NEWSLETTER 2009 Second Quarter

Compassion Evangelical Hospital (CEH)

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I bring you news from the mission field in Mamou:

I. CEH Work... Plenty of Rain, but No Blood?

Greetings from Guinea and CEH at the end of our annual rainy season! After a short vacation in France (with Houston/French friends Jean, Frederique and children), I have returned to CEH and preparations for the National Elections in January.  While slightly rocky with campaigns, demonstrations and a general strike last Monday and Tuesday, we worked at CEH and saw the patients God sent us.  Today (Thursday) was a bit more normal after the strike ended.

These last few months we've seen growth of medical staff, and patient volume has been up to @ 70 patients per day with 3 doctors consulting!  Jean Paul, Etienne and I interviewed medical staff candidates and hired 6 people. We've been working at training new staff members to help as we are busy. Rainy season (May-Nov) provided us with many pediatric patient challenges due to severe malaria and anemia.  These children come in with high fevers, vomiting, convulsions and altered consciousness.  One day 2 such patients including little Aminata (CEH guardian's daughter) were transferred to the public hospital for blood transfusion only to find that there were no blood transfusions in the country!  Fortunately, later that night this problem resolved itself, she received her mom's blood, and 2 days later she was playful in follow-up with me at CEH.  We are thankful for our partnerships with the regional hospital and healing for our patients.

 II. Reality Check: Life and Death in Guinea

T S, another seriously ill, 2- year- old village patient, received IV Quinine & other meds at CEH a few months ago and died of cerebral malaria without anemia as he came in late for treatment. (In the past few days, I have given similar treatment to a number of patients.) This is the sad but all too frequent reality for some poor patients like T S in Guinea.  His mother, I, brought his older brother, T M, to see me at CEH just before my vacation.

 III. Village Life... Up Close and Personal Language Lessons

Working at increasing patient load has not left much time to do Pular language study and practice. I'm searching for opportunities to learn.  One morning after our bible reading in a stilted Pular conversation with A O, a CEH construction worker, he invited me to his village to do weekly study.  My hosts are T S's parents.  I spend the overnight in a duplex room after CEH work and do general conversation practice with hospitable villagers during basic living situations...meals, watching field/harvest work of corn, fonio, peanuts and rice (photo), playing with kids and sitting/talking around the open cooking fire (photo).  This is a bit different from my budding Pular medical terminology gained during CEH consultations, but is more practical in life and in the neighborhoods!!  I'm enjoying this hard work of communication so I can know and share at a deeper level with my Pular friends.  I am thankful for my village time each Thursday night, and now am even climbing the hill to the village without stopping for breathing breaks!

IV. The Latest Buzz on Electrical Situation...

Last month a team of electricians came to CEH and greatly advanced CEH electrical capacity (from no lights/water except to lab to full-site power) and fully wired the under-construction wards and nursing station!  We are looking forward to being able to hospitalize patients like those listed above and ill adults later this year!  I especially look forward to pediatric in-patients like I had in Kissidougou and Liberia's Phebe hospital.  

V. Home Improvement

On the home front, I am a budding electrical student with continued problems with my solar system which is nearly fully installed (lacks water pump power) by Wayne and team.  I am directed from the  U.S. by Wayne and Kurt in ongoing practical problem solving of defective solar and/or control panel      so I can live and work in evenings after CEH work.  Last month I also found an email system for my communication needs thus avoiding middle-of-the-night runs (not very safe) to Etienne's house for intermittently available email. This happened just before my vacation & my antivirus download took 2 days as it had been so long since an update, and the connection is slow. But I am thankful as my last newsletter was done by phone with many cut-offs with CMLC friend Linda!  THANKS for providing this for me and making this Newsletter and all communications so much easier!

VI. Improved Malaria Medications

Not too long ago I attended a National Conference on management of malaria in the pediatric population and other at-risk patients which focuses on improved treatment (quality and access) replacing older, less effective medicines with combination drug therapy.  There are International partners providing this at a lower cost to Guinea and other countries which suffer from increased morbidity and mortality in children due to malaria.  We at CEH are looking into participating in this program. This will help many patient families receive better care & outcome for life in Guinea.

VII. Bible Reading with Muslim Construction Workers

We are currently reading Matthew in CEH daily morning study and are in the Garden of Gethsemane. For our next study, I am looking at getting book of John or Luke in Arabic Pular script (which is what our workers and all Muslim readers can read).

VIII. Prayer Requests and Giving Thanks

1. Guinea economic & election situations.
2. Prayer of thanksgiving that S (last newsletter) passed his exam and will go to university this year. Now pray for schooling at all levels which has yet to restart due to troubles in Guinea (above).
3. Sick patients that come to CEH ... for physical healing and open hearts to hear about Jesus.
4. Progress in CEH building & electrical team... that we open inpatient services for better patient care when all is ready.
5. Thanksgiving for new email communication to better THANK YOU, MY FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS!          I thank my God every time I remember you.   Philippians 1:3