About Us
Baptist Medical & Dental Mission International, BMDMI, exists under the Lordship of Jesus Christ to evangelize the lost, disciple the saved, and minister to the needs of the poor.
Our Story
Prior to BMDMI’s establishment, the Herringtons, Founders of BMDMI, served in Honduras for six years working in evangelism and church development. The Lord richly blessed their early ministry efforts evidenced by the three churches planted during that time.
However, the Herringtons were constantly heart-broken as they saw people suffering from the lack of basic medical and dental care. On one occasion, they discovered a woman passing through the last stages of cancer without even an aspirin to ease the pain. Countless other times, they met people with teeth rotted to the gum line. Instances such as these led them to ask the Lord what more they could do to help ease the pain and suffering that surrounded them.
The Lord gave them a vision of what today we know as “short-term mission teams” – Christian volunteers traveling to the mission field and paying their own expenses to serve the poor and sick. These teams draw thousands of people to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and offer medical and dental services free of charge.
Our History
1974
BMDMI Established
Baptist Medical & Dental Mission International was founded in 1974 by Missionaries Charlie and Carolyn Herrington in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The first team in 1974 consisted of seven volunteers; and every year since then, the number of teams and volunteers has grown.
1986
BMDMI Mourned a Loss
Charlie Herrington went home to be with the Lord. The Hondurans mourned the loss of a spiritual father and BMDMI mourned the loss of a dedicated, dynamic leader. However, BMDMI belongs to no person, but rather to the Lord, so the work continues.
1989
BMDMI Expanded to Nicaragua
BMDMI expanded its ministry beyond the borders of Honduras to the neighboring country of Nicaragua offering medical-dental care, planting local churches, and preparing Christian leaders.
1992
BMDMI Accepted Their First Full-Time Missionaries
Responding to growing needs in these two countries, BMDMI founded and operates Christian schools, permanent medical-dental clinics, vocational training centers, and children's homes. To oversee the work of these ministries, BMDMI took on the role of a missionary sending agency, accepting its first full-time missionaries.
2012
BMDMI Expands Into South Asia
BMDMI extended its mission outside of Central America and into South Asia – the world’s only Hindu nation.
2014
BMDMI Begins Serving Guatemala
BMDMI began serving in Guatemala. As the Lord provides and makes clear, and as servants are sent into the fields, BMDMI will continue to expand with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ!
BMDMI Stateside Staff
Richard Stillwell
President/Chief Executive OfficerRichard Stillwell was called to serve as BMDMI President/CEO in March 2017. He has served in vocational ministry for over twenty years. Throughout his ministry, God has cultivated within Richard a passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making God’s glory known to the nations. As God has opened doors of opportunity, Richard has stepped through those doors. As a result, he has witnessed God’s faithfulness in diverse ways and locations around the world:
- Serving with BMDMI’s short-term ministry teams and encouraging BMDMI missionaries in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala
- Providing theological training to BMDMI pastors by teaching at Pastors’ Conferences at the Dwight Carr Bible Institute in Nicaragua
- Preaching Commencement addresses at the Thomas Herrington Bible Institute in Honduras and the Dwight Carr Bible Institute in Nicaragua
- In addition to his service through BMDMI, Richard has also trained pastors, planted churches, and constructed chapels throughout Brazil, Mexico, and India
His theological education/training includes:
- Bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University
- Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
He has been honored to serve in several leadership roles throughout his time in vocational ministry including:
- 1st Vice President of Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
- Board of Directors for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
- Board of Trustees for Oklahoma Baptist University
- Board of Education for Walters, Oklahoma Public Schools.
You can follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter for the most recent updates of God’s activity through BMDMI.
Jim Griffin
Vice President
Kim Stillwell
Executive Assistant
Bruce Johnson
Webmaster and IT Specialist
Christy Draughn
Accountant
Carrie Foster
Bookkeeper and Contributions
Seletta Lee
Accounting Assistant
Cassie Odom
Team Activities Coordinator
Chad Douglas
Team Activities Coordinator
Kristin Whitworth
Web and Donor Development SpecialistInternational Offices
Honduras Office
Karl Brassfield
Honduras Field Director
Jorge Rivas
Assistant Field Director
Nicaragua Office
Darrel Johnson
Nicaragua Field Director
Aurora Castillo
Assistant Field Director
Guatemala Office
In Transition
Guatemala Field Director
Makko Gonzalez
Assistant Field Director
Nepal Office
Kevin Weldon
Nepal Field Director
Binod Deshar
Assistant Field Director
2019 Board of Trustees
- Chairman – Tony Waits, Prentiss, MS
- Vice Chair – Robert Williams, Gould, OK
- Treasurer – Benjie Colvin, Natchitoches, LA
- Secretary – Dan Tindall, Sumter, SC
- Jim Brewer, Mt. Olive, MS
- Jeffrey Draughon, Alexandria, LA
- Glenn Howell, Magee, MS
- Jane Howell, Sherwood, AR
- Wendell Lang, Yukon, OK
- John Mayfield, Hattiesburg, MS
- Paul McCarthy, Hattiesburg, MS
- Linda Popham, Louisville, KY
- Norman Stevens, Jackson, AL
- Wendell Wyatt, Cape Girardeau, MO
Ex-officio Members
Carolyn Herrington, BMDMI Founder
Dwight Carr
