Hi everyone and thanks for your continued interest and
support in the work here at Guinebor II.
Last month we
explained a little about the increase in Malaria cases we had been seeing at
the hospital and the problems this was causing throughout Chad. Well
unexpectedly we received an answer to prayer in the past week when a lorry from
UNICEF arrived at the hospital. They had come to donate 3000 mosquito nets to
the hospital for us to give out to patients, staff and those within the surrounding
community who attend the hospital that are in desperate need of them. We were selected as a hospital,
along with others, within the wider area as are seen as a good source of care
for the needy and also that we can educate others in good practices and in the important
use of the nets to try and reduce the number of malaria cases that we are
seeing. 
The arrival caused great excitement amongst staff and
patients alike. We were soon surrounded by people coming to see what was being
delivered and to ask why. The 30 sacks were unceremoniously deposited and stacked
by our storage containers for us to distribute as we see fit. A couple of days
later 2 doctors from UNICEF arrived to discuss our plans for the nets and to
offer suggestions as to how to distribute them and to record to whom we will
donate them too. This was another
unexpected opportunity to make contact with people and organizations that are
helping to coordinate aid to the needy here in Chad. Hopefully through these
initial contacts we can develop more connections and relationships with other
organisations so that collectively we can help those in need. 
We have implemented methods of distributing the nets to
those who come here to the hospital and also to all of our staff. We felt it
was important to help protect the health of our staff and their families to
enable them to be in good health to aid others. So far we have managed to distribute a few
hundred and over the coming days and weeks will continue to give them to all
who come here.
Another unexpected answer to prayer was the donation of
funds for our Benevolence fund this month. This is a fund specifically created
to assist those who come to the hospital but are too poor to pay for all or
some of their fees. All treatment here in Chad has to be paid for by individuals
needing treatment as there is no NHS or subsidies for those in need. We
therefore have to try and charge appropriate fees to cover our costs for
running the hospital but also not to be too expensive as to discourage people
from coming. We try to encourage all to pay something towards their costs but
some simply can't afford to do so. This
is where the benevolence fund comes in to help. Over the past couple of months,
due to the increase in the number of patients we have seen, the fund has been severely
depleted and we were thinking of ways to aid funding it. However unexpectedly
funds arrived from a church, a Bible study group and an individual specifically
aimed at assisting the poor for which we give thanks.
You could think that these 2 separate incidents were simply
happy coincidences, but we believe they were an answer to prayer. Both issues
had been an area of concern and prayer for us and both were answered in a
timely fashion from completely unexpected sources. Only God has the power to do
this and was a timely reminder for us to trust completely in Him as he hears
all our prayers and knows all our needs and He will answer and provide. Take a
look at Psalm 34 and be encouraged.
Blessings Malc and Sue