Dear friends and partners in the work of CEH for Christ,
Here is a winter update to inform you of recent blessings and challenges we faced in Guinea and in the USA while doing the Lord’s work.
In Guinea on 12/18/23 there was a catastrophic fire at the fuel tank depot at the port in Conakry that provides fuel for the entire country. Thirteen of the 18 tanks exploded and burned causing significant local damage, 23 lost lives, and many injuries. We participated in meeting the immediate needs by sending clothing and linens with one of our chaplains to the destitute victims in the capital. The long-term effects paralyzed the nation’s transportation and economy, even affecting neighboring countries. Gasoline is severely rationed, affecting most of the taxis and motorcycles which all the citizens depend on for any significant travel. Many cities depend on generators to supply their civilians with electricity, now often limited to nighttime only supply. Industry, merchants, banks, and even hospitals have to curtail or stop electrical use. Their generator backups cannot be run. Essential irrigation of orchards and crops dependent on pumps can’t work. Crops are drying up. Some fuel is imported by road from neighboring nations, but new routes and infrastructure must be developed, and they require cash payment. Since the Guinea government formed by the military coup in September 2021 is considered temporary, debts may not be honored by the next government. Neither western nations nor China offered to rebuild the port’s storage tanks. Paralysis, what a catastrophe!
How are we facing this as a Christian hospital? Thankfully, our electricity is solar-based, so we are functioning 24/7 internally. However, our patient load was immediately cut in half. The population is impoverished by all that happened. We eliminated consultation fees to lower the costs for all patients temporarily, while maintaining other “fees for services” to keep the hospital functioning and pay the Guinean salaries. We are so thankful that one of our US churches, HPBC, gave a gift to make up the difference in hospital revenues! We kept all our workers without making cuts, which are widespread in other institutions. Our clients come by public transportation since we are located eight miles from the center of town. Most local transportation is fueled by gasoline which is now hardly available. Thankfully, our fleet of four buses is diesel. Since some of the diesel tanks did not burn this fuel is more available. Though it is also rationed, we do get some. At present we can bring our 50 workers to work as well as the 300+ bussed students who attend the Fresh Rosée Christian school on our campus. We are considering making extra round trips to bring patients from town to the hospital twice a week on slower workdays to serve the patients, since transportation costs are the worst bottleneck. US Christian gifts also assisted in funding this. Radio announcements as well as letters to influential businesses, government offices, educational and religious leaders share these opportunities with the public. Culturally, word of mouth is the most effective. As of 1/22/24 the patient load recovered but there is much more to do. Our light should shine brighter in the darkness, for His name’s sake.
We ask you to pray for continued spiritual understanding, growth, and unity among our hospital staff, and for the next generation of Christian believers and leaders! Thank you again for your partnership in this work for His glory!
Your brother in Christ,
Dwight E. Slater, MD
CEO of CEH
Some of the 2023 highlights and struggles God brought us through:
Daniel and Dr. Allison Travis came to Mamou to finish their French language school which they did. Allison is well integrated into the surgery department, offering complimentary skills to Dr. Paul. She and Daniel are also deeply integrated in the MIAPE church ministries.
The nursing school, now called CIHI, (Compassion International Health Institute) opened with the first six students and eight part time teachers in October. The students are diligent, energetic, and bright. The facility was completed and furnished, and the Guinea government ministries granted their permission after passing three inspections. Praise God!
Philafricaine, a Swiss mission serving in Guinea for 40 years, joined us to help fund the operational costs of the school and offered to recruit European nursing teachers/trainers as a partner mission. They may help recruit professionals for other aspects of the ministry as well. We closely share Christian purposes in medical ministries, discipleship, and evangelism and a burden for Guinea.
Dr. Jonathan, M.D., from Canada, served with us in family practice for three months. He helped refocus the vision for improving the quality of medical services offered by the national staff through ongoing mentoring by western medical missionary teams over prolonged periods of time. We are committed to recuiting medical teams—both short and long term. Are you interested in serving at CEH in a medical capacity?
The soccer field, playgrounds, the CEVEEN building, and Fresh Rosée school are all facilitating ministry to the area youth. God also provided for a fourth bus in January for the FR/CEH ministry, especially for children. This replaces an older bus with severe maintenance problems.
We bought a three-wheeled taxi moto to transport our night nurses more economically and safely, and built a cafeteria for noon meals for our staff and patients in response to some of the felt needs of the staff.
Our Community Health Program (CHP) closed for now as Dr. Kristen transitioned to another ministry. Those buildings are reattributed to the CIHI school and a hospital medical library. Some reserve resources were used to replenish our pharmacy stock after the theft losses of 2022. New security and inventory procedures were instituted and are controlling that problem.
George W. and his team of five completed all the work for electrical and plumbing on the Surgical Ward F, the CEVEEN child evangelism center, the Jr High School toilets and showers and prepped four classrooms for simple electricity, concluding with the new staff cafeteria. They replaced the well pump with an improved installation procedure. Finally, they organized some of the six maintenance containers, all while training nationals in these skills. Several of the American team members were involved in verbal spiritual ministry as well! We are grateful for all of this.
The solar electrical system was improved with several new solar panel installations on roofs of the Electrical Building 2 and two professional homes of our African staff by Anko (a Dutch CMA electrician) and two Guinean Christian electricians whom we intermittently contract.
We were challenged during our ministry to care for two persons who were demon possessed. Principles for exorcism through Christ’s name and power were followed and both women are being observed and discipled in Christian communities. This is not a comfortable or frequent experience for any of us.
Six believers were baptized in the MIAPE church during the summer and the five cell groups dispersed throughout the city deepened their discipleship emphasis for the whole community. MIAPE Chapel officially partnered with the ACTS29 Movement in May to advance the Kingdom of God better with other churches through accountability and sharing.
In December our Heavenly Father called Odile, one of our nurses, and Moussa, our landscaper/property cleaner home to heaven. Odile suffered with renal cancer for two years and Moussa suffered with cirrhosis. Our Christian community grieved with their families and supported them through their final months and trials of life.
Thank you!
Last year our US constituency faithfully prayed and gave. This is the power and fuel of the work that comes alongside our African colleagues. Last year we had 125 individuals, 13 churches, two other mission organizations, and six Christian businesses contribute financially. We received a total of $283,000 in contributions and were able to pass on 92.2% to the ministry in Guinea, while using
7.8% for accounting and administrative fees, a professional CPA financial compilation, filing taxes
and paying our ECFA membership here in the USA. Without your partnership we could not do this work for Christ effectively.
Last minute news:
During the preparation of this update, as I shared the critical needs, God moved several new contributors and many of our regular constituents to give generously!
With these gifts and your continued faithful giving, Internal Fencing to improve sanitation, a new Wall Mounted X-ray and repairs, finishing of Ward F for Surgery and Orthopedics, and Ward G for OB-Gyn are NOW fully funded!!
God sees and values the generous and joyful hearts of his people as they participate in His work. He affirmed the sacrificial gift of the widow’s mites. Beyond the funding please pray for the laborers (Guinean, Ivoirian, American and European) who are completing the actual work on the ground. May God reward each of you!
The website will soon reflect the completely funded projects and the progress on current projects which are partially funded.
The Lord is sovereign over all His resources. Praise and thank God with us!
Digital Expansion
More frequent updates are available on Facebook (link below).
If you are receiving both a paper version and digital version of this newsletter and want to be removed from the paper version, please send a note to CEH, P.O. Box 870, Southfield, MI 48037 or email Dwight E. Slater at ddsvslater@cs.com.