Saving Smiles, Restoring Hope: God’s Care in the Most Remote Places

Feb 14

What if something as simple as a toothache could change the course of your future?

For many children in Potreritos, a deeply isolated community with no access to dental care, tooth decay isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a serious threat. Without treatment, they risk losing their teeth at a young age, making it painful to eat, speak, or even smile.

This is the reality for billions around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 3.5 billion people suffer from oral diseases, with untreated tooth decay being the single most common health condition globally. In low-income countries, as many as 90% of people have no access to basic dental care, making preventable conditions a lifelong burden.

But God, in His faithfulness, made a way.

Meet Oscar, Daniela, and Emily—three young lives forever changed by the Mission Lazarus dental outreach program.

When our health team first visited Potreritos, they discovered these children were at high risk of losing their front teeth and molars due to severe decay. Without intervention, the damage would have been irreversible.

But God provides, just as He promises in Matthew 6:26:

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

Through a divine appointment, these children were invited to a special dental brigade at the Mission Lazarus clinic, where they received compassionate, high-quality care. From cleanings and restorations to root canals that saved Daniela’s permanent molars, they experienced the love of Christ through healing hands.

One year later, during a follow-up visit, we saw the incredible transformation. Their smiles were brighter, their health was restored, and their hearts overflowed with joy and gratitude.

In a world where oral health is often neglected, Mission Lazarus is standing in the gap, ensuring that even in forgotten places like Potreritos, children receive dignified, life-changing dental care.