PART OF THE BODY
FY 2011 ANNUAL REPORT
INTERNATIONAL AID
“For the body does not consist of one member but of
many. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if
one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
—I Cor. 12:14, 26
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In I Corinthians 12:12-26, the Apostle
Paul outlines the famous metaphor of
Christ’s church as a body. He explains that,
while there is one body of believers, it is
made up of many different members. The
individual members have different spiritual
gifts and roles, yet these differences make
each member essential to the overall success
of the body. Therefore, the perfectly
functioning body (or church) is one where
its unique members work in unity.
At International Aid, we have a very
similar view of how Christian relief work
should function. We have found that, for
our nonprofit organization, the most
efficient and effective way to get relief into
the hands of those who need it is through
the partnership of unique “members.”
Please allow me to explain:
MANY MEMBERS:
THE NEED FOR PARTNERSHIP
When it comes to relief work, there are
many players involved. On one side, you
have socially conscious individuals,
churches, foundations and organizations
that provide the funds and aid for Christian
relief work. These are the members that
give monetary donations, assemble hygiene
kits, donate health products and provide
medical equipment so that suffering may be
alleviated. Without these members, we do
not have the means to effectively respond to
disease, poverty and disaster.
On the other side, you have ministries
and humanitarian organizations that are on
the ground in the areas of greatest need.
These members have immersed themselves
in the cultures they work in, and have
established reputable clinics, hospitals
and/or distribution systems that ensure the
aid they receive effectively addresses the
need for which the aid was sent. Without
these members, we are unaware of how to
best supply aid and are unable to effectively
serve the poor.
ONE MEMBER:
INTERNATIONAL AID
International Aid is also an essential
member of the body of organizations that
makes up Christian relief work. Our 23
employees and numerous volunteers work
together to procure, package, recondition,
place and ship the medical equipment and
health products that are donated by
individuals, churches and organizations.
With the goal of equipping servants
worldwide, we are always identifying
effective nonprofits and are in constant
communication with those in the field so
that we know how to best serve them. We
are the link that connects the product and
medical equipment donors with the
members in the field that are seeking their
product. Last year alone, over 300 ministries
and humanitarian organizations received aid
from International Aid.
ONE BODY:
CHRISTIAN RELIEF WORK
These members—the donors, the
ministries on the ground and our organization
—make up the body that is International Aid’s
model of Christian relief work. Because of
these partnerships, thousands of people have
been helped. It is through these partnerships
that International Aid was able to ship over
$116 million of aid during FY2011 (July 1,
2010 - June 30, 2011). Together, these partners
in ministry—from a child in West Michigan
who donates one dollar to the aid worker who
gives a vitamin to a child in Liberia and all the
members in between—are what make our
work possible.
Before this report shows you how
International Aid has been a part of the
body in our nation, in our world and in the
face of disaster, I wanted to mention a
significant change in our organization in the
past year. In April 2011, David Wisen
stepped down as President/CEO of
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International Aid and resigned his position
on International Aid’s board.
You may recall from last year’s report
that David and his wife, Kristen, discovered
International Aid while looking for a
building in which to put a church in
November 2009. After seeing the amount
of aid International Aid was moving even
though they were supposed to close their
doors in just a few short weeks, David and
Kristen felt called to save this ministry
before continuing to establish a church. He
agreed to come on as President/CEO of
the organization with the full intent of
stepping down eventually to pursue his
calling to be a pastor. Within a year’s time,
International Aid was once again on solid
financial footing, had refocused its ministry
and was shipping record amounts of aid to
the field.
In November 2010, David and Kristen
launched their church and by April David
was immersed in full-time ministry. Since
this was his plan all along, he resigned his
position so he could devote himself to the
church. The church now offsets some of
our operating costs by leasing space from
International Aid, and we rejoice that our
building has been used in the past year to
both meet needs worldwide and bring the
lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
I am continuously humbled by how God
has provided for this organization, and
praise Him for bringing together the
members that make this ministry possible.
All glory goes to Him!
