Each year, every parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis participates in the Missionary Plan of Cooperation, welcoming a Missionary who solicits funds and prayers for the Missions of the Church in the developing world.  This year, St. Margaret of Scotland will welcome Dr. Nick Maxwell, representing the Friends of Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes, the weekend of June 29-30.

The Friends of Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes is a Catholic mission creating a network of Catholic research hospitals in South-South rural Nigeria that provides all of its care for free to the poor and underserved. The first site opened in 2018 and a second site in 2022. While most of the care is outpatient care, JUHRI also provides inpatient care and free surgical care as well.  JUHRI also has 2 ambulances that are used as mobile clinics to reach out to those who are too poor or too sick to travel. Over the years between our sites and mobile clinics, JUHRI has provided free care to over 25,000 patients! This is made possible by wonderful local staff and over 70 volunteer physicians, almost all of whom are doctors at the teaching hospitals in the region. 

To run the hospitals costs about $4,000 per month, $2,000 of which is donated by Fr. Andrew Ekpenyong, a priest from the region who founded and directs the mission while also serving as a physics professor at Creighton. JUHRI does not charge any patients due to the severe poverty they face, so they are entirely donation and grant funded. As a result, JUHRI works with Catholic dioceses and parishes to continue their mission.

Please welcome Dr. Maxwell to St. Margaret of Scotland and contribute to the work of the Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institutes.  Envelopes for the Mission Appeal will be in the pews and at the doors of the Church. You may also click the link below to donate directly from the JUHRI website.

CLICK HERE FOR INFO & TO DONATE ONLINE