Dr. Joe Civik, a medical doctor from San Diego, went with Louis DeMeo in November on a medical missions trip to Africa. Medical clinics were set up in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Benin.

"I ministered to souls as a pastor while Joe took care of their bodies," said DeMeo. "My heart ached to hear of people's ailments — problems that could be relieved if they had a permanent doctor. I watched while Joe relieved the pressure in one poor girl's thyroid. He tried to save a man's infected eye, but it was too late, reminding us that in Africa it's all too common to lose limbs, babies, and life itself for lack of means. Many had not seen a doctor in over 10 years!

DeMeo, previously a church-planter in France, is now based in Oceanside. For more information, visit www.LouisDeMeo.com. His wife Janey is founder of Orphans First (www.orphansfirst.org), a ministry helping suffering children worldwide, and works with her husband in his ministry of missions and mentoring.