Dear friends and partners,
God continues to richly bless the ministry. This quarter we share thoughts of George W, our April construction team leader sharing the goals of that trip. The medical team will follow in May and we ask you to pray for both of these short term trips. Also in this issue, we will share how God again provided water in and for the community. Finally, there are some reflections on living our lives well - finishing well, as I reflect on Dad Slater's graduation to heaven. Thank you for running the race with us in the work of Compassion Evangelical Hospital for His glory in Guinea and the world.
Faithful Workers
Seth J, only 20 at the time, led the first construction work at CEH with the garage and clinic in 2006. He initiated the principle that we build good quality buildings to honor God. Raymond was appointed our national foreman and still continues in that role. Wayne B, a retired Master Electrician, then completed those projects, built the Nurses' Station and first in-patient Ward Buildings, the Guest House and the foundations of the electrical and water infrastructures. Al B, another retired Master Electrician then led through the next several years adding several more buildings and refining the work. George W joined Al's teams as a retired Master Plumber and made great contributions to the water and septic infrastructure and then has led in every other part or the construction and maintenance work. I thank God for these gifted men who used their skills to His glory. They were assisted by dozens of other gifted men from the US who each made their contributions. Their supporters and prayer partners assisted them as they held them up in prayer. This is a small army serving the Lord. Listen to George's heart as he wrote to his support team this spring: Hello Family, Friends, Brothers and Sisters, As I sat down to write you, I reread the letter I wrote in February 2011, shortly before my first trip to CEH. Seven years and nine trips later I write you again. I think of what I saw and experienced on that first trip and how far CEH has come since then. Within the last year the physicians saw the 100,000th patient. That's 100,000 souls who have been touched physically and also heard the good news of the spiritual healing God offers each of us through His Son. Add to that number all the family members and friends who accompanied those seeking medical help. Since that first trip the following buildings have been added: Surgical building with two operating rooms, three ward buildings which have added 24 inpatient beds making a total of 40 beds, an emergency room, an x-ray room, a dentist office, a laundry building, two professional residences and a solar power system. In addition there is a full time dentist and an ophthalmologist. One of the staff is trained to do simple xrays. On April 12 myself and four others will leave for trip #10. Our main task will be to install the electrical and plumbing in the new medical supply building. Completion of this building will allow the organized storage and distribution of the many supplies it takes to operate a hospital. Many of you have prayed and given financially to make CEH the miracle it is. I remember one time, standing in front of the guest house first thing in the morning watching patients and staff arrive, and the hospital come alive for another day. I thought that only God could perform a miracle like CEH and allow all of us to be part of it! As my team comes to mind over the next three weeks, please pray our Heavenly Father will give us the strength to do what he has called us to do during this time. George W
Most recent short term crew serving at CEH.
Short Term Medical Team Our medical team will be at CEH from May 15 - 30, please pray for them: Patrick W, RN, Amanda P, RN, myself, and Drs. Mike and Denise B. The focus of our trip will be to give a mini medical conference to the CEH staff, to serve alongside them in the medical work mutually developing our skills. We will organize the new medical supply building to a good functional status to serve the hospital for the decades to come. We will also dream together with Etienne about the creation of a nursing school, based on our CEH campus, in the near future. Training national medical workers well lays the foundation for the medical side of our Mission statement: To give the best quality medical and surgical care possible, with compassion, according to the means God gives us and to share the Gospel of Christ with everyone who comes. Pray for us in all of this.
Short Term Medical Team
Sharing Water
Christ taught us that if we offer even a cup of water in His name it honors God. Last summer the local community shared that since the hospital was built the community has grown rapidly and the spring they drew their water from was no longer sufficient for their needs. They asked us if we could help drill a well for their personal use. We offered to help fund this and the Board approved $7,000. In the interim we shared with them daily from our own well and water tower supply. So, this February in the height of their dry season we paid for local professional well drillers. God again supplied the water! We also helped erect two modest water tanks with several spickets from which the community can take water as they need it. To God be the glory!
Water tanks to share with neighbors
Dad Slater joined Mom in Heaven
Dad Slater passed away on December 23rd, six months after Mom Slater. We held his memorial service at that time celebrating his graduation to heaven, but the burial of his body had to wait until the ground in Michigan's upper peninsula thawed to be buried near their home at Piatt Lake, in Strongs, Michigan. That service will be May 7 for the local community and family. Some of my recent personal reflections meditated through the final two chapters of Ecclesiastes. From our youth we are called to remember our Creator, with reverential awe, recognizing that every act we do will be brought before Him in judgement. The light of the sun does reveal many beautiful things God gave and we are to enjoy these deeply. We are to explore fully our youthful dreams recognizing their futility if they are not based in Him. The aging process vividly described in Ecclesiastes 12 foretells our progressive frailness, and the certainty we will each give our account to God. I witnessed this in both my parents. But there are Biblical principles that are prods to right action and are well-fixed hooks upon which to confidently hang our life actions. Then we may hear His voice say, "Well done my good and faithful servant, enter into the reward I have prepared for you." Mom and Dad, my precious first mentors, finished their race. By God's grace: saved, loving and faithful spouses for 69 years, exemplary parents, hospitable and wise, using their gifted hands as accomplished servants and missionary statesmen. They are deeply loved by those of us who are still running our race and will remember them even now as a part of our cloud of witnesses who prayerfully watch as we run our race to the end. May each of us run and finish well to the glory of God.
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