By Dalia Díaz
Pastor Victor Jarvis, who is always attentive to the needs of the poorest, arranged a meeting at Lawrence Public Library with Mr. Julio Martínez, chairman of the board of directors of the Global Foundation ACOBISO, a non-profit organization of multiple facets in the Dominican Republic.
“The saddest day I ever had was when I received the call from Santo Domingo that my son Jordan Kristofer Martinez suffered burns on 40% of his body with third-degree burns,” Mr. Martinez told us. “When I saw the condition of my son, from that day I began to feel very afraid but, I sat next to him and every day saw a deterioration in his health because the clinic where it was admitted was not aware of the gravity of the case, and I realized that day that my country did not have and we still do not have the necessary tools to save the lives of a child in that condition.”
It was then that he was told of the Shriners Hospitals. Jordan was sent to the Abreu Clinic and the plastic surgery specialist informed him that his son’s life expectancy was 5%.
“When they re-established Jordan’s life, the Shriners sent an ambulance to the Abreu Clinic to take us to Las Americas Airport, where an air ambulance was waiting to transport us to Boston where my son Jordan’s life changed 90 degrees,” Martinez rejoiced.
That was in 1999 and since then Martínez dedicated all his efforts in the creation of this organization that over the years has assisted more than 45 children.
On this occasion, we met three patients with extreme scoliosis problems and other deformities who are hospitalized at Shriners Hospital in Boston. These children travel with a family member who is staying locally with relatives or friends, although Judith Soto, Jennifer Mejia’s mother who has been here for seven months has been accommodated in her daughter’s room with a bed and free meals. Her other three children remain in Baní under other relatives’ care.
The ACOBISO Global Foundation is also providing opportunities by training young people in technological areas and facilitating jobs after graduation.
“We are bringing happiness and health saving millions of dollars while contributing to the economic and social transformation of the Peravia Province,” concluded Julián Martínez.
For more information or make a contribution, please contact them at ACUBISO@gmail.com or go to their webpage www.acubiso.org
