Mailing Address:
1577 Florence Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201

Warehouse:
1711 Darrow Ave, #3
Evanston, Illinois 60201

Phone: (847) 328-7748
Fax: (847) 328-6860
solidbridge@gmail.com

United States Staff

Juan L. Hinojosa, Ph.D., Executive Director

Ann Rhomberg, LCSW
Associate Director

Christin Hinojosa, M.A.
Development Director
Program Director

Kristine Delacourte
Solidarity Clothing Coordinator

Sarah Hinojosa, M.T.S.
Lenten and Advent Cause Director

Karen O'Leary
Administrative Assistant

Enrique Via-Reque, M.D.
Medical Director


Bolivia Staff

Carlos Brockmann
Country Coordinator

Maria Eugenia Rojas
Country Coordinator

Jose Choque
Cooperatives Coordinator
Vision Program Coordinator

Miguel Esteban
Pacemaker Inventory

Adminda Gomez
Office Manager/
Accountant

Maria Ines Uriona
Social Worker

Marina Romero
Santa Cruz Coordinator

Not only the sick and poor, but U.S. and Bolivian medical personnel also have a need met by Solidarity Bridge’s Medical Missions. Our missioners feel the need to give in gratitude for the blessings in their own lives. They have a need to do more than to climb the career success ladder or to lead a comfortable life. Without a way to help others, their lives lack a cohesiveness and fulfillment that only comes from giving.

The Mission Trip...
In the fall and spring of each year, our primarily surgical medical personnel journey to Bolivia to serve the poor for ten days. On every mission, we provide roughly $60,000 worth of medical supplies, medicines and equipment, see approximately 400 patients; and perform 40 to 50 surgeries.

In the months before the Mission Trip, we gather surgical and medical supplies and equipment used during the mission and left for the use of our Bolivian medical counterparts in their work with the poor. For each Mission Trip, we recruit up to 25 medical personnel, translators, and pastoral missioners. Many missioners speak spanish but others do not. The medical personnel include nurses, surgical technicians, surgeons, dentists, specialties and general practitioners. Though the majority hail from the Chicago area, others come from across the U.S. Once the team is gathered, we have a formation process that prepares the team for the physical and spiritual journey they will undertake.

Maureen Bahou, nurse anesthetist, Dr. Enrique Via-Reque, Medical Director, Jim Masiello, nurse anesthetist, and patient.

We then travel to Bolivia and connect with a Church sponsored hospital and outlying clinics where we provide our services. Each U.S. surgeon and most of the doctors are teamed with a Bolivian counterpart. They work side by side, learn from each other, and often form strong bonds of friendship.

After working hard all day, many of our medical and pastoral team spend their evenings giving educational seminars for the Bolivian community. On the weekend we often journey to outlying rural areas to explore the beautiful Bolivian countryside and to better understand the Bolivian culture and its people. Upon our return, we have a debriefing session of reflection, connection, and thanksgiving that brings the mission experience to a close.

Our Spiritual Journey…
Our missioners are composed of a variety of faiths, with the majority being Catholic. Regardless of the missioner's faith, each mission is a spiritual journey for all involved. We do not proselytize, but celebrate our faith by witness and example. People of all faiths are encouraged to join us on our missions and we do our best to welcome them into our spiritual sharing and reflection.

On each mission, a small pastoral team accompanies our missioners. All missioners are welcomed to daily mass, group reflection and to receive spiritual counseling. Perhaps most importantly, there is extraordinary value in the solidarity that is developed between our U.S. missioners, their Bolivian counterparts, and the poor. Each teaches the others how to live successful, meaningful lives, to answer God’s call and to fulfill their own vocations.

If you are interested in joining us, call or e-mail us for more info or click here for an application…