Michael is a clinical care provider at the Clinica Evangelica Morava-Ahuas and Jan provides ministry from their home and as a trained occupational therapist is able to contribute her services as well. In his position, Michael assists with inpatient and outpatient care as well as surgery and obstetrics. The name, Mosquito Coast, comes from the Miskito natives of the region, although there are an abundance of mosquitos as well. This is a sparsely populated area close to the rainforest with no roads and is only accessible by plane or dug out canoe.
Electricity is only available for a few hours each day while the hospital generators are running.
Prior to moving to Honduras Michael was a physician assistant with an orthopedic group in Greensboro, North Carolina for six years and Jan worked as an occupational therapist. In 1991 the Stephanides moved to Morgantown where they started and ran a medical supply business for five years. For the past six years Michael has worked as a physician s assistant with a family practice group in Morgantown and Jan worked as an occupational therapist. Michael received his BS in physical education from Guilford College and his training as a physician s assistant from Bowman Gray School of Medicine, both in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jan attended Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, receiving her BA in pyschology from the latter.