Presentation

Rollie Sterrett is a communicant at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tariffville. He introduced the Rector there, Tom Furer. Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan and Yale Divinity School. Since 2000, he has been the president of Kateri Medical Services, Incorporated, a non-profit group that provides greatly-needed medical services to the residents in the Iburu area of Nigeria.

Tom describes the people who come to the clinic as "rural poor with no other access to medical care." The clinic is open 365 days per year and serves persons of all faiths including Muslim, Christian and African traditional.

Kateri Medical Services partners with "FaithCare," a Christian version of Doctors Without Borders. There are presently two fulltime doctors and three nurse practicioners. There was originally one nondescript building. There is now a second clinic building sandwiched between a mosque and a church. Tom said that location is a "great metaphor for what Kateri is all about." With the new clinic, Kateri should be able to double the number of people who are helped.

There is a great deal of religious tension in the area. To help establish an air of religious tolerance, there are two prayers every morning; one from a Muslim patient and one from a Christian patient.

Tom spearheads an annual, two week, medical Mission Trip every summer. Something they take to Nigeria on every trip is used eyeglasses that have been donated. There is a great need for these. Another item Kateri distributes on every trip is mosquito nets.

The 2014 Mission Trip medical team; every college student in Nigeria must do a year of volunteer service upon graduation. Many choose to help Kateri Medical Services.

Kateri Medical Services also teaches preventative healthcare measures to the people who come to the clinic. Kateri is always looking for volunteers with medical backgrounds. Kateri is a certified 501(c)3, and 100% of the money that is donated goes directly to providing medical services. There are no administrative costs.

Children make up a large part of the persons receiving care at the two clinics. Over 150,000 Nigerians have have been treated since Kateri's inception.