The CEH Campus was in pristine condition for the dedication service held on the veranda of the Clinic. Approximately 500 people came to share this joyful celebration with the Guinean Staff and local Guinean health officials. In attendance from the United States were: Dr. and Mrs. Dwight Slater and daughter Vonnie, Board member Kim Couture, Dr. Bob Stanhope and Dr. Rob McBane (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN), Al Buning, Lyle VanKlompenberg, George Weertz and Al Wychers (short-term electrical and plumbing construction team).

Short-term teams from USA attended the dedication.

Dr. Slater took part in the service and gave a historical perspective. He shared that in 1999 the need for a full service hospital, similar to the Baptist Mission Hospital in Cote d'Ivoire, was presented by the evangelical missions and churches of the area. With God's direction and the support of gifted friends in the United States, the Slaters took hold of this need and caught a vision of what could be. A prayer foundation was established along with a Board of Directors. The U.S. tax deductible status was obtained and the property purchased in Mamou, Guinea.

Dr. Stanhope and Dr. Slater speaking at the dedication service.

Site plans were drawn up, construction teams were assembled and the buildings were erected. Medical missionaries from Cote d'Ivoire and the United States were recruited along with national construction and medical workers. In November of 2007 the first patients received medical help at the Clinic. In 2009 the Wards opened for patients needing longer care. Today, the Operating Rooms are equipped to expand the medical care available at CEH.

Dr. Slater also took the opportunity to acknowledge publicly and extend a special thank you to 40 peasant families from the area who agreed to cede the land for the hospital at the request of the local government in 2005.

The Governor's Chief of Staff, Mr. Cisse, shared at the dedication. He was with Dr. Slater at the first inspection of the land. Mr. Cisse shared that at the time of the first inspection he saw a large Boa Constrictor on the property which symbolized to him that Satan wanted to be an obstacle in the creation of the hospital. He prayed for the snake to leave and for the hospital to be built to serve his Guinean people. He watched the snake slither away that day and is rejoicing to see the hospital providing medical services for his people, now with the added benefit of operating rooms. Yes, as his reflection points out, we are in spiritual warfare.

Dr. Robert Stanhope, representing Autumn Ridge Church (ARC), shared ARC's desire since 2007 to participate in meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the Guinean people through CEH. The people of ARC funded the Surgical Building construction. May God richly bless them for this. Their partnership through prayer, finances, and trained medical skill blesses CEH regularly. Many short term medical teams have and will continue to visit CEH sharing medical and educational knowledge with the Guinean staff.

Government officials praised CEH for the good services drawing people from all over Guinea and the neighboring nations. They expressed appreciation for the good collaboration between the hospitals in the area. The representative of the Ministry of Health expressed that he felt the two operating rooms were the best equipped in the country.

USA, Guinean and Cote d'Ivoire flags over CEH.

As part of the celebration, the USA, Guinean and Cote d'Ivoire flags were raised to symbolize the collaboration of workers from these three nations who have and continue to contribute to CEH. "One day, some from every tribe and nation will bow and call Christ their Savior and Lord" (Revelation 5:9).

Dr. Slater and Dr. Stanhope in new operating room.

Dr. Stanhope and Dr. Jean Paul performed the first surgery in the new operating room on December 1, 2011. A painful ovarian cyst was removed. After the inauguration of the surgery, Dr. Slater and Dr. Jean Paul performed two amputations, a hysterectomy, a vaginal delivery and several more minor cases.  

In the past many minor procedures such as caring for chronic wounds (debridement's and grafts) were done in a consultation room by Lacina. These procedures will now be done in the more appropriate and sterile environment of the operating room.

As reported in the November update, ARC sponsored the First Guinean Christian Medical Conference which was held November 29 - December 4, 2011.  The conference offered a wide variety of subjects. Some of the topics covered were:  

• Early cervical cancer detection
• Maternal & child OB care
• Infant resuscitation
• Early pediatric issues
• Pre- and post-operative care
• Chronic wound care
• How to do an EKG
• Treating hypertension
• Proper care of hospital waste

The sessions were taught by Dr. Stanhope, Dr. McBane, Dr. Kristen, and national professionals. The participants commented on the helpfulness of the conference. The opportunity to spend time with other medical professionals in this learning environment was appreciated and well received. Food for the conference was prepared by Paulette and other women at CEH. Their service and hard work was appreciated by all those partaking of this good food.

The administrative leaders shared their challenges and vision in workshops. They met together as colleagues and discussed how to evangelize in the environment of medical care, sharing ways to continue keeping this a priority while giving the best medical care possible. This was an encouragement to understand the challenges facing each one of them at every level. A time of Biblical teaching and spiritual worship was mutually edifying.

All expressed appreciation and felt this conference was exceptionally beneficial. Dr. Stanhope and Dr. McBane signed certificates of participation for all who attended.

At the end of the conference, all participants were invited to the Surgical Building Dedication service. Tours of the CEH Campus were given at this time to those who had not yet seen the facility. God blessed this first conference and we are grateful to have played a part in it!

Dr. McBane and Dr. Stanhope with medical conference participants.

MIAPE school in session.

Twenty kindergarten and first grade children attend a one-room school house on the CEH Campus. The MIAPE Ministry established this school for interested staff and local families. They hope to build the school with a reputation of quality education and integrate Biblical principles into the classroom teaching time.

Another Christian School in the area, Bambino, is run by the EPE Church in downtown Mamou and currently educates first through eighth graders. They have a reputation for graduating students with the highest scores in the region on national tests. Sixty students per class were enrolled three years ago. They have grown to 90 students per class. Pray for these two Christian private schools as they teach the children and witness to the families. Ninety-nine percent of the families in Mamou are Muslim. They desire a good education for their children and do not hesitate to send them to a Christian school to obtain this.

Kim Couture with with MIAPE children and teachers.

The goal is for the hospital to be self-sustaining. This is a realistic target with the growing interest of the people in the surrounding areas of Mamou, Guinea. An average day can bring as many as 90 patients to be treated. Each patient pays a rate established, fitting the economic standard of the area, for the medical service provided. Until the time the hospital becomes self-sustaining, donations from partners are accepted and used carefully to maintain the hospital. Currently the gap is $7,000 (US) each month and is funded by financial contributions from partners all over the world. We invite you to be part of what God is doing at CEH through your prayer and financial support. Visit the website: www.cehguinea.org.