Dear friends,
January 2023
We greet you in the new year 2023 and want to update you on what happened in Shell during the Christmas season and what the future looks like.
Thank you for helping Enriquero Iquitahua, a Huahurani who suffered an accident 10 years ago, resulting in an immobile and painful hip. He received a hip prothesis and can now walk again without pain, something that was previously impossible for these indigenous people.
You can see the video in Spanish here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meFKuUCBAfg
An old man came with acute abdominal pain. Emergency surgery showed a perforated diverticulitis of the colon. The infected colon part was resected. A week later he was dismissed. The family is more than grateful.
A one-year-old Achuar boy came after weeks of a life-threatening, severe infection that affected not only his skin but his whole body. After a week of treatment, he had recovered and regained weight. He is now healthy, thanks to the financial support of the hospital through your donations.
December was a stressful month, but there were many patients and at the end of the month, a big Christmas party. The team also attended several community presentations and gatherings during this time. Such gatherings are important for staff to continue to grow together. In everyday life, there are always tensions among the employees. These tensions block effectiveness. We see this particularly strongly in government institutions, but also in Christian organizations. We need your prayer. Conflicts must be resolved and not postponed. That’s why we’re hiring Samuel Rivera as a new employee for Human Resources. He has the proper training to help with these tensions.
Our plans: the international guest house for short-term workers now has an annex for bathroom facilities. Now it’s time for the interior design. We invite people from all over the world to stay in this building and to take part in the work of the hospital. Communities and groups are welcome.
In June, the Shell Hospital will take part in an international medical congress in Arusha, Tanzania. Perhaps it will even have its own booth to present our work and invite international employees to join Shell. Other doctors from Ecuador are being sought as well.
We have put the software upgrade for patients on hold for the time being. We are in talks with the international organization “Wings of Hope” for more help for indigenous people from the jungle. Maybe you can help us with this project.
We now have to update the sewage system. To do this, the residential lines will need to be separated out from the hospital lines, and tied into the public sewage system. In the future, the hospital will need it’s own disposal facility- these projects will cost $10,000 and $37,000, respectively. Here’s a video on this in Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwYk4KDPOeg
We are pleased that we were again able to transfer another installment of funds for the purchase of the site to Reach Beyond. We still owe 15% of the total purchase price, but the coffers are empty. We have a year left to gather the remaining funds.
Thank you to everyone who has accompanied us on this journey. Internal and external ordeals are difficult, but the team is growing. That is why openness to one another, forgiveness, and times for discussion are important. Faith and a loving God is what holds the Shell Hospital experiment together. That’s why we have hope and continue forward. Shell is an international meeting place for cultures. Thank you for being part of it!
The Shell team
ECKEHART & KLAUDIA WOLFF
(English translation Jessica Morse)
You can send your tax deductible US contributions to Lightway Medical Foundation at the address below. As of right now, 100% of your contribution will be given to efforts here in Shell. There is NO administration fee because of the volunteer service of those running Lightway.
Contributions can be sent to:
Lightway Medical Foundation
PO Box 8066
Fort Wayne, IN 46898
Or you can donate through the website:
Donations – Lightway Medical Foundation
or
Hospital Shell
