World Dental Relief

World Dental Relief

609 North Main Street ? PO Box 747 Broken Arrow OK 74013-0747

(918) 251-2612 fax (918) 251-6326 dentalreliefinc@



August 2013 Twenty-four Ethiopian students graduated last Saturday from the World Dental Relief Dental School in Mekelle. These are bright, motivated young men and women who come from meager backgrounds. They were chosen for the dental school program because they excelled in their college basic sciences and expressed a strong desire to attend dental school. Dr. Balikowski hand-picked each one for our school after language proficiency, aptitude tests and personal interviews. The new graduates will be assigned to work in one of 60 government hospitals for two years. Dr. John has seen dental chairs in a few of the hospitals, but not sure what is available in each hospital. The Ministry of Health will decide where each graduate works. My understanding is that they will only be paid $120 per month for their two years of service. I do not know how they live on so little!

Dr. John Balikowski presenting the dental certificate to Birey, one of the new graduates last Saturday.

We helped supply 35 mission teams in the month of August. Some of those teams have gone to Bolivia, Peru, Congo, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mali, Kenya and Ethiopia. Plus we are helping a number of inner city clinics here in the US.

Our dental school in northern Ethiopia (Tigre region) is surrounded by Muslim unrest. When you look at a map, you see Somalia to the east and Sudan to the west. Further north is Libya and Egypt. Ethiopia is important for Africa because it has been very stable and without religious conflict.

We need your continued prayer and support for the dental mission warehouse and the many teams working in countries around the world. The religious world has become more hostile toward Christianity than ever before. Some of the teams work in "culturally sensitive" people groups where little is known about Christianity. Ministering to their physical needs opens the door to their hearts and a witness of Jesus.

Dr. Balikowski will be returning to the United States in two weeks to receive the "Humanitarian Award" from his Alma Mater, New York University, on September 27. Dr. John earned a degree in Pharmacy and a degree in Dentistry from NYU. He has been an example to others while in the Navy, serving as a fulltime missionary in the Philippines and now in higher education in Ethiopia. I have known Dr. John for more than 30 years and he has always had a heart for serving others. Congratulations!

"The Harvest is so great, and the workers so few." He told his disciples, "So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting to recruit more workers for His harvest fields." Matthew 9:37-38 We believe the education of these young bright Ethiopian students is important for the future of Ethiopia and Christianity in the region. We need your continued support for our many mission projects.

Sincerely In His Harvest,

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