Christmas 2020 Update from IHP

Charles Powell writing:

To say this has been a challenging year would be an understatement. With so many restrictions, there was a profound effect on the project at Zinga. With the exception of three travelers, we were not able to host the dozens of guests who would normally come and go from Tanzania. This has been difficult, not only for the many medical students, nurses, doctors, and assistants who would have traveled this year, it was also troublesome for the staff as well. There is a significant mutual benefit to our interactions. It is my sincere hope that we can return to normalcy in the very near future.

We are all aware that the pandemic has taken a financial toll, not only in the U.S. but also in Tanzania. Your prayers, vigilance, and donations to IHP are greatly appreciated. We are working diligently to maximize the value of each and every gift, regardless of the size. There have been setbacks, but we know that God is greater than any obstacle that has been placed before us. We remain committed to the advancement of our goals at Zinga. At this time I would like to wish everyone the very best for this holiday season. May 2021 be both productive and fruitful for all, and a darn sight better than 2020!

Charles W. Powell, MD President, IHP-US

Selemani Shabani writing:

Dear Friends of the Children of Tanzania IHP-US, Inc and IHP-JEMA-TZ

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021.

I am excited about the project you are working on.

1. People from several places are getting treated at Zinga Children's Hospital.

2. Staff are hired to provide the best service our clinic provides.

3. New buildings are being built to get ready to serve more people.

For example:

Birthing center, NICU building, PICU building, MCH building, and Garage building.

We are facing some difficulties with our vehicles.

1. Our bus is broken and it needs about 1,300,000/=tshs to repair = $561.00.

2. Our bobcat is broken and also it needs to be serviced. It needs about 1,150,000/= T.shillings = $496.00

3. Our Noah (Toyota minivan) needs service and repairs and this will cost about 900,000/= $388.00.

Thank you very much for being there for this project.

We really appreciate your help and support for this project.

May God bless you.

Best Regards,

Selemani Shabani.

Dr. Kenny George writing:

Hello, I am presenting A 3-year-old girl (Asha) who has had a history of recurrent skin reaction (hives) whenever she is taken to another hospital for fever for the past 2 years.

We noticed on her treatment book that she is constantly being prescribed Septrin(Septra/co-trimoxazole). We advised the dad to make sure the child stays away from sulpha containing drugs. We gave him examples and educated him about why it is important to report these reactions wherever she is taken for treatment.

Paula and Denny writing:

The project at Zinga is growing by leaps and bounds. At this point, and since we are expecting exponential growth, Dr. Jesse Kitundu who has been managing the project for these seven years would now like to step aside and have a professional team take over.

IHP is seeking a CEO who would be willing to take over the day-to-day management of The Children’s Hospital at Zinga IHP-JEMA-TZ project.

Do you know someone who has management experience who would take on this challenge? We will probably hire a Tanzanian for the job, but advice and mentoring from an experienced CEO would be much appreciated!

Also, we are looking for an experienced finance person who could volunteer to assist in setting up the books in a clear, concise fashion, abiding by all the rules of both Tanzania and the U.S. in figuring and reporting the books.

If a volunteer in the U.S. is available, we have staff in Tanzania who could learn by Zoom from you. If you are available or know someone who might be, please contact us either by just hitting “reply” to this email, or contacting Charles Powell (cwpowell@gmail.com) or Ron Overmyer (rovermyer45@gmail.com) for job descriptions and conversations about what is required/needed.

Writer, minister, educator, ambassador, and outdoorsman Henry Van Dyke is best known for his short story, The Other Wise man,” but he wrote so much more, including, “Keeping Christmas.”

Though this was written more than 100 years ago, it offers wisdom and guidance to us today.

“It is a good thing to observe Christmas Day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch now and then by the great clock of humanity, which runs on sun time. But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas Day and that is keeping Christmas.

“Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background and your duty to the foreground; to see that your fellow men are just as real as you are and try to look behind their faces to their hearts hungry for joy, to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life but what you are going to give life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe and look around for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness – are you willing to do those things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

“Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings with the gate open – are you willing to do those things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

“Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world – stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death – and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem (2,000 years ago) is the image and brightness of Eternal love? Then you can keep Christmas.

“And if you can keep it for a day, why not always? But you can never keep it alone.”

Denny and I send our deep gratitude to all of you who have donated to IHP to keep the project going. We are excited to enhance our support for medical education for special students and to increase our support for St. John’s University School of Nursing.

We plan to continue our fundraising here in the U.S. next fall after the threat of Covid-19 is behind us. Even at 92, Denny is not ready to have a rocking chair that doesn’t have four wheels under it and a daily destination in mind to tell the story of how God is working miracles in Tanzania.

To keep the work going forward, please send a donation to:

IHP – Matt West, Treasurer

8016 N. Everton Ave.

Kansas City, MO. 64152

Or, go to our website, www.ihptz.org and click on Donate

Or, call Matt at 816-985-4406 and he’ll put it on your credit/debit card.

We wish each of you a blessed Christmas and a safe, relieved, joyful New Year. Paula and Denny -- Paula Lofstrom Managing Director International Health Partners, US & Tz Pray, believing Act on your faith and go forward. God is always with you. Love is always the answer.