Where did March and April go??!!!
I cannot believe it has been two months since I posted an update for you. I guess time flies not only when you are having fun but when you stay busy as well. March and April have been really full months for me and May is shaping up to be the same. When I look back and when I look forward, the only thing for me to do is Praise the Lord! There are so many wonderful things happening for the people of Chimala.
The week after my last post, the hospital had a big problem arise. Our accountant left for another position without any notice. This affected me because I had to step in to help with alot of the accounting work; the payroll, general ledger, etc. I spent the majority of March trying to learn the ropes so to speak of the insurance, social security fund, payroll and other accounting systems. I already had a good "over-view" of the systems, but not all the detailed ins and outs. This has kept me very busy all on it's own. However, all the other work continued as well.
Mobile Medical Clinics: I have spend many visits and worked closely with three more churches for mobile clinics. In April, we started a new clinic at a village called Kimani. By the end of April, I had recieved approval for clinics at Kapunga and Chang Ng'ombe. Both of these will be starting in June.
As I informed you at the end of February, the government here has started a push for all boys 5 years and up to be circumcised. We performed over 700 at the hospital, but in March and April, we began going out into the villages with mobile circumcision clinics. We have held these clinics at two different villages over 6 days. These are held mostly on the weekends with the dressing changes occurring during the week.
I also have had 3 patients in March and April who needed frequent dressing changes, so I have been making two to three home visits per week most weeks. So here is the count for March and April. Mobile clinic/circumcision clinics - 8 days; circumcision dressing changes - 3 days; and home visits - 12. The outreach from the hospital is expanding quickly and is being very well received by all.
Nursing Education Classes: We have also started teaching nursing education classes every Friday. These classes focus on one topic with specifics each week. The class is a hands-on learning/practise to help the nurses with better nursing practice. Rene and I started teaching and now we are having other seasoned nurses help with the education.
Hospital Bathroom Project: At the first of March, I announced that our bathrooms at the hospital are in bad disrepair and need much attention. What I actually said was "Help us get our bathrooms out of the toilet!" I had hoped to begin remodeling this month and still may start the Children's Ward bathrooms before the end of May. We have received $1,800 from several of you so far. Our need is $6,000. If you or anyone you know is looking for a good cause to support, please consider helping us with this project. I am talking bathrooms which no one should have to use, especially when you are sick! And even a bigger problem is the condition of the bathrooms which new, healthy mothers have to use just after giving birth! I am praying that I will be showing much improvement in this area soon.
Water Purification Project: This project has been at the for-front for all of April. We have been working through e-mail with New Life International since January. They usually do not send workers into the field to help with set up. The training is usually done in the states and then you go out and perform the set up where you need it. However, they have been so helpful and wanted to work closely with us because our project is pretty big. And we are praying to have more projects like this one in the future.
The main source of funding for this project is the Harding University Nursing School. As we made the plans for this system, we were striving to have it operational for the Harding group to see when they visit Chimala in a couple of weeks. In order to have this happen, lots of planning and building has been taking place.
We have purchased 3 - 10,000 liter (2500 gal) polytanks. Two tanks will be for water purification and the 3rd will be the "distribution" tank. Once a tank of water has been purified, the water will be transferred to the distribution tank where it will then go to the hospital for use. We have build one meter (3 feet) platforms for these tanks to be housed on. Each tank when filled will weigh approximately 22,000 pounds. This was prep-work.
Steven from New Life arrived last Thursday. Since then the electric has been run, a small housing center for the electric built, tanks prepped and placed on the platforms and starting yesterday the workers have begun training on the operation of the system. Everyone is putting in long, busy days. It is so amazing to see everyone working together for this goal and being so excited to learn something new.
Another wonderful thing which happened in April was the visit of the Spiveys. Johnny and Laura Spivey spent 2 weeks with us. They have been raising money to join our mission team. Johnny and Laura were such a blessing to us all. They worked side by side with all of us and everyone enjoyed them. I am praying for God to provide them a way to return.
The week after my last post, the hospital had a big problem arise. Our accountant left for another position without any notice. This affected me because I had to step in to help with alot of the accounting work; the payroll, general ledger, etc. I spent the majority of March trying to learn the ropes so to speak of the insurance, social security fund, payroll and other accounting systems. I already had a good "over-view" of the systems, but not all the detailed ins and outs. This has kept me very busy all on it's own. However, all the other work continued as well.
Mobile Medical Clinics: I have spend many visits and worked closely with three more churches for mobile clinics. In April, we started a new clinic at a village called Kimani. By the end of April, I had recieved approval for clinics at Kapunga and Chang Ng'ombe. Both of these will be starting in June.
As I informed you at the end of February, the government here has started a push for all boys 5 years and up to be circumcised. We performed over 700 at the hospital, but in March and April, we began going out into the villages with mobile circumcision clinics. We have held these clinics at two different villages over 6 days. These are held mostly on the weekends with the dressing changes occurring during the week.
I also have had 3 patients in March and April who needed frequent dressing changes, so I have been making two to three home visits per week most weeks. So here is the count for March and April. Mobile clinic/circumcision clinics - 8 days; circumcision dressing changes - 3 days; and home visits - 12. The outreach from the hospital is expanding quickly and is being very well received by all.
Nursing Education Classes: We have also started teaching nursing education classes every Friday. These classes focus on one topic with specifics each week. The class is a hands-on learning/practise to help the nurses with better nursing practice. Rene and I started teaching and now we are having other seasoned nurses help with the education.
Hospital Bathroom Project: At the first of March, I announced that our bathrooms at the hospital are in bad disrepair and need much attention. What I actually said was "Help us get our bathrooms out of the toilet!" I had hoped to begin remodeling this month and still may start the Children's Ward bathrooms before the end of May. We have received $1,800 from several of you so far. Our need is $6,000. If you or anyone you know is looking for a good cause to support, please consider helping us with this project. I am talking bathrooms which no one should have to use, especially when you are sick! And even a bigger problem is the condition of the bathrooms which new, healthy mothers have to use just after giving birth! I am praying that I will be showing much improvement in this area soon.
Water Purification Project: This project has been at the for-front for all of April. We have been working through e-mail with New Life International since January. They usually do not send workers into the field to help with set up. The training is usually done in the states and then you go out and perform the set up where you need it. However, they have been so helpful and wanted to work closely with us because our project is pretty big. And we are praying to have more projects like this one in the future.
The main source of funding for this project is the Harding University Nursing School. As we made the plans for this system, we were striving to have it operational for the Harding group to see when they visit Chimala in a couple of weeks. In order to have this happen, lots of planning and building has been taking place.
We have purchased 3 - 10,000 liter (2500 gal) polytanks. Two tanks will be for water purification and the 3rd will be the "distribution" tank. Once a tank of water has been purified, the water will be transferred to the distribution tank where it will then go to the hospital for use. We have build one meter (3 feet) platforms for these tanks to be housed on. Each tank when filled will weigh approximately 22,000 pounds. This was prep-work.
Steven from New Life arrived last Thursday. Since then the electric has been run, a small housing center for the electric built, tanks prepped and placed on the platforms and starting yesterday the workers have begun training on the operation of the system. Everyone is putting in long, busy days. It is so amazing to see everyone working together for this goal and being so excited to learn something new.
This is just a few pics. I have tons, but will share more when project is complete.
Another wonderful thing which happened in April was the visit of the Spiveys. Johnny and Laura Spivey spent 2 weeks with us. They have been raising money to join our mission team. Johnny and Laura were such a blessing to us all. They worked side by side with all of us and everyone enjoyed them. I am praying for God to provide them a way to return.
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