One in Christ,
Brian Anderson
President/CEO
A FOCUSED MINISTRY
WHO WE ARE
WHAT WE DO
MULTIPLYING DONATIONS
5
7
9
ACCOUNTS OF FAITHFULNESS
IN OUR NATION
IN OUR WORLD
IN THE FACE OF DISASTER
11
15
19
MINISTRY BY NUMBERS
STATISTICS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS
27
29
LEADERSHIP
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WHO WE ARE
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International Aid is a Christian
nonprofit relief ministry that seeks to
tangibly demonstrate the love of Jesus
Christ to those who are suffering. This
is accomplished through the
distribution of life-saving medicines,
hygiene products, nutritional
supplements and reconditioned
medical equipment to hundreds of
ministries and humanitarian
organizations serving in areas of
greatest need.
OUR MOTIVATION
International Aid’s primary desire is
to bring glory to Jesus Christ. We
believe it is our calling as a Christian
relief ministry to both meet the needs
of “the least of these” (Matthew 25)
and fulfill the Great Commission
(Matthew 28). We are fueled by this
calling to equip God’s servants with the
tools they require to meet the physical
and spiritual needs of those they are
serving.
OUR MISSION
International Aid exists to be used
by God to provide relief in the crisis
and to equip missions engaged in the
process of rebuilding and developing
God-glorifying relationships.
OUR CORE VALUES
• We are Christian.
• We are committed to excellence.
• We are transparent.
• We are faithful stewards.
• We forge and value partnerships.
OUR HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
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1980 - International Aid is incorporated and
sends 20,000 lbs of aid to families in war-torn
Southern Lebanon.
1985 - American farmers partner with IA to
send over 42,000 lbs of grain to faminestricken Ethiopia.
1989 - IA responds to multiple natural disasters
and ships 88.6 metric tons of grain to help feed
starving communities in Africa.
1993 - Nineteen shipments of medical
equipment/supplies are sent to hospitals in
Vietnam, and 22 sea containers of aid are sent
to refugees in Bosnia and Croatia.
1995 - IA’s Christian Eye Ministry treats over
42,000 patients in Ghana.
1998 - IA reaches out to 170 countries with 431
shipments valued at over $71 million.
2000 - The first class from IA’s Medical
Equipment Training program graduates in
Ghana.
2001 - IA delivers oxygen tanks, burn
medications, dust masks, work boots and gloves
to NYC following 9/11. They also provide
trauma and grief counseling for those affected.
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2002 - IA sends five shipments of food,
clothing, medicines, supplies, hygiene kits and a
portable medical clinic to Afghan refugees.
2005 - IA sends aid to Indonesia, India, Sri
Lanka and the United States following tsunamis
and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
2007 - International Aid launches the Safe
Water initiative with the Plastic Biosand Water
Filter.
2009 - International Aid announces that it is
ceasing operations due to hard economic times.
2010 - International Aid remains open,
restructures and focuses on medical equipment
and health products, shipping over $71 million
in aid.
2011 - International Aid sets personal ministry
record by shipping over $116 million in relief
to partners serving the poor worldwide.
IN JUST OVER 30 YEARS, IA HAS
SENT OVER $1 BILLION OF AID TO
AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.
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WHAT WE DO
International Aid’s two-prong
ministry enables us to efficiently and
effectively equip those serving the poor,
and thus have a maximum impact for
Jesus Christ worldwide. These two
prongs are International Aid’s Health
Products Services and Medical
Equipment Services.
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HEALTH PRODUCTS
The goal of International Aid’s
Health Products Services is to direct
health products from socially
responsible corporations to ministries
and humanitarian organizations
working in the areas of greatest need.
They pride themselves on distributing
health products to ministries and
nonprofit organizations that help those
in need regardless of the patient’s race,
creed or religion so that they may know
the love of Jesus Christ.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
International Aid’s Medical
Equipment Services repairs,
accessorizes and ships critical
equipment to our partners in the field.
They pride themselves on the fact that
their donations are clinically and
economically appropriate, sustainable
and compatible with the receiving
country’s power connections.
IA MINISTRY MODEL
HEALTH PRODUCTS
MANUFACTURERS/DONORS
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
MANUFACTURERS/DONORS
Manufacturers, hospitals and
organizations donate life-saving
medical equipment, health
products, medicines, nutritional
supplements and hygiene
products to International Aid.
HEALTH PRODUCTS
SERVICES
International Aid
identifies nonprofits
and distributes the
health products to
ministries working in
areas of need.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
SERVICES
International Aid
repairs, reconditions
and accessorizes the
equipment before
sending it to ministry
hospitals worldwide.
