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Serving the least of these, since 1972

Say Cheese: The Smile Mobile on the Move

We’ve all had that nagging toothache. It keeps you up at night and spoils mealtimes. Before long, you’ve visited your dentist and life is back to normal. Now imagine you have that toothache but you live in a remote mountainous region with no vehicle access. On top of that, you don’t have a phone to call a dentist, a vehicle to drive to a dentist, or even, for that matter, a dentist. Many people don’t imagine this scenario—they live it.

For many years, Real Life Ministries has been working to solve this problem. We took our first dental trip in 1974, working out of the trunk of a car. More recently, we treated the homeless along the banks of the River Tijuana—actually a drainage culvert—using 20-year-old portable dental equipment. Despite our efforts, the most needy in the remote mountainous regions were simply out of reach. Until now.

In 2014, God provided Real Life Ministries a SportsMobile vehicle capable of traversing any terrain. We equipped this vehicle with the latest dental equipment, including a state-of-the-art portable digital x-ray device. We call it the “Smile Mobile.” In August 2014, after five months of designing, building, and equipping, we took the “Smile Mobile” into the mountains of Baja California for its initial voyage. Dr. Ezequeil Andrade, director of our dental clinic, along with two visiting dentists and various other assistants, served the dental needs of over 100 people. Since then, the Smile Mobile has been used nearly every weekend, with thousands of people receiving dental treatment.

The Smile Mobile staff is also prepared to meet spiritual needs. We produced an “Action Bible” to distribute to patients waiting in line. The animated Bible was designed especially for children and clearly presents the gospel message. Hundreds of these Bibles have already been distributed.

We are excited for the plans God has in store for the Smile Mobile. Our next goal is to have the Smile Mobile running daily. To do this, we need your help. The costs of operating the Smile Mobile—at no cost to patients—are high. Would you consider helping us spread the love of Christ by donating to the Smile Mobile? Your generous gifts are guaranteed to make a smile!

We want to give a heart-felt thank you to a special Christian family for donating the Smile Mobile to Real Life Ministries.  Your gift has brought many smiles and changed many lives.

Real Life Ministries provides professional medical and dental care to the indigent and builds permanent homes for those without shelter in Mexico.

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