Dear friends,
June 2024
When the 12 spies who had roamed the Promised Land returned to Moses, 10 of them were determined to return to Egypt with the people. Only Caleb and Joshua had a different outlook after the same observations. They were confident about the future (Num. 14.) There are people who are guided by their current fear and those who have a broader perspective. What is the difference between confidence and fear in regards to Shell Hospital?
This month marks 11 years of experience with a faithful God. In the last 6 months in particular we have experienced what good leadership can achieve and are grateful for a good working atmosphere. The time of inner conflict is a thing of the past. A leadership team meets and makes decisions together.
Prayer has become more important again. It is not just the Wednesday prayer meetings that are better attended. There is also regular spiritual discussion between the staff and patients in the waiting room. This is a good development.
One example of how the team is coming together is our students in the internship. They come to Shell for 5-6 weeks at a time. The hospital pays for their accommodation and food. Many of them donate the food money back to our benevolence fund for needy patients. Working in the hospital becomes part of their lives.
Two months ago, we reported on the girl with leukemia who received help with treatment in the large children’s hospital in Quito. The child came to us now that chemotherapy has finished. The girl now needs to be monitored for a short period of time, but the leukemia seems to be in remission for now.
Almost a year ago, Dr. Bezemer started an experiment: A pharmacy in a remote indigenous village. The distances there are great and basic medicines are not available. Village health workers have been trained. They run a basic pharmacy, which is re-stocked by Shell as needed. They earn a small personal income, but their work is double-checked frequently. They can only continue to sell medicines if the books are correct. In this way, locals grow in responsibility for the well-being not only of their village, but of the entire area, and they are responsible for the safety of the pharmacy.
We also learn from our mistakes. There were two invitations to indigenous leaders. We had signed contracts with their organizations for medical treatment years ago. We treated patients, but we didn’t get paid. In the meantime, the management of the indigenous organization had long since changed. There is now no further responsibility for the contracts. We have officially forgiven their debts in a meeting with the new bosses, but we have also shown that things cannot continue like this. If they want services, they must do their part as well. We are seeking a win-win situation for both sides. This learning process was also hard for us. We need to raise donations to cover these debts that have now been forgiven.
The former hospital director introduced many good administrative
processes about a year ago, but some things are now proving to be too complicated. Our administration needs to be streamlined. The accounting department in particular is currently giving us figures for improvement. We are in the process of making the hospital more efficient, treating the poor without constantly being dependent on donations. We will always need help from outside, but in a more targeted way, not just in general. We want to be better stewards. This also requires an internal learning process.
The international guest house still needs work. Friends from the USA have visited us recently. In the future they also want to come with a group of students from the respective universities. We still need help with this!!!
Shell Hospital has a future and we have the vision of taking possession of the “new land,” even if there are repeated voices to give up and “return to Egypt.” We are like Caleb and Joshua, not giving up in desperation. God personally revealed his presence to the entire people of Israel and announced another 38 years of wandering in the desert. We are already on our way and hope to be able to shorten this detour by continuing to have faith in God’s plan. Our team will not die out along the way. We can learn from these experiences in the Bible and “take over the land that he has spread out before us.”
Thank you all for your support,
The Shell team
ECKEHART & KLAUDIA WOLFF
Eckehart.Wolff@gmx.net
KlaudiaWolff@gmx.de
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
