another visit to the Dominican in the summer.
“The Dominican Republic is a great country, great people,” Norman said. “It’s a personal good feeling to be able to help someone else.”