Dear friends and partners in the work of CEH,
I want to affirm our gratefulness for your partnership in the work of CEH for God in Guinea. We constantly realize the work is advanced by God's power and grace and not by skills and power or resources of men. God chooses to work in us, through us and with us to advance His Kingdom in this world. Guinea is one of the most needy nations in the world. CEH is one of His outposts drawing people to God through compassionate medical care. We are grateful to see spiritual growth in the staff who reflect Him as they serve at the hospital and in their communities. All of us, by extension, do that as well. It is by His orchestration, enabling and provision!
CEH is so blessed to have an increasing network of very capable individuals with expertise in construction, electricity, solar energy, medicine, community health, kids education ... all of whom are in the United States or Europe advising and coaching the team in Guinea. Some are generous and faithful givers. Each facilitate the hospital work being done by those called from Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea to work at the hospital, thousands of miles away from the United States. How awesome to "give away" knowledge, caring, encouragement, time and love to others in the worldwide body of Christ. A key goal is to empower others to be Christ's ambassadors. Debbie and I communicate and pray with our hospital director on the phone every week - some weeks numerous times. The administrative team meets weekly in Michigan and Ulli communicates relevant items to the core team members. George and others from Mayo Clinic and Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester, MN also talk, email and text with CEH department heads. Texts and email fly back and forth and around the United States as discussions and projects take shape. Steve M and Doc from Minnesota lead in much of the procurement of equipment and coordinating their focus. Each of us spend time meeting with people interested in short term mission trips and in the hospital outreach in this very needy part of the world. We pray for God to direct people to the work who are of like heart and mind.
Our volunteers write letters, set up meetings and meeting agendas, network with people of all ages and interests, work on budgets for the hospital, account for contributions, pour over drawings of new buildings, make purchases and publish communications spreading the word of needs and of good results: medically and spiritually.
Encouraging, instructing, coaching, mentoring: we are thankful to be able to do these things so that others in Guinea can "grow and go" doing the front-line work there. At the source of it all God motivates and provides. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." -- 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
Whether in the USA or in Guinea, this is all just a visible part of the real work: God is transforming people's lives. He orchestrates the total team. He advances His Kingdom - even in the needy land of Guinea! Please contact us if you believe God is urging you to use your skills, knowledge and gifts to be part of this dynamic outreach as we work to reach Guinea for God!
CEH'S Most Urgent Current Material Need
In January, Etienne reported the administrative vehicle, a Hyundai Santa Fe, was no longer running well. It did in fact stop running! The best mechanics in Guinea worked on it. Numerous parts were replaced, and the estimates of possible other remedies were about 50 percent of the car's value without any guarantees. Over the 13 years of operation we bought several used vehicles in Guinea, but with the 25,000 - 30,000 miles driven each year on the rough roads of Guinea, each vehicle quit running within two or three years. The only new Toyota Hilux that we bought was totaled by a road hazard accident caused by a pothole and oil slick on a mountain curve three years ago. Thankfully, no one died in that auto accident. The administrative vehicle is used daily and transports Etienne, our short-term missionaries and some hospital staff. These people are truly our most valuable resource in this work of God. Reliability and safety in a vehicle are essential. We recently purchased a used Toyota 4Runner here in the States and shipped it to Guinea. We hope and pray that it will serve at least ten years. It arrived in Guinea the middle of May.
The total cost of purchasing and shipping this vehicle was $31,000. We used 2018 year-end gifts and $3,600 from the automobile-designated fund to cover the cost. We hoped to use the 2018 year-end gifts for another project but the timing of replacing the vehicle was urgent. Pray with us for its full funding and reliable service to God's work.
Construction Projects
We are finishing the Dental-Ophthalmological building with a residual need of $5,000. One dentist from Rochester, MN who is renovating his office is sending most of his office equipment and furnishings in the current container to equip these new offices. We also started the foundation of the pharmacy building we hope to complete this year at a cost of $60,000. Both projects will be the electrical/plumbing targets of the fall construction team led by George.
Where do the CEH supplies come from?
It's awesome to give things we are not using to someone who can use them! Our abundance of medical supplies in the USA is amazing and at times overwhelming. Three Michigan hospitals, several hospice groups and many individuals contribute "no longer needed" or excess medical supplies to CEH. They bring items to our home, or we go get them and store them for the next short-term trip or the next container. On April 27, about ten friends helped sort, label and pack materials to be sent to CEH in Mamou, Guinea. We spent approximately 7 hours that day working to empty out our storage garage. Emptying that garage meant beginning to fill the 40-foot container destined to go to CEH in late May or June, God willing! Medical professionals who have unwanted medical supplies, even doctors' and dentists' offices that are updating, also contribute to the cause. We can only ship medications which have not expired but we seek to sort and send those as well. Some small medicines require a stay in our refrigerator to remain cool until the next person travels to the hospital to take with them in their suitcase. Even Mayo Clinic's "excess" warehouse sends supplies annually. Supporters of the CEH community health program (CEH-CHP) send supplies. A local businessman and family give office furniture to help outfit the hospital, administrator's offices, new Christian nursing school and hospital guest house. On top of this George, our construction director, with the help of his team, make the necessary electrical and plu mbing purchases for th e current constructio n projects and all this is packed in the container. The "used" and "purchased items" value of the contents of each container can vary from $50 to $200,000 and cost from $12,000 to $17,000 to ship depending on its size.
Shipping container #20 at Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield, MI.
Discipleship and Training
Training of our staff at CEH is a constant priority. Each professional who goes as a short-term missionary participates in this. The biannual Medical Evangelism Conference sponsored by Autumn Ridge Church and Mayo Clinic is the flagship of this training. In January 2019, 160 medical workers from six nations in West Africa came to Mamou to benefit. The dream of a Christian nursing school is being developed and a first "refresher" course class we hope will begin this fall. Doris N. a CMA nurse, Elizabeth S. and Etienne will initiate this program. They will begin in one of our current buildings, but we are starting to build several new classrooms and a library. Their costs will be about $28,500 each. We are researching books and other resources to buy in French when at all possible (or English) to instruct and encourage the hospital staff as they grow in Christ and in medical knowledge and practice. Thank you to the several donors who are already giving to this very strategic special project!
Short-term Mission Trip May-June Dwight and TR will travel to Mamou May 29 to June 12. Dwight will TR and Dwight participate in the medical work and interact with staff to encourage each of them in their work. These group and private annual meetings are benchmark contacts; to evaluate the past year, refocus goals and seek to resolve conflicts. TR is a retired mayor of a suburb of St. Louis and a retired political science and economics PHD professor. We hope to have him listen and advise the hospital director and administrative staff at CEH and interact with some of the local Guinean government officials benefitting from his wealth of knowledge and experience. In the future he hopes to help CEH with fund raising and contacts with funding foundations, so this will be a vision trip to assist us in transmitting our dreams to others who may in the future serve with us. Pray for us, and with us, for fruitfulness as we abide in Christ in this.
