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Welcome to International Health Partners TZ and International Health Partners - US INC.

 

General answers to common questions are available on the FAQ page of this site.

 

Dear Builders of the Hospital!

 

This is what you are and you are directly helping to put it together, cement bag after cement bag!

 

Last week a woman came to the Nyakato Health Center in labor. We tried to turn her away saying we did not have a doctor to do a C-section in case she needed one, that we didn't have room. Does that sound like another Christmas story?

 

So we put her into one of the larger exam rooms at Nyakato...no manger, no cows, no goats, but certainly not fancy. One of the midwives helped her deliver a beautiful baby boy and we were all thrilled. This is the third time this has happened. Our birthing center is not quite ready, but everyone says we will be flooded with mothers in labor as soon as we open. We want a center of excellence that will help decrease that horrible statistic that says one woman dies every hour in childbirth. That is what we are working toward.

 

So this Christmas, as you celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus, whose mother was turned away because there was no room at the inn, remember us as we try to make a safe, clean and caring place for the birth of many babies and the health of the mothers.

 

And thank you for all your help. 

 

Sincerely, 

Mary Ellen Kitundu, President IHP

 

 

A state side summary of IHP fund raising.

 

We arrived at Kansas City International Airport on Oc5. 2nd. The next day we gave a presentation updating the progress on the eye center that the team from Atonement had started building in July, and that our local work crew had continued after they had returned to the U.S. It was so good to see the team members again and the video they had made of their trip.

 

This same week-end we visited One Community Spiritual Center, formerly Christ Church Unity, and presented the progress that continued on the birthing center after the considerable progress they’d contributed in June.

 

From then on we were continually on the move, visiting 18 states from the Midwest to the southeast as far as Florida, and back to Texas via North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; then north to Oklahoma, Arkansas and back to Missouri. I really missed Francis Gunda’s not being with us this year. He had assumed all the Sunday sermons last year which I appreciated greatly.

 

The responses we have received this fund raising tour have been more than gratifying. They have been miraculous and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. God bless you and may you have the very best of New Year’s for 2010.

 

Dennis Lofstrom, M.D., C.O.O., V.P., IHP-US & TZ

 

 

From Gloria Duda:

Where does the time go?  Where does the money go? Both seem to disappear at a rapid rate these days.  It’s hard to believe we have been here more than three months now.  It’s the season of the mango rains, lovely rains that make everything so green, and the trees are loaded with mangos!

 

This month construction on the Birthing Center and the Eye Clinic progressed very well.  Many things are done in a different way here, and require lots of adjustment to schedules and planning on Len’s part.  They now have a safety meeting every Monday morning, most of the crew have never used power tools or done any construction work before.  He had many of the crew wearing dust masks – but did not realize they did not know to push the strips to seal it to their face!  We take so many things for granted – but we are learning.  All of the crew now know four English words – Straight, Level, Plumb and Square.  The challenge now is to get everyone to make sure their work is Straight, Level, Plumb and Square.  Len is used to working on big projects with professional tradesmen, material preordered months ahead, and an endless array of tools.  Here, someone who has been trained to do concrete work will likely get carpentry training, material is bought daily as needed (and the budget allows) and tools are few.  Buildings do not get temporary power, so construction is based on keeping enough light inside to be able to work.  In a country where labor is so cheap, the price of tools is astonishing.  A Craftsman router that costs $129. at Sears in America is 780.000 T. S. ($650).  We needed a grinding stone for a drill, in America it would cost maybe $40 – here it was $180!  Len is sure that somewhere are donors who have been in construction who know how important proper tools are to any job..... so, if you are out there, donations designated for tools would be so appreciated.

 

I am sending pictures of the temporary laundry we have set up, and the new one.  As you can see the new one is not complete – it still needs walls and a roof – donations greatly needed!  The temporary one is not great, but now they do not have to do laundry in the halls of the clinic.  Today was the last day of work for the construction crew before Christmas.  Most of our construction crew are considered as casual workers, so they are not eligible for Christmas bonus.  To show our appreciation for all of their hard work, Len and I bought 2 goats, and rice etc. and paid a couple of gals to make a special lunch for everyone.  It was great.  Lots of good food, and laughs.  Our resident “Prayer Specialist” – many of you have met him – Pastor Francis Gunda, just happened to show up just before lunch.... hmmmm.  Many many thanks to those of you who have donated to this wonderful cause.  I wish each of you could be here for even one day to see the difference made in so many lives.  You can rest assured every cent makes a difference!  Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us here in Tanzania.  Our hope for the New Year is for the donations to keep coming in – so the work here can keep going forward.

