DEACONESS HOSPITAL DEDICATED

CELEBRATING GOD’S PROVISION:  PEDIATRICS BUILDING AT DEACONESS HOSPITAL OF NUNDU IS DEDICATED

On May 25, 2016, church leaders of the Free Methodist Church and staff of Deaconess Hospital of Nundu  dedicated the newly constructed pediatrics building.  This new pediatric building of brick and mortar construction provides fifty pediatric beds, allowing for expansion of inpatient and outpatient services.  Randy Matthewson and Habibu, a local Congolese FM Church member, together supervised the construction of this urgently needed facility.

Until the completion of this new facility, pediatric patients occupied two wards in a deteriorating prefab building constructed about thirty years ago.   Funds came from various sources including the Canadian Free Methodist Church, the Butterfield Memorial Foundation and a personal donation of Myra and Bob McCloud.  Myra(Adamson) pioneered the medical work at Nundu, and Bob, along with his first wife Ruby, worked for many years as a builder and teacher in Central Africa and Kenya.

Deaconess Hospital of Nundu, located in the region of South Kivu, has been managed well through difficult times, and its staff has demonstrated that they are able to deal with the realities of the Congo.  Political and civil unrest continue in the Congo, with significant ongoing social and economic impact on the area.   Economic instability continues to be an issue in this uncertain political environment.  Ability to pay for medical care is limited.  Childhood illnesses are prevalent due to limited financial access to both preventative and curative health care.  Malnutrition and limited access to safe water supplies are also ongoing problems.  Many equipment and facility needs are evident, including the need to update aging buildings.  Completion of the pediatric unit and furnishing this facility sends a message of hope to the people of South Kivu.

Tim Kratzer, June 21, 2016

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Pediatrics Building                                        Final Painting


Little Randy with Randy Mathewson            Prayer of Dedication

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PEDIATRICS PROJECT AT DEACONESS HOSPITAL OF NUNDU NEARING COMPLETION

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is coming out of a period of civil war.  Despite its abundance of natural resources, most of its citizens continue to live in poverty.  However, the Free Methodist Church of the Congo has grown to more than 150,000 members in spite of this war.   Deaconess Hospital of Nundu has also continued to function without much outside support under the leadership of national doctors and nurses, which includes providing direction to numerous health centers.


Looking at he new pediatric building from the south side coming up from the shop area.

Looking at he new pediatric building from the south side coming up from the shop area.

Political and civil unrest continue in the Congo, with significant ongoing social and economic impact on the area served by Deaconess Hospital of Nundu, located in the region of South Kivu.  Economic instability continues to be an issue in this uncertain political environment.  Ability to pay for medical care is limited.  Childhood illnesses are prevalent due to limited financial access to both preventative and curative health care.  Malnutrition and limited access to safe water supplies are also ongoing problems.

View from the north side, showing how the roof overhang will provide a covered walk-way to the existing wards. View from The north side, showing how the roof overhang will provide a covered walk-way to the existing wards.

Although Nundu Hospital has continued to function, limited financial resources have made it difficult to maintain the present infrastructure and hospital buildings, including the prefabricated buildings erected some thirty years ago.  The current pediatric ward is one room in one of the deteriorating prefab buildings.  A European aid organization expressed an interest in assisting in the construction of a pediatric building if the community would demonstrate local initiative by getting the project started.  Linda Stryker was able to advance about $3000 with which the foundations were completed in early 2012.   However, additional funding was not granted, and the foundation sat for more than a year.  Linda then followed up by providing information to a group of ladies in Canada, and they were able to raise $7750 in April 2013 and then $3670 that fall. A Canadian FM congregation raised $2640 and then another raised $4200. They had really hoped to do the whole project but it turned out to be larger than first thought.


This view from the south side demonstrates how the new building will transition to the existing surgery building.

This view from the south side demonstrates how the new building will transition to the existing surgery building.

Randy Matthewson and a local Congolese FM Church member, Habibu have supervised this project.  Now we are coming down the home stretch.  A grant of $25,000 has been provided by the Butterfield Memorial Foundation and $10,000 was recently donated by Myra and Bob McCloud.  Myra(Adamson) pioneered the medical work at Nundu and Bob, along with his first wife Ruby, worked for many years as a builder and teacher in Africa.  


The roof is going on, and the walls will be ready for plaster after plumbing and electrical are competed. The roof is going on, and the walls will be ready for plaster after plumbing and electrical are competed.

The new pediatric building presently under construction will increase the number of pediatric beds in an improved environment, and will provide for expansion of both inpatient and outpatient services.  Deaconess Hospital of Nundu has been managed well through difficult times, and its staff has demonstrated that they are able to deal with the realities of the Congo.  Many equipment and facility needs are evident.  Completion of the pediatric unit and furnishing this facility will send a message of hope to the people of South Kivu.

Prepared by Tim Kratzer, April 2015