INTERNATIONAL AID PARTNERS IN MINISTRY
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MULTIPLYING CASH DONATIONS
It’s true—at International Aid, we
only need $1 to send approximately
$100 worth of aid to those who in need
all over the world. In fact, during the
2011 fiscal year, we shipped $123 worth
of aid for every dollar donated to us.
So how is that possible? Here’s how
it works:
Due to our nonprofit status, many
businesses—such as prescription
medicine companies or medical
equipment manufacturers—will make
donations to our organization out of
their surpluses so that their extra
products bring relief to those who are
suffering as well as tax benefits to their
company.
These types of donations include
prescription medications, over-thecounter medications, hygiene products,
nutritional supplements, medical
equipment, etc. All of the donated
health products are unused, and the
medical equipment is usually first or
second generation. If any pieces of
equipment are in need of repair, we
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have technicians on staff who
recondition the equipment for the
mission field.
These products are highly needed on
the mission field—and we receive
millions of dollars of them every year.
However, we do not have the resources
to ship these products to our donors
who are waiting for them on the other
side of the world.
That’s where our donors come in.
The public donations we receive
enable us to ship pallets of life-saving
product to the mission field. The cost
of enabling us to ship product is
significantly lower than the value of
the product we are shipping, which
means your donation enables us to
send expensive health products and
medical equipment to organizations
who need our products in order to
meet the physical needs of those they
minister to.
It’s that simple; when you partner
with International Aid, even a small
donation can have a huge impact.
A FOCUSED MINISTRY
WHO WE ARE
WHAT WE DO
MULTIPLYING DONATIONS
5
7
9
ACCOUNTS OF FAITHFULNESS
IN OUR NATION
IN OUR WORLD
IN THE FACE OF DISASTER
11
15
19
MINISTRY BY NUMBERS
STATISTICS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS
27
29
LEADERSHIP
10
PART OF THE BODY • IN OUR NATION
THANKSGIVING IN ARIZONA
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In November 2010, International
Aid delivered its first frozen food
shipment to poor Native American
communities in Arizona. A total of
8,064 dinners arrived to the
reservation just in time for
Thanksgiving.
Working with National Relief
Charities (NRC), International Aid
distributes nutritional products to
Native American reservations multiple
times a year. We have been able to
send shipments of nutritional drinks,
food bars, several varieties of vitamins,
clothing, over-the-counter medications
and various dry nutritional products.
However, prior to Thanksgiving 2010,
International Aid had not been able to
ship frozen food to the reservations.
Frozen food is extremely valuable
on the reservations because of its high
nutritional value and heartier supply of
food. However, it is difficult to
distribute because of the need to keep
it frozen while en route to the
reservation. Likewise, many charities
cannot accept this type of donation
due to an inability to keep large
quantities of food frozen.
By working through logistics with
our donors and our contacts at NRC,
International Aid was able to secure a
refrigerated trailer to transport the
dinners down to the Arizona
reservation in time for Thanksgiving
dinner.
“Sending frozen foods was a new
opportunity for IA to help the poor
and needy in a different aspect,” said
Deb Null, a member of IA’s Health
Products Team. “The ability to work
with NRC directly to the tables of the
beneficiaries who had a hot meal on
Thanksgiving was truly a blessing!”
Praise God for orchestrating this
opportunity!
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AFFORDABLE CARE IN GRAND RAPIDS
It was a Monday morning, and the
parents already knew their trip had
taken a bad turn. Both children were
feeling miserable—one with an
earache, the other was a stubborn
cold—and typical remedies weren’t
working.
Being away from home, a visit to
their family doctor was out of the
question—but the high deductible
that came with a trip to the
emergency room had them in a tough
position.
On a whim, the family visited the
newly-opened West Michigan Urgent
Care center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
They didn’t wait in long lines, they
received the healthcare they needed and
—by visiting the urgent care center
rather than the local hospital’s
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emergency room—the parents saved
themselves over $900.
According to Dan Kelsey, it’s
situations like this one that inspired
the establishment of West Michigan
Urgent Care.
Kelsey, who operates the business
arm of West Michigan Urgent Care,
said the nonprofit seeks to alleviate the
overcrowded emergency rooms of
local hospitals while enabling low
income families to avoid high
deductibles for ailments that require
prompt attention but are not lifethreatening.
