Dear Friends,
Christmas is the time of new beginnings. In our calendar it is the end of the year. But several churches celebrate December as the beginning of the new church year. Christmas shows the way to something new. That is the situation at the Shell Hospital right now.
known the hospital
Dr. Juan Carlos Panchi has been associated with us in Shell for a long time now. He is the designated Director of the hospital. He is with us part-time now to get to know the process for the future, and the many details that will be required to lead. We are happy to have him officially on board.
Our treatment prices are too high for many of the indigenous people living close by. So for one month we plan to offer half-price to them for Family Physicians in the outpatient clinic. Hopefully this will result in more patients from this patient group.
our foundation in Quito
December 6th is a holiday in Ecuador. The members of our Foundation we met all day in Quito to plan the future of the Shell Hospital. We noticed that general surgery and orthopedics have no specialistto take over. It would cost too much to bring new staff here. Ophthalmologists and ENT surgeons have no interest in coming. We have to bring our hospital to a new level, and make the difficult decisions for the time when the Wolffs will leave.
One of our strong services is the scientific investigation by Dr. Jacob Bezemer, a Dutch missionary. He is working now in Leishmaniasis. If we continue these types of programs we could get donations from outside for more programs to shows the excellence of the hospital.
Right now our maintenance team is working on the two houses (las casitas) for indigenous people mainly from the jungle, when family members are hospitalized and the family is with them. The first house has a roof. The second house needs some new walls, a new roof, a complete new water and electrical system and finally new cooking areas with gas and a fireplace. We have some funding but not enough to finish. This is currently our most important project.
the Shiwiars
We need more connections with the indigenous groups in Ecuador. A few days before we celebrated a contract with the Shiwiar nationality for medical treatment. They have some money from international help that will pay for the treatment of their people. Another connection was built through a diabetes patient with glaucoma who we sent to a foundation close to Quito for surgery. Her world changed when she was able to see again. She was one of representatives of the Záparas in international meetings in the US. There are new ways for new connections also in medicine. And we pray with all these people.
The next project is our guest house for international visitors. One of the former missionary houses will be completely renovated. The roof construction is already done but the inside needs much work in order to have space for 27 visitors and/or medical students to help in the hospital. We had a visit from a couple from the US in October. We hope they will come next year for teaching as Family Practice physicians and being part of our team. They need a clear call from God to join us. Please, pray for them.
They and their friends are planning to take over Lightway Medical Foundation in the near future, as Steve and Diana Wilson who started it years ago are passing it along. Thank you to Steve and Diane for so many years of connection with the Shell hospital!
But most of all our medical team is growing together more and more. Our team is learning from Dan Fontain in a course of spiritual care for patients, that body, spirit and emotions have to be cured together. Every day in our morning meeting we discover together what this means for our patients. We look deeper into our patients and we grow together as a missionary team. In all our time working in Shell, we have not noticed how deep some of these things go.
Preparation time before Christmas this year is more than finishing a calendar year. It is the beginning of something new as the Wolffs will finish in May 2022. It is the start of a new level of the hospital and we thank you for joining us, especially in prayers. It is God ́s work and years ago he
gave us the vision and strength to do this. It is for HIS glory. God bless you.
Eckehart & Klaudia
Tax deductible US contributions to Lightway
Medical Foundation at the address:
Lightway Medical Foundation
PO Box 31
Hollis Center, ME 04042