November 2009

November Update from IHP

Please, take a moment to reply if you can. We love hearing from you! Paula and Den

Dear Friends,

From Mary Ellen Kitundu, President, IHP-US & TZ

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here on Thanksgiving Day and turkeys are rare and expensive. So my list of things to be thankful for is different than yours, but maybe it is not so different! I am thankful for all of the donors to IHP and that is a lot to be thankful for! I am thankful that the birthing center is near completion and that the women here will have a safe private place to give birth. I am thankful that the people here with typhoid have recovered (we have recently had quite a few staff come down with typhoid.) I am thankful for the generous rains that have fallen...meaning that the cry of hungry children will not be heard this year in this area. And I am thankful for Len and Gloria Duda who have taken off time from their busy lives to come and volunteer the supervision of the building while Denny and Paula are in the States. And like all of you, I am thankful for family and friends. Please know that we consider all of you our friends as we seek to improve medical care in Tanzania.

Construction Update Oct. 16 – Nov. 16 by Len Duda

Rainy season means often we cannot work outside. It also means mosquitoes, and many staff with malaria. We have managed to complete all of the concrete work on the Birthing Center, inside and out, except for the finish coat. We will wait until the rains stop to do that. All of the electrical conduit & the roughed in plumbing are done. We have about 75% of the first coat of gypsum on the walls. We work on that when it rains.

Work on the Eye Clinic started 2 weeks ago, and half of the outside walls are browned, along with a good start on the inside ones. The door frames are about 80% complete, as is the electrical conduit. The roughed in plumbing has now started.

We had a geophysical survey done and it shows we should have a sufficient supply of water for the entire project. They think it is about 80 meters down, and shows 2 positive sites. That is as far as we got with the water situation – now we need the funds to bring it to the surface. As always, tool and material fund donations desperately needed, and greatly appreciated.

Paula and Denny:

Hello all. We’re actually going to have three nights in the same bed. That will be nice. We’ve been “on the road” telling all who will listen about Nyakato Health Center and the progress being made there, thanks to your donations, encouragement, and help. Thank you.

To all volunteers and students coming out! You must have a CTA visa. This will help you get that once you’re in Mwanza, simply by filling out a form and taking 6 passport pictures and $100 to Immigration. But remember, you must figure on this cost in addition to the $100 tourist visa you’ll buy at the airport when you land in Tanzania.

Here’s how we used to “celebrate” Thanksgiving.

When I had a problem – and that was often – with kids, money, work – all the normal things- I’d talk to my friend about it first (who doesn’t?), then maybe even perhaps to the minister (not often), and then finally, finally give it to God. The way to do this is to have a “God Can.”

It makes sense. If God is everywhere, he’s in that can too, right? Actually, I often used a big canning jar, but I like the term God CAN.

I’d write out what was bothering me. Everything. Even maybe my idea of the perfect solution to that problem. Then I’d put that letter into the God can. And leave it. Let God have it. I’d move on with other things.

On the night before Thanksgiving, I’d open that can. Ha! What a hoot! It was really interesting to see the way God had resolved most of those problems over the year. Now, maybe there would be one or two that were left unresolved, but you’d know by the evidence on all the other problems, that this problem was being “worked on” by a Higher Power and could just go back into the can for awhile.

This was in no way an original idea of mine. I learned about it from Rev. Mary Omwake. But it works. It put me in touch with God, and taught me to be so thankful that God was always there, working on my behalf and that of all my friends and family, all the time. God is good. All the time. (That one is from Rev. Will Bowen.)

Den and I are in Dallas for a family Thanksgiving with my nephew and family. On Sunday we speak in San Antonio, TX, and then the following Sunday in Rockdale, TX. The Sunday after that we’ll be in Chicago then back to Rochester for Den to have a bone density test and an injection in his back at Mayo, Rochester.

On Dec. 20th we’ll speak at 2 churches in Kansas City, then on Dec. 28th Den will have back surgery at Mayo. We’ll plan to return to Nyakato about Feb. 6th.

There are many students already signed up for 2010, and a few medical teams. We could use more construction and general volunteers.

We are so grateful to Len and Gloria Duda for accomplishing SO much while we are gone. It’s a joy to receive the pictures and reports of the amazing progress that’s being made. Len and Gloria will stay on until March.

To keep the progress going forward, we need your help. Please consider sending a Christmas gift to:

International Health Partners, US & TZ

Joyce Zemel, Treasurer

1811 So. 39^th St. #36

Mesa, AZ 85206

May God’s blessings rest on you and your families this day of remembering and thanks giving.

Blessings and gratitude,

Paula and Denny

Now for the pictures:

Exterior walls of BBC being cemented.