This goal is accomplished by
offering quality medical care with low
co-pays. But how is this possible?
Kelsey said low deductibles were
made possible by three key business
decisions: emphasizing cost-effective
business practices, working with local
independent physicians—and
partnering with International Aid.
“[International Aid] contributed
greatly to our mission,” Kelsey said. “It
really helped us get off the ground.”
By working with International Aid,
Kelsey was able to receive high-quality
medical equipment at a greatly reduced
price—which then enabled the clinic to
provide medical care a lower cost.
International Aid provided the clinic
with exam tables; exam lights;
nebulizers; suture, staple and stitch
removal kits; stethoscopes; blood
pressure tools; ear and eye diagnostic
sets; and other important medical
equipment.
“There is a high demand on the
healthcare system, and having an
alternative is appreciated,” Kelsey said.
“We’re just excited to give back to the
Grand Rapids community that has
given so much to us.”
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PART OF THE BODY • IN OUR WORLD
SAVING LIVES IN UGANDA
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The Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen
Kaziimba in the bishop of the
Diocese of Mityana, an area in
Uganda where over 520 children had
died from malaria in a two-month
span. Desperate to empower his
people in the war against malaria,
Rev. Kaziimba committed to
equipping Mityana’s clinics with the
medical equipment they needed to
properly and effectively treat malaria
and other ailments. Working with
Fellowship Reformed Church in
Muskegon, Mich., Rev. Kaziimba
turned to International Aid for help.
Many of our donors responded to
this story with great compassion for
the Ugandan people, serving them
through generous donations and
much-needed prayer. International
Aid was able to send Rev. Kaziimba a
container of medical equipment and
medicines for Mityana’s largest clinic,
the Buwaata Health Centre. The
shipment arrived in Uganda in
January 2011.
Now, 12 months later, we can
hardly contain our joy at how God
has used the faithfulness of our
donors to bring healing and
restoration in the country of
Uganda.
When Rev. Kaziimba visited us
this summer, his report on the
effectiveness of the medical
equipment truly amazed us. He said
the high quality of the equipment we
sent him prompted the Ugandan
government to invest in the Buwaata
Health Centre, both increasing its
security and placing government
health professionals there to aid in
the fight against malaria.
But the biggest shock? While
520 children died in two months in
2010, Kaziimba reported that—in
the six months since the clinic
received aid from International Aid
—not one child who was brought to
the clinic for treatment had died
from malaria. In fact, only two or
three children in the entire region
had passed away since they received
our equipment.
Kaziimba said that the people of
Uganda are “very, very grateful to
International Aid.”
“Most of our people in that area
where International Aid sent
support, they don’t understand
English… but when we tell them,
‘These things came from brothers
and sisters who love you,’ they
understand that language very well,”
Rev. Kaziimba said. “God bless you
and bless you, now and evermore!”
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HOPE IN MONGOLIAʼS BARREN LANDS
It’s not hard to get sick in Mongolia’s
Gobi Desert region.
The cold climate causes many health
struggles for the poor families that live
in the area. Dry winds whip across the
barren landscape gathering dust and
debris, causing the locals to develop
lung diseases. Their drinking water is
contaminated, causing many of the
herders and their families suffer from
digestive diseases.
Yet, in this area where it is so easy to
become sick, it’s incredibly difficult to
find treatment.
“People do not have access to an
andequate medical service,” Mongolian
politican Yaichil Batsuuri said. “Most
people in the area are herders whose
families live far away from village centers.”
According to Batsuuri, many of the
desert’s herders live dozens of miles
away from the nearest village center
where a hospital is located. For the sick
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who travel to the village, they are often
left disappointed—the majority of the
rural village hospitals in the desert do
not have the tools needed to properly
treat their patients.
“Village hospitals lack necessary
medical labs, and cannot analyze the
patients’ urine and blood,” Batsuuri
said. “The doctor cannot diagnose the
patient.”
Therefore, every lab analysis has to
be sent to a hospital in a city center,
which is sometimes more than 100
miles away from the Gobi Desert
village. Meanwhile, the patients in the
desert continue to get sicker and sicker.
It is the plight of these people that
caused Batsuuri to take action.
In 2000, Batsuuri began a
nongovernment organization to
improve the quality of life for the poor
living in rural areas of Mongolia. After
its inception, the Dornogobi