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Charles Powell writing:
We have a contingent of five IHP-US board members planning to travel to Tanzania in January. The purpose of the trip will be to evaluate the operation at Zinga, to discuss the new grant system with them, and to assess other sites and options in order to expand the outreach to improve healthcare in Tanzania. Dr. Bon, Selemani Shabani, and Miriam Mugo, our loyal supporters in Tanzania, have been busy with travel on our behalf. Their purpose is to assess various locations for healthcare needs, the availability of services in the area to avoid duplication, identify suitable sites, check the availability of infrastructure, and ascertain the economic conditions in the areas examined.
Our mission and purpose remain the same. It is our hope to expand coverage and improve the availability of high-quality healthcare and maintain a high level of accountability to our generous donors. Your support is what makes this project possible.
Dr. Kenny writing:
Hello IHP donors and family,
We duly hope you are doing well, and that God is keeping you safe. We can’t thank you enough for your generous support.
A three-year-old presented with a week of pus discharge on her left eye. This child attends a boarding school, and they were only placing gauze on her eye. When she was brought to the clinic, we observed a swelling filled with draining pus thus we did a bedside drain as there was a large opening that didn't need an incision.
We removed a 5cm larva where we concluded it was a botfly that laid eggs there.
The child was kept on antibiotic eye drops for preventing secondary bacterial infection
She is back to school and healthy now.
Paula and Denny writing:
Merry Christmas! It’s that time again. Hooray!
Here’s an interesting story from 1958 when Denny first was a young, just posted, missionary doctor at the old Iambi Hospital (now called Iambi Mawe, Iambi near the Rocks) in the Singida district in Tanzania.
Denny was shocked when he saw the just washed sheets from the hospital being laid out on the grass to dry in the sun. He told the nurses this was terrible. It was not good for the sheets to lay out that way and then be used on the patients. So, Denny had poles put up and clotheslines strung so that all of the hospital laundry could be hung up to dry. The staff complied.
There were about 20 patients in the hospital at the time. Within a week they all started developing bulging sores. Then shortly after that, a couple of the sores broke open and the botflies flew out. Oh dear.
Den then realized that the sores were the larvae of the botflies and he had to incise all of the sores and extract the larvae. The doctor learned his lesson and the nurses went back to putting the sheets on the grass to dry.
You see, the bot flies are attracted to large standing animals. The sheets, hung in the breeze, looked good to flies as a great place to lay their eggs.
Remember the challenge grant? Well, we’re almost, but not quite there. Actually, "almost" is stretching it. We managed $19,045.00. We have until the end of the year. It’s Christmas time, think lights. Think solar power to light them. Please? To each of you that has already donated, we say a BIG Thank You!!
We’re not putting out expensive mailings this year. We are counting on emailing to bring in the end-of-the-year donations that will make such a HUGE difference. If you choose to help, please make out a check to bring better healthcare to the people in Tanzania and send it to:
IHP – Duane Quanbeck, Treasurer
2420 N 6th Ave. E.
Newton, Iowa 50208
Now, I get to brag a little about our Tanzanian son, Sele.
Sele has been in demand as a lay preacher not only throughout Tanzania, but also in Kenya and Zambia. While on these travels, he is keeping an eye out for areas that are in desperate need for medical care.
A building made out of mud bricks is just as much a holy place as a glorious cathedral.
Sele is bringing people to the teachings of the Bible, and to accept Jesus Christ. His gentle way of speaking, the fact that he was raised Muslim and chose to change to Christianity, gives him the background to reach people who are searching for what to believe. He has a calling. He is chosen. But Sele is not paid for this work. His #1 job is still IHP. He has four children to support. Your donations also support him and his work as a contractor for IHP. As his adoptive mother and father, we say, “Thank you.” Merry Christmas! Blessings and gratitude, Paula and Denny
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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.