Dear friends and partners in the Lord’s work through CEH, Welcome to the new year of 2025. May God bless each of you this year. For many decades, as I personally entered each new year, I spent time reviewing the past year; self-evaluating, grading myself, confession, and then writing new goals for the coming year. These are not just casual resolutions but thoughts of what I presented to God as my living sacrifice in the past year and reflecting on how I can improve it in the coming year. 2 Timothy 2:15 speaks of “studying to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth.” What do I offer in the account of my life to God each year? Christ told several parables of stewards called to account before the king for their return on the talents they were charged with. Some squandered them or buried them and some produced positive yields of 1, 3, 5, 30 or 100-fold. Each was called to account for what they did. How might I give account to my God and King? When we read about the development of Samuel in 1 Samuel 2:26, of John the Baptist in Luke 1:80, and of Jesus in Luke 2:52 we read of these young men growing in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and men. Looking at the whole of these I set goals and then self-evaluation in five categories of life: Spiritual, Physical, Mental, Social, and Emotional. It is said, “If we aim at nothing, we are sure to hit it (nothing).” So, I aim at personal goals and achieve or partially achieve some. I then try to lead the CEH hospital staff and board to do the same thing, asking "what have we accomplished for God in the past year and what would he have us do in the coming year?" Each year our Board (nine people) and some of our Advisory Committee meet in February, May and October to plan before God what he would have us do. We ask that you pray for us in these sessions. Thank you again for all your prayers and gifts that fuel this living sacrifice for our Lord! Your fellow servant, Dr. Dwight Slater MD CEO of CEH Spiritually We faithfully present spiritual conversations and often the Gospel to every patient or family visitor who come to the hospital (10,000+ annually). 95% willingly accept prayer as we care for them. Very few made decisions for Christ within the hospital, but three made decisions in the MIAPE associated church. Some children made decisions in the Fresh Rosée school. We added a second chaplain/church planter to the CEH staff. An evangelism committee of four people oversees the veranda preaching, the Christian literature table, and weekly visits by all the staff to all hospitalized patients during Friday morning devotional times. All three evangelical churches in town grew numerically by 20 to 30%. The MIAPE’s Sunday School grew from 50 to approximately 90 children. In the hospital staff and some of the churches there is an emphasis on developing not just converts but disciples of Christ. For all this we praise God. Physically We finished the construction of the 11 bed Ward F for surgical and orthopedic cases and have a rapidly expanding reputation as the trauma center for our region of over 5,000,000 people. Surgical volume increased about 25% year over year though other areas of the hospital growth are minimal. Dr. Paul heads up the surgical department and received an award for his excellent care and reporting of his cases from Sign Nail, where he presented orthopedic case studies at a second conference in Washington State. We completed the internal wall/fence around the hospital to improve sanitation concerns from wandering animals. This also helped control flow of visitors at high intensity work periods and improve patient care. We completed 80% of the construction of the seven-room consultation extension to the Outpatient Clinic. It should be dedicated this February. We will send office furnishings with the next container in March or April, Lord willing. We added a second x-ray unit that is floor and wall mounted, improving the quality of this service. A technician/trainer came from Cote d’Ivoire for three weeks to train two new staff. Chemistry and blood counter machines were added to the laboratory along with essential training in their use. We are making improvements in the solar electrical system and lightning protection. We hope to connect to Star Link this coming year and improve our international communication facilitating internet consultations and staff education! We registered for this in 2023, but it was not functionally available until this year. Software and a new computer that comply with Guinea government standards were purchased to improve pharmacy and medical supply inventory, ordering and financial accounting. The Lord also blessed us with substantial giving from donors to accomplish this work each month and to build up to our goal of a three-month operational reserve for the essential work. We are very grateful! Mentally We established a goal of a monthly doctors’ Zoom meeting between four US doctors and the five African doctors to exchange ideas of improving medical care and mutual accountability. Presently we are batting 50% and aim to improve! We trained Dr. Paul further in orthopedics. Dr. Harry in internal medicine and Dr. Bello in dentistry are new short-term hires who may continue longer. We now have two future doctors in their 6th year of medical training in Dakar Senegal: Yvan and Yvenne who were engaged this October and may get married later this year. Dr. Steve M. is developing channels to have them trained in Pan African College of Christian Surgeons and Christian Academy of African Physicians programs in Africa following their 2026 summer graduation. The Nursing School is in its second year with six students who are testing well and now learning practical bedside care and various departmental tasks. We want to add a second nursing class next fall. Our highest academic goals are to hire qualified nurse educators through sister missions as well as our own contacts since Doris is scheduled to retire this summer. We are also looking for short- and long-term missionary doctors to associate with us and train African medical staff. Pray with us for wisdom as we make these hiring decisions. Socially The staff “esprit de corps” is good with mutually pursued goals and unity. We praise God for this progress! Sadly, we lost two of our staff to death this past year from cancer and cirrhosis and then four of our staff lost close family members. Others are seriously ill. Several of our US constituents and their families also had serious illnesses and surgeries. We walk together under the grace of our Sovereign Lord facing these trials and life events together. We seek to bear one another’s burdens as we give compassionate care to our needy patients (Galatians 6:9-10). The hospital developed good will and a very good relationship with the community and with government officials locally and nationally. This continued to facilitate problem solving including the issue of eminent domain (broadening the national highway in front of the hospital). Also we bought four lots from one family for future construction of staff homes who frauduently resold them to other buyers. This had to be resolved in court or that family would have been jailed. The community appreciated our clarity in presenting our original purchase documents which were submitted to arbitration. We did not pursue the family to imprisonment as suggested by the procurator. The value of local lots quadrupled in the area because of the hospital’s presence over the last 15 years. All five of our MIAPE missionary families are now living on the hospital station or near it in their own homes. Etienne also participated in the installation of the new regional chief in our “quartier” (town neighborhood) of Mamou and is sought out for consultation by local officials. Pray for continued good relationships with the people of Mamou. Emotionally From a bird’s eye view the fruit of the spirit is evident in the staff. Mutual internal love and compassion to others bears a good testimony to Christ in Guinea. Christ’s high priestly prayer in John 17 including verses 22 and 23 applies to CEH as well as all of us. When we exhibit unity and love He is honored and will be known by the world as being sent by the Father and loving mankind. May it continue to be so for each of us. Upcoming visits: Anco, a CMA electrician from Senegal/Denmark, and two board members; Clayton an electrician/plumber/IT technician from Minnesota, and Mindy a mission administrator from Chad plan to be visiting CEH in February to assist in the ministry there. Pray for their visits and work. |
Financial goals/wish list for 2025:
To those who partner with us financially or are considering doing so, here is some information to help facilitate your donation. The CEH website contains a Support Page showing many ways to give including: Check or Money Order, Text2Give, and Online options. It also shows the progress in funding of each current Major Project. Use link below to visit our Website for more details. God accomplishes great things through your faithful giving, thank you! Some donors asked if it’s possible for CEH to accept Donor Advised Funds (DAF) and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) directly from an IRA. This could reduce Required Minimal Distributions (RMD), potentially reducing one’s taxable income level. Yes, we are able to assist with these items. If you have questions, please contact us at 1-877-948-8729 or gmoody14@gmail.com. May God continue to bless each of you who give joyfully! |
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