News from Shell, July 2022
End of May the Wolffs retired from Hospital Shell and went to Chile for over 3 weeks on a long holiday. Now we have visited Shell again.
A lot has happened in the meantime. Our feelings are divided.
Thanks to a large donation the “Misión Cristiana de Salud” Foundation was able to buy the site of the neighboring radio station. This clarifies the property boundaries and helps for further expansion. The Radio services goes on worked by other voluntaries from Shell connected to HCJB – radio from Quito. It is not our responsibility. We have also found another family renting one of the former missionary houses, an important source of income for the large housing area.
But now our worries: The fact that the Wolffs left brought fewer patients. We knew that.But then two big events happened that were not planned:
On the anniversary of the inauguration of the new President Guillermo Lasso, there was a well-prepared nationwide strike. Ecuador has never experienced anything like this. The country was paralyzed for 18 days, major riots in Quito with street battles but also blockage of the infrastructure such as power cuts and streets closed. Therewere deaths, especially in the province of Pastaza. Our staff from nearby Puyo could not come to work for many days, and also the patients. The strike is now over. Commissions of the strikers and the government are currently negotiating a compromise. We wait for good results for the many social problems.
Then came the next blow: the rainy season, peaking in July: mudslides and road burial paralyzed traffic. Again, hardly any patients in the hospital.
Many employees were sent on vacations, others were relocated or forced to leave. The new management is currently fighting for the future.
We ask for your prayers and practical gifts in this critical situation. The staff is highly motivated. They are willing to adapt to the difficult situation. And right now, more patients are coming. That’s encouraging. Internal prayer meetings continue.
We need help with the transition now. A special goal is the expansion of the guest house for international short-term volunteers. A group from Germany is coming these days to help there. We also need more missionaries from around the world. Thank you for not losing sight of Shell in all other world problems, wars, famine and inflation…..
Eckehart & Klaudia Wolff
For Donations:
Lightway Medical Foundation
PO Box 8066
Fort Wayne, IN 46898
Checks can be mailed there, or you can donate
through the websites.
LightwayMedical.org/donations.
and HospitalShell.org