 

 

From Len Duda: Dec. 22, 2009

Today was the last day of work for this year for the construction crew.  The goat meat lunch we provided was enjoyed by one and all.  The birthing center now has all of the gable ends, flashing and cladding finished, so the building is completely closed in.  All of the rooms have a finished concrete floor and finished coats of gypsum on the walls.  We are ready to start painting.  We have a vocational school next door and approached them to see if it would be possible for some of their students gain work experience here.  The painting teacher will be bringing students and will supervise.  We will only pay once we are satisfied with the work.  This makes for a huge saving – a painter gave us an estimate of 850,000 TS, the students will do it for 350,000 TS.  This school also teaches plumbing, electrical, and welding so we are hoping this works well and we can use other students in the future.  We have not been very happy with the “tradesmen” we have hired to date.  Four of the rooms in the birthing center have the drop ceiling installed and on the outside the expansion joints have been caulked and it is ready to be final coated and painted.

 

The eye clinic had to be slowed down a little so the crews could work on the birthing center.  The concrete floors need a 28 day curing time before the epoxy coating can be applied.  Half of the entire eye center is concreted, and we will go full steam ahead with it in the new year.  I would like to thank Denny, Paula, and Mary Ellen for trusting Gloria and I to hold the reins for a while.  It’s been quite the experience!  Many thanks to all of our donors – each and every one of your donations is being well taken care of, and making a huge difference. 

 

Merry Christmas to all - and God bless you all.

 

 

This is Paula writing:

Dear ones who care about IHP,

 

Thank you so much for all the support this past year. We would not have believed that during this time of financial insecurity that so many people could have been so very, very generous to us. We are so grateful. It looks like our cash donations have about doubled last year’s. God is so good. So often I’ve sat in my prayer garden in Tanzania and pleaded with God to put it in the heart of those who can manage it, to send us the money to get through one more month. God, and you, have never, ever failed us. We’ve always been able to make payroll and to keep building. Our little clinic has had 54,000 patient visits since it opened 3 years ago.

 

As a special Christmas gift to IHP, Dr. Malcolm Findlater has pledged to start raising money to build the surgical center, the most expensive building of the hospital.

 

Our fund raising trip this year has included presentations in 18 states. Our little van continues to perk along, though the brakes are beginning to sound suspicious. We’re so excited about the teams that are forming, the churches expressing interest, and the people lining up to volunteer. God whispers, people listen, and the process grows and continues to grow. It is, as I’ve said before, like being right smack dab in the middle of a miracle.

 

We ask for your prayers for success and healing.  Denny is scheduled to have back surgery on December 28th. He needs all his physical attributes in order to be “on the job” at Nyakato Health Center and at the building site as the hospital continues to take shape. The plan is for us to return to Tanzania on Feb. 8th.

 

Speaking of returning to Tanzania………

Since Delta and Northwest combined, the prices have drastically changed.  So, if you’re planning on coming out, we recommend you do some serious airline shopping.  This time Den and I are going British Airways which will take us from KC to Dallas to Heathrow to Nairobi.  From there, Vesna will make our travel reservations on to Mwanza.  Whenever you have our international tickets bought, then Vesna (Pure-Afro Travels, info@pure-afro.com) will make your travel arrangements to get to us at Mwanza.  We’re going to Arusha first, but sometimes there’s a direct flight from Nairobi to Mwanza.

 

Joyous blessings to each of you for 2010,

 

Paula, Denny, Mary Ellen, Len, and Gloria and all of IHP, US & TZ

 

 

Webmaster message:

There is much good being done because of you our supporters.  The people of Tanzania appreciate everything that is being done to help them.  If you’d like to help this work go forward, please go to our home page and click on the “Just Give.” button, or send checks to:

 

International Health Partners, US & TZ

Joyce Zemel, Treasurer

1811 So. 39^th St. #36

Mesa, AZ  85206

 

Please note: The attached pictures are viewable on the normal monthly update page.