Compassion Evangelical Hospital 

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In This Issue
Construction Report
Medical Report
Evangelism

Building Health

Building Hope

Woman with Child
Giving the best medical and surgical care possible according to the means that God provides, with compassion, and  sharing the gospel of Christ clearly with everyone who comes.
 
March-April 2011 Update  

 

Dear Friends and Partners,

 

It is with great joy that I share the news in this month's update.  The Short Term Teams returned home and are praising God for the work accomplished both in Mamou and in their personal lives.  Thank you for your prayers.  Your partnership enables us to accomplish much with those who are able to travel and work at Compassion Evangelical Hospital throughout the year.

Construction Short Term Teams  

During the past five months since the exterior of the Surgical Building was completed, God orchestrated details and brought together a group of men who worked in unity and accomplished the goals they set. 

Al W, Brian, Al B, Kurt and George
Al W, Brian, Al B, Kurt and George

When I recount how the teams came together, it reminds me that each of us is a part of God's plan and ministry at CEH.  It was through networking and contacts of prayer partners that Al Buning and Al Wychers, both master electricians, were recommended.   Kurt Couture and Carle Larson participated in the 2009 building team. Both Kurt and Carle wanted to participate again and spent countless hours in planning and assisting in preparing aspects of the work.  Brian Pecheniuk was at a men's prayer time at Highland Park Baptist Church praying in the hallway outside of a CEH board meeting last spring.  He was invited to observe the meeting and after hearing of the need, he offered his services.  He was willing to go and train nationals on proper use and maintenance of the Caterpillar Skid Steer Loader purchased to prepare the initial roads of the compound and use in other construction projects on the property.  A faithful supporter suggested George Weertz as a potential plumber to purchase supplies for the plumbing needs.  Medical problems seemed to limit his ability to travel with the team at first.  However, the door opened for him to travel and we thank God for paving the way for this to happen. These six men formed the short term construction team and are all Godly gifted men with hearts to serve. 

Kurt, Al, Kristen and Carle
Kurt, Al, Kristen and Carle

The CEH Personnel Committee joyfully guided all team members through the application, approval and orientation process of short term missions work with CEH. It was a tremendous blessing on February 26th to gather in a circle of prayer with these men and family members at Detroit Metro Airport to send them off into the service of God. Duration of service varied from nine days to six weeks. Carle was able to join them after three weeks. The shipped container arrived 48 hours after the team which allowed the men time to get settled and assess the project. This allowed them to launch the work rested and in an organized manner. Clearly God's timetable was evident in each step of this process! 

Brian training nationals on CAT
Brian training nationals about proper handling of the CAT.

Brian trained three nationals to run and maintain the Skid Steer Loader. The addition of this piece of equipment and the skill to use it is a wonderful gift to the ongoing work at CEH.

A detailed description of all the construction team completed would not adequately portray the value of their labor and accomplishments for CEH.  They worked together to wire and plumb the Surgical Building and Ward C.  They helped with maintenance issues like the repair of the 25 KVA generator.  In addition, they spent considerable time working out some kinks in Dr. Kristen's house so she could have reliable solar electricity and running water from her own well for the first time in the four years she has been there. 

George working on Dr. Kristen's water tower
George connecting Dr. Kristen's water tower.

Although this group of missionary professionals completed a lions share of the work needed to get us closer to operation, some finishing touches will need to be completed by another team on another trip.  Pray with us for the remaining pieces of equipment and the needed finances to ship this equipment in the next
container. Included in the next container will be the main operating room lights, scrub sinks and the first new main 45 KVA generator, that will supply the hospital for years to come. All of our current generators are technically standby generators built to be used only intermittently. The target date of our next container shipment is mid-May 2011. 

Container J at CEH
The team organizing the contents from Container J.

We thank the many prayer partners who prayed fervently when Al Wychers became seriously ill with malaria. Good medical care and your prayers along with Al's drive to participate enabled him to resume some work in his last three days at CEH. Please pray for him as he continues to recuperate here in the USA. God accomplished much through these men and we are extremely grateful.

Raymond on the walkway to the Surgical Building
Raymond on the walkway to the Surgical Building.

