AMERICUS — A guest speaker, David Hartman, will address Cornerstone Church, 245 Southland Road, at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. He will be discussing an Israel-based non-profit organization which serves children with life-threatening heart defects.

“Parents of children ask, ‘Why do you do this?’” said Hartman as he explains his organization, Shevet Achim, which means unity of brothers, with a primary goal of serving as a bridge for Muslim children with life-threatening heart defects, providing an avenue to advanced medical care.

According to Hartman, who serves as support services coordinator, Shevet Achim works primarily in Iraq, Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza and Sunni Egypt. Hartman said many times monies are sent through the Palestine government and the Palestine people seldom receive the funds, leaving the people with poorly equipped medical facilities and under-trained personnel.

Hartman, who works from an historic building in Jerusalem which houses the first children’s hospital in the Middle East, often is questioned why does he raises funds for Arabic nations, which are considered, by many, as the enemy.

“Some of the parents of the children ask why. We just tell them because our God loves you and we love you and according to our bible we are told to do this,” Hartman said as he described many of the children having be transported for treatment.

“We bring these children, many who have to be carried because their hearts are so weak. Their heart no-longer can pump oxygen to their body. They often have purple finger nails and lips,” he said.

Hartman said the see the same children who couldn’t walk, in six-eight weeks, depending on their condition, walking back across the border, skipping, jumping and twirling like a normal kids is breathtaking.

“Our goal is practical evangelism. We meet them at their need. We often receive questions for example, ‘Why is it our people have abandoned us? They tell us just to go home. There is no money. There is no time for you. Why is it when this happens, you come to us with hope and life?’”

Hartman said there are facilities in Jordan, but they do not discount to the poor.

“Israel said bring the children to us. They discount the surgery for $14,000 per surgery. Then, they write off half; we raise the other half. The Israeli government has a socialized medical system. Israel’s doctors are paid by the government. The doctors who do the surgery, do the surgeries on their own time. They are not paid to do the surgery,” he said.

Hartman said Shevet Achim’s main goal is to tear down walls and build bridges one heart at a time.

“While the doctors are working on hearts physically, we are changing hearts spiritually,” he said, explaining the reception with which Shevet Achim is greeted.

“Many times we have mothers and grandmothers reach out their hand to us, despite Islam beliefs about physical contact, with tears running down their faces; they thank us again and again,” said Hartman.

Hartman, originally from Colorado, moved to the Middle East in 1999. He joined the Shevet Achim team in the fall of 2006. He is currently responsible for transportation of Shevet patients from various locations to Wolfson Medical Center near Tel-Aviv.

All money raised for the children go to the children. Volunteers of the organization raise funds for their personal livelihood.

Hartman will also serve as guest speaker at 7 p.m. Sunday at Arabi Baptist Church.

For more information visit http://www.shevet.org