EO to begin STD testing

His Branches and Embracing Options have received a $1000 grant from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation through the intercession of Dr. Andrew Doniger and his staff at the Monroe County Health Department to fund a pilot project offering EO clients free urine testing for the two most common STDs, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Jessica Speares, our Rochester Youth Year worker, has been studying the issue and planning with Dr. Morehouse and Sandi Clawson for nearly a year, developing protocols and teaching materials and training volunteers. The pilot project will start next week and end with a full analysis of the results after 50 tests (at $20 a test) have been done. Those clients who test positive will be offered follow up clinical services through Grace Family Medicine. We're trusting that the results of our initial project will demonstrate the need and justify the allocation of further funds to continue. Please pray that our counselors, using this additional testing tool, will be able to reach more and more at-risk individuals with our message of hope, healing, and life.

Greetings from BT

BT writes from Jerusalem:

This letter is long overdue, but finally I am sitting down to write. Over the past few months little has changed in news reports from the Middle East and the conflicts seem impossible to solve. Through the years that I served in Lebanon, and now among the displaced Lebanese in Israel, I have learned first hand what it means to live in the midst of conflict and instability. I have also learned that even if the news events reported are discouraging, there are many personal stories of hope.

Recently I attended a women’s conference and was challenged by the biblical teaching on the elements of justice, righteousness, mercy and peace in relation to reconciliation. As Arab, Jewish and international believers we had our faith in common, but still you must leave your comfort zone to face difficult issues and here there are personal stories of hope. Even in the midst of conflict we can make a difference in our communities, reach out to others and develop relationships.

Click here to read her full report.

Spring MD Breakfast

The MCCF Spring MD Breakfast will be held on Saturday morning, April 26, from 9-11 am at the Academy of Medicine, 1441 East Avenue.

Drs. Dave and Mary Kay Ness will be back from Oaxaca Mexico to share with us about their commitment and recent missions experiences serving in Roca Blanca. For more background information about the ministry they've become involved in, check out their website and then come to hear an up-to-date report!

Please mark your calendars and RSVP using our Response page. Be sure to note our new location (click here for Directions to the Academy of Medicine).