Liga

1. (Presentation) in this time I’m going to talk about LIGA International well known as The Flying Doctors of Mercy. The name doesn’t come from acronyms; actually it comes from the meaning of theword league in spanish that is LIGA. This is the official logo of the organisation
THE IMAGES OF THIS PRESENTATION MADE DURING THE LIGA MARCH MISSION .

2. Their mission: Since 1934, Liga hasbeen dedicated to improving the health & well-being of the people of Sinaloa Mexico by providing free health care & education.

3. The idea was conceived by Dr. Iner Sheld Ritchie of LomaLinda, California, while passing through the state of Sonora on the train to Mexico City to treat then President Abelardo Rodriguez in the 1930`s. Being a physician, he noted the urgent need for medicalcare for the Yaqui Indians. So he discussed this problem with President Rodriguez, and he in turn agreed to give assistance. The following year Dr. Ritchie spent his vacation in Sonora and traveledby horseback to get to the Yaquis. Gradually, his colleagues in the medical field joined him on those expeditions and thus LIGA was borne. From that humble beginning LIGA has grown to a roster ofalmost 2,000 physicians, dentists, nurses, optometrists, audiologists, pharmacists, chiropractors, pilots, assistants, technicians, and others. After World War II the small aircraft industry advancedrapidly and there was an ever-growing number of pilots. Many doctors had trained as pilots during the war. LIGA doctors began flying to remote areas in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California totreat the sick and suffering. It now became possible to do in a weekend what it took Dr. Ritchie three months to accomplish on horseback. At this time, LIGA became known as the `Flying Doctors ofMercy`.

4. WHEN: Volunteers leave the first Friday of each month from October through June. The usual hour of departure is between 7 and 8am, they return from Mexico the following Sunday, usually...