Medical Short Term Teams   

Dr. Jean Paul spent six weeks training at Ferke Baptist Mission Hospital (FBMH) in Cote d'Ivoire which is the foundational model for CEH. FBMH has the reputation as the best surgical hospital for the poor in West Africa, to the glory of God.  We pray that opportunities for collaboration between CEH and FBMH continue to grow.  Jean Paul spent time observing the hospital procedures and in parti-cular with Dr. Paul Sidjani on how FBMH surgery is run to be able incorporate these methods at CEH in the future.  Dr. Jean Paul arrived back in Mamou just in time to welcome the Mayo Clinic/Autumn Ridge Church (ARC) team.

MAYO ARC Team Prayer Walk
MAYO/ARC Medical Team on prayer walk at CEH.

An eye care team from the USA under the Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) served at CEH March 7 - 10.  They were able to see about 180 patients in this three day period and fit them with used eye glasses that were donated. We hope to have this kind of short term ministry happen on an ongoing basis. Pray for the Lord to  lead us in this.   

Eye Clinic Team
Eye Clinic team care for a Pular Village Elder..

The Mayo/ARC team of four doctors: Steve Merry, Robert Stanhope, Christopher Moir, and Larry Vukov; a nurse: Diane Witzig; and ARC
Senior Pastor John Steer were in Guinea March 16-20.

 

Books to help train the CEH Doctors.
Books to help train the CEH Doctors.

The Mayo/ARC team had a full itinerary including a visit to the US Embassy trying to re-stimulate previous offers of assistance and a meeting with the Minister of Health and the Dean of the Guinea Medical School to offer training opportunities for their doctors as they collaborate with CEH. These proved to be constructive exchanges with the national health leaders about the felt needs of the Guinean medical professionals and of the nation.  Before departing they were able to pray with and for them that God would bless and guide them in their roles.

Two days were spent training some of our own doctors at CEH in the use of a culposcope and discussing plans for a Guinea-wide Christian medical conference we are hoping to sponsor in December, 2011. They also helped us refine how we can procure, organize, store and use many other medical supplies and equipment they and other churches and hospitals in the USA are donating. Pastor John Steer led a prayer walk around the CEH campus committing it again to the Lord's service. Ultimately they desire to see how the Lord might further use their church to partner with the CEH work to advance it for God's glory and call many in Guinea to Himself.  

  
Prayer walk on the grounds
Prayer walk on the grounds at CEH.
Evangelism  

Dr. Pepper is a Southern Baptist Family Practice Physician ministering to the Pular people for the past 15 years and co-laboring with CEH in the region around Mamou.  He recently shared this experience of preaching the gospel on our clinic veranda.  His words give a taste of the spiritual challenges God is addressing through the work at CEH and lay a groundwork of the spiritual climate our teams work under. 

Dr. Pepper on veranda
Dr. Pepper preaching on the veranda of the clinic.

"Forty patients were gathered on the porch of the hospital to hear someone preach. In these situations, I prefer to do a 30 minute presentation of Bible stories from creation to Christ. The parables of Jesus in the presentation change for those who may have heard me before. This particular day I had prayed and felt the Lord leading me to use the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15) and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18). People were listening and nodding their heads in agreement all through the Old Testament. They even nodded with the story of the angel appearing to Mary and calling the baby to be born the Son of God. The parable of the lost sheep went well for everyone except a religious reformer. With the teaching that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine, the religious reformer got up and stood directly in front of me. Obviously, he was not happy with the parable's meaning. He glared at me and there was a moment of silence as he just stood there between me and the people. He was a short man so I looked over him at the crowd and started the next parable. He stormed off. Normally, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is not understood quickly. This time was different. Everyone seemed to be getting it as I spoke. Some were smiling and nodding their heads. It was not until after the presentation that I realized what was going on and all that the Lord had done. The people connected the man who stormed off with the Pharisee!

The Lord provided the right stories beforehand and even used the religious reformer to get His message across. God is so good. Pray that the people who have heard will acknowledge not only the truth but will make it their own and put their faith in Jesus. Pray that they will not be like one man who told me that what I had said was the truth but he could not go against his father. " 

   

Thank you for your part in helping these teams accomplish so much.  Your continued prayers, financial support and interest in CEH are a great encouragement to both the administrative team and the national staff. Visit the website (www.cehguinea.org) to inquire how you can join a future trip or help in other ways.

Your brother in His service,
Dr. Dwight E. Slater, M.D.

CEO of CEH 

Surgery and Wards 2011
Surgical Building and Wards at CEH 2011.

 

"Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise."      

Psalm 79:13



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Southfield, MI   48037 

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