A busy Day

Friends,

We had a long and busy day, but we’ve learned a lot, and encountered some wonderful people; some old friends, and some new.

We started our day with a visit to old friend Dr. Mark Jacobson at Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. Last time I visited Tanzania in 2008, ALMC was a bare concrete skeleton, still under construction. Today it is a beautiful, clean, modern Hospital. Dr. Jacobson gave us a tour. We saw a modern reception desk, an emergency room, maternity rooms, and offices that all compare to an American hospital. ALMC is even working with a Electronic Medical Records system, although lack of key boarding skill remains an obstacle.

Dr. Jacobson exudes a contagious faith, and has a very clear picture of how the medicine he practices reflects the Gospel of Christ. Dr. Jacobson speaks about the Gospel as a restoring of mankind to wholeness, and draws a parallel between that and the restoration of wholeness that comes with physical healing. He describes ALMC's mission. First, the hospital should serve the expanding needs of the urban community in Arusha. Second, ALMC should present a model of health care that assures the sustainability of Christian healthcare in Tanzania. Finally, ALMC should be a center of excellence for care, education and research. Challenges exist in meeting these goals, notably maintaining the financial stability of the institution, and promoting an attitude of excellence in the staff.

As we were leaving ALMC, our leader and OBA director Diane Jacoby, ran into friend:  A nurse, Naomi, who graduated from Maasae Girls Lutheran Secondary School who is now working at ALMC.  She is a great example of one mission helping another to grow.

Later in the morning we visited the Olchoki school in Arusha. Okchoki School consists of several class buildings, many funded by Operation Boot Strap Africa, that host some 1800 primary school students. The outside of the buildings are decorated with educational materials, such as multiplication tables, diagrams of the human body, and maps of Africa. Many of the buildings are in poor repair, the school lacks books, having, on average, fewer than one book per six students, and classes where one hundred students sit nine to a table. The school has great needs, but Operation Boot Strap Africa is working to meet those needs. We met with school principal Michael Mollel. He expressed great appreciation for the assistance OBA has given his school. “Operation Boot Strap Africa is excellent!, From the bottom of my heart, Bravo!” Mr. Mollel told us. We visited several class rooms where children in blue uniforms proudly sang songs for us in English. It was a great example of all the good work that OBA has done, and how much more is still needed.

After a late lunch, we went to visit Sarah Wallace at the plaster house, where children go to have a safe clean place to recover from surgery. The facility offers rest, therapy, and quick reaction to any infection or complications. There are 18 beds at the plaster house. There were 19 children, which is an unusually small population. Sarah reported the record is 92 children. Sarah is building a new facility with fifty beds to replace the old plaster house (with support from many quarters, including Bethel.) “Then we can have a hundred and fifty”, jokes Sarah. The plaster house is an invaluable resource that allows children to heal for as long as is needed. Sarah’s passion and energy are apparent in this ministry, which she describes as “High love, low cost heath care.”
    Sarah is assisted by a Tanzian Occupational Therapist.  The young woman, named Jackie, is also an MGLSS grad.  On our previous mission trip in 2008 we met Jackie as a new graduate, working with Selian's orthopedics program.
     Sarah has been a partner with Bethel for may years, and it was a privilege to finally meet her face to face.

We ended our day by having tea with Eunice Simonson. Her home is a beautiful structure on the side of Mount Meru, filled with symbols of Maasi culture, and the amazing ministry that she and her late husband David Simonson have engaged in during their extraordinary lives of service as missionaries. I would like to recount that ministry, but it’s very late, I’m very tired, and the book “Under the Acacia Tree” (available in the Bethel Library) does a far better job that I ever could.

Looking forward to a visit to Selian Hospital tomorrow.

Keep us in your prayers.  We are exhausted, but safe, well fed, and inspired by all we have seen.

Pictures may follow, depending on internet access.

-Bruce