Dear friends, We recently celebrated Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit, but also the beginning of the worldwide church.  Just a few days before, the disciples asked Jesus: “When will you restore the kingdom of Israel?” and “When will we make it big?” Jesus pointed to the near future, to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  This was greater than anything the disciples could plan or desire.  Here began a world movement – international – that transcends all previous boundaries. This is the church, even if it took many small steps to its realization, and sometimes not without tension and conflict.  A culture of debate is also a hallmark of a community with a spirit of learning and open discourse. 

The team at Shell Hospital has come together and is training for unity.  This is evident in the shared sports we play, often against other groups and medical competitors, where we meet in friendship. The shared sweat bonds us together, and important encounters take place on the sidelines.  We are part of a community in the region with many others. 

This at a time when we have paid off our debts.  The site and documents have now been officially confirmed.  The paperwork took several weeks, but now everything is sorted, confirmed and in our hands.  Reach Beyond, formerly HCJB, has sent us a generous donation as a token of appreciation for the loyal and punctual payment of the agreed funds. 

What will we do with this unexpected help?  The need is clear, even in Ecuador – climate change.  It may sound strange to international ears, but not in Ecuador:

Last year, there were power outages lasting over 15 hours a day. During the presidency of Rafael Correa, Ecuador focused heavily on electricity.  We wanted to move away from fossil fuels, especially gas.  Many years ago the government had introduced gas tanks for household use when it was cheap. A tank of just under 15 kg costs consumers about $3 in US dollars.  In reality, the gas, subsidized by the government, is worth about 15 USD.  The government has been paying the difference as a subsidy for years.  Presidents have already been overthrown by this longoverdue price increase.  Hence the shift to hydroelectric power.  If the lack of rain now leads to power outages throughout the Ecuadorian highlands, it will be a setback for the economy. 

Therefore, Shell Hospital urgently needs to replace its repair-prone generator with a new, more efficient one before the next expected power crisis.  Plans for a larger unit, which would also power a planned CT

scanner, have been postponed.  This requires a completely new electrical layout with its own power supply.   So, we are purchasing a new diesel-powered  generator as soon as possible.  Summer is approaching, and time is running out.  For this, we still need outside support, i.e., from donors from abroad. 

The roof of our staff house for students and residents needs to be replaced.  It occasionally rains in, which damages the furniture and other belongings.  We need help with that, too.

We contracted a new company that helps us with local advertising, with new videos and messages.  Our website is also being redesigned. Advertising isn’t just for new patients; we’re also looking for new employees.  We’re particularly interested in dedicated general practitioners and an internist to increase our inpatient treatment capacity.  This is currently our biggest prayer request.  We’re looking for committed Christians who want to work with us, not just part-time.

And then there’s our property in front of the hospital, all the way to the river.  Before we became full owners, this land was used by friends of Reach Beyond to grow cacao and other trees, which were then shipped to the jungle region to provide economic support.  However, the project has been abandoned for some time, and the land is unused.  We don’t need it at the moment.  Our future plans aren’t finalized yet.  Now, friendly organizations are coming and want to use this land for possible community church work or even for further agricultural projects.  We won’t sell the land, but we pray that it can be put to good use.  Please pray with us for this. 

It’s now about new paths, just as the newly emerging church did back then, growing bit by bit within Judaism, but then, within a few years, opening up to the outside world and taking new paths.  Shell Hospital is also on a similar path in a changing world.  Thank you for all your active support in prayer and action. 

The Shell Team

(Eckehart & Klaudia Wolff)

Donations: Lightway Medical Foundation

PO Box  8066                                                                              

Fort Wayne, IN 46898

Checks can be mailed there, or you can donate through the website.  

LightwayMedical.org/donations.