Article from Special Edition of "Go Therefore, The Innes Family Missions Update"

Photos (From top down): Elliott & Starkey Hearing Aids' Owner & CEO, Bill Austin; Mark McCarthy; Elliott @ Starkey's World Headquarters in Eden Prarie, Minesota

As most of you know, I have had a hearing problem most of my life and have been wearing hearing aids since fifth grade. Early last week my hearing aids succumbed to the humidity of Costa Rica. One of them stopped working completely, and the other continued to operate at a very sub-par level.

As you can imagine, this created quite a problem for my current situation, studying Spanish. It is difficult to attend classes and have conversations when you can hear less than 50% of what’s going on. Repairing the aids was of course an option, and I began the lengthy process, but Dena and I agreed this was simply a band-aid for the problem, as the humidity here and in Peru, Argentina and Chile, would no doubt just continue to destroy the insides of the aids. For this reason, we began appealing to various sources for the purchase of hearing aids that would be resistant to sweat and humidity. The cost for such a model was approximately $3,000 and we were quick to receive responses that no help was available.

Last Wednesday morning, I sat at my desk praying and considering what to do. I couldn’t think of any other options and then I remembered the name of a hearing aid company that a friend of mine had mentioned: Starkey Hearing Aids. I went online only to find that they do in fact fit people with hearing aids at no cost when the need is great, but there were still many things to consider: 1. There were no Starkey dealers in Costa Rica; 2. I expected that any appeal for hearing aids would require a lengthy application and approval process, taking up precious time that should be spent studying Spanish; and 3. I assumed the aids they could offer me would be older hearing aids that people had donated after getting new aids and therefore, they would not be great quality.

I called the number on their website anyway. A gentleman, Mark McCarthy, answered and within moments of explaining my situation assured me they would be willing to help in some way. The problem was that they had no dealers in Costa Rica and they did not know how to get the aids fitted and adjusted for my need. This problem was solved by the generosity of the Atlantic District of the Wesleyan Church, who agreed on very short notice, to purchase my ticket to fly to Starkey’s World Headquarters the next day! Not only that, but I was informed the aids I received would not be used donations, but rather Starkey’s newest in the canal hearing aids, made with technology that is literally years ahead of other hearing aids.

Within 48 hours of my phone call to Starkey, I was in Minneapolis, and on Friday I was fitted by the owner and CEO of the company, Dr. Bill Austin, and his team of amazing hearing professionals, with my new hearing aids! Dr. Austin is the man responsible for fitting people such as Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Supreme Court Justices and countless celebrities with their hearing aids.

While in Minnesota, Starkey treated me like gold and cared for all my expenses. I also learned a great deal about their work around the world. To date more than 70,000 hearing aids have been distributed world wide at a cost of millions of dollars to the hearing aid manufacturer. I have no doubt this company has a desire, not to make money, but to make a difference in the lives of people who are hard of hearing all across the globe.

I thank God for answering prayer in the way He does, and blessing me with such a life changing opportunity. I agree with Dena’s grandmother, who said when she heard about all this: “Why is it we are so surprised when God takes care of us, just as He’s promised to do?”

I also would like to publicly thank The Starkey Hearing Aid Foundation for giving me the gift of hearing and for all their work to fulfill our common goal, “so that the world may hear”.