Ohio Conference
United Church of Christ 
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Outreach & Mission     Sharing America's Resources Abroad Outreach and Mission

A Christian ministry offering
 medical assistance
to improve lives around the world

About SARA
How SARA began
SARA's Children
Little Shoes to Fill
SARA Stories

Sharing America's Resources Abroad - Summer 2007
Reports and Photos

SARA Needs You
Ukraine  
Serbia  
Steve Szilagyi's Report to SARA Annual Gathering  

Where is SARA going next?

Notes from SARA newsletter

September 2006 edition  (PDF)

Children of the Mangroves

In El Espino, El Salvador, children must dig for clams and oysters several hours a day to provide their families' only income.  Read their story and what SARA is doing to help them.

SARA brochure
in PDF format
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About Sharing America's Resources Abroad - SARA

SARA distributes medical supplies, equipment and expertise 
throughout the world.


Members of SARA delegation with ambulance
 given to the Regional Children's Hospital 
in Muncacs, Ukraine.

We seek used medical equipment from US hospitals and physicians that are replacing their older equipment with new equipment, and we work with other ecumenical ministries that rehabilitate it into usable equipment for developing nations.  Some examples:

   Dialysis units
   Cardiac care equipment
   Incubators

We have  provided ambulances to foreign countries so that transportation is available in remote areas when  people need to reach medical care. 

We send items such as aspirin, dental supplies, medical books and more to enable providers in foreign countries to help persons who cannot  pay for those services.

SARA assists physicians from all parts of the world to come to the United States to receive medical and surgical training to provide improved health care in hospitals in their country.

SARA teaches preventive health care procedures to communities where disease is fostered by poor sanitary and health services.

SARA believes that helping people to help themselves, and giving them a boost toward self-sufficiency, will make the world a healthier place.

Groups of people from the Ohio Conference have traveled to Eastern Europe many times to observe SARA's work, deliver equipment and supplies, install medical equipment, train medical personnel and present cash donations to individuals and groups--promoting and furthering SARA's mission wherever possible. 

• • • • • •

SARA is a non-profit organization, incorporated in Ohio.  It is an ecumenical ministry affiliated with the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ.  

SARA is a ministry that works with other not-for-profit organizations who are seeking to serve others in the same way.

SARA  is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of representatives from various denominations and faith groups.  We also have physicians, health care providers and administrators represented on the Board.  Other medical mission programs are represented on the Board, and SARA works in close cooperation with them.

SARA has no paid staff person.  We are all volunteers.  Our Executive Director and founder, Rev. Stephen Szilagyi, is a retired minister who gives full time to this program.  We do pay for his and other volunteers' expenses when possible.

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How SARA Began ..... with one child and one doctor
A number of years ago Rev. Stephen Szilagyi was visiting in Hungary and saw a small child who needed surgery to correct scoliosis, curvature of the spine.  The procedure was not available in Hungary but was done regularly in the U.S. 

Rev. Szilagyi collected enough money to bring this young boy to the United States to receive the surgery he needed to straighten his back.  But other children needed this operation, too.  

Rev. Szilagyi realized that what was really needed was doctors trained in the U.S. to go back to Hungary to perform many operations.  So he arranged for one physician to come the U.S. to be trained and for the equipment the surgeon would need to be sent to his hospital in Hungary.  
    

This was the way SARA began.  Helping one child and one physician.  

Today, the  procedure to correct scoliosis is being done regularly in Hungary, and hundreds of children stand straight and tall because of it.

Since that beginning,  more than $18 million of medical equipment and supplies have been sent to more than 10 countries.  

During the past few years, dozens of physicians have received additional training in the United States through SARA.

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SARA Needs You

Financial support is needed to help SARA pay for the transportation costs of shipping supplies to various countries around the world.


Babies are being cared for in 
incubators provided by SARA.

To make a contribution, please contact:

Conference Minister
Ohio Conference
United Church of Christ
6161 Busch Blvd, Ste 95
Columbus, OH 43229-2547

1-800-282-0740 
614-885-0722
Fax (614) 885-8824
ohioucc@ocucc.org

For information about SARA's mission and medical supplies, please contact:

SARA
Rev. Stephen Szilagyi
Executive Director
141 Cummins Avenue
Conneaut, Ohio 44030

(440) 593-2021 
Fax (440) 593-2141
szilsara
@suite224.net

SARA is a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ, a 501c3 corporation.  All gifts are tax deductible.

SARA Officers, 2007-08

President:  Dr. Fleming Fallon
ffallon@bgnet.bgsu.edu

Vice-President:  Mr. Robert Chandler
lela02@bright.net

Treasurer:  Rev. Ralph Quellhorst
ralphquell@aol.com

Executive Director: 
Rev. Stephen Szilagyi
szilsara@suite224.net

Secretary:  Ms. Jean Szilagyi
szilsara@suite224.net

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Little Shoes to Fill SARA's Children Where is SARA going next?
Ohio Conference UCC, 6161 Busch Blvd., Suite 95, Columbus OH 43229  •  800-282-0740
•  614-885-0722  •   ohioucc@ocucc.org