Update from Soddo Christian Hospital                                                       February 10, 2009

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Dr. Duane & Jackie Anderson

Director

OR Staff Members

 

Greetings! God is faithful and continues to bless the work here in Soddo, Ethiopia. SCH surgical residents, Dr. Gray and his wife, and Jackie and I recently attended a two-week educational and spiritual conference at Brackenhurst Conference center in Kenya.  Twenty-eight residents from Cameroon, Gabon, Ethiopia, and Kenya gathered with their program directors and graduate residents at this site surrounded by beautiful tea plantations.  Highly qualified teachers from the U.S. provided instruction in basic science. Daily devotions inspired all to serve with more dedication in rural areas of Africa.  A myriad of languages surround us, but God's spirit unites us in the goals of PAACS to train African surgeons to serve the poor.  We feel so proud of our residents and the work in which we are a small part.  One night the Ethiopian team spent more than two hours sharing prayer requests, praying together, and encouraging one another. We closed with a heartfelt song:  Praise God who deserves all glory.

Pray for us and those that we serve here. A brother and sister, ages 13 and 14, arrived at Soddo Christian Hospital with severe burns to the hands, feet, and legs. They were accused by an uncle of stealing 10 Birr (about one American dollar).  He was so angry that in the middle of the night he grabbed them and threw them into a pit of burning leaves and sticks. He and others pushed them into the fire as they frantically struggled to get out. The boy had 35 percent of his body deeply burned and the girl had 15 percent. The family arrived with no money, and the teens' care was provided by the benevolence fund.  Immediately, Dr. Paul Gray and the resident surgeon operated to relieve the dangerous swelling of the skin. Skin grafts were attempted but failed.  Wound care continued for three weeks, but the boy died. Dr. Gray cried with the father after the boy died.  The father and family were touched by the compassionate care of the hospital. In Ethiopia, many families refuse to pay for healthcare of children. They are just not valued enough to use needed funds. This family was special in their response.  After the boy died, they raised half of the charges for the boy. The uncle, now in prison, paid the other half for the boy.  His sister continues to slowly recover and continues on benevolence.

 

Near-term Needs: With the growth at the hospital in recent years, the existing water well will not supply the water needs of the hospital during the annual dry season. We need an additional water well, which will cost approximately $11,000 USD. We have a “one-for-two” matching grant commitment which will provide $1 for every $2 donated toward capital projects here at SCH, up to a total matching grant of $150,000. We need to raise approximately $7,300 for this project, and the matching grant would cover the remaining one-third of the cost. At this time we have $3,700 committed to this project (plus the matching grant of $1,850 for a total of $5,550). Please pray that the additional $3,600 will be available soon. Any questions related to the financial support for this project can be directed to Ken Amstutz, St. Luke’s Heathcare Foundation, Treasurer, via the SCH website, www.soddo.org. We will keep you updated on the progress of this project.

 

Ten percent of the hospital's border wall has been completely finished.  Another five percent is started and will be completed in the next months. The funds will be depleted and the cost is higher than expected. We are evaluating what we can do to lower the cost. 

 

Twelve good used laptop computers were recently donated to SCH to support the One-by-One English language program at the hospital led by Jackie. This program has more than 90 students, ranging in age from 6 to 18.  Most of the students are children of hospital staff. 

 

So far, $115,000 has been raised to begin housing for the surgical residents.  This will be a great start toward a two-story building that will include two- and three-bedroom apartments for the seven residents and their families. 

 

Long-term Plans: Jim Hall the CEO of Engineering Ministries International will be at SCH later this month (February 2009) with a design team to address long-term design plans for the hospital. Plans are for the team to include an architect, civil engineer, water/wastewater engineer, electrical engineer and a surveyor. Please pray for wisdom as we work through long-term expansion plans for the hospital facilities.

 

Thank you for your faithful support of the work here at Soddo Christian Hospital. Please continue to pray that God will continue to bless and provide for the leadership team and the entire staff of SCH, as we endeavor to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the people in the Soddo, Wolaitta region of Ethiopia. Please visit our website at www.soddo.org for additional information related to the work here at SCH. 

 

Praise the Lord,

Duane Anderson, MD

.