Congdon News

Hi there! This is our first attempt at talking with you this way. Hope it works well.

Nancy and I welcomed Timothy and Stephen home a couple of nights ago, from RVA in Kenya, so there is increased life in the house. When Robert and Thomas show up in a couple of weeks, we'll have a wonderful time until the flight back to Kenya on December 29th.

There are a number of issues on the table, as we prepare for the upcoming challenge leading the medical ministry into Mabaan area of Sudan.

Plans for the medical center - I should fly into D. in late January with Bob, an experienced engineer with CH2HILL who has agreed to assist with the design plans. Logistics are a critical issue in Sudan, and flight plans are no exception. So this is a a matter for prayer. SIM has a new project to purchase a plane, in order to facilitate the ministry.

Plans for a start to the medical clinic - we hope to start in the old D. Hospital buildings by February. However, staff for the clinic and all the basic infrastructure and necessary lab, medication and even minimal water and power, will need to be in place. We're praying for Kenyan professionals, like Isaac, to a key part of our health care team.

We have received donation of a small generator, and the wonderful offer of help from an expert in energy supply schemes for remote hospitals. He'll help us design and implement a solar power supply. We're waiting for word about donation or special pricing on a portable ultrasound machine, which will be critical to the medical work.

Plans for a start to the training school - training community health workers is key, and there will need to be significant building progress in the months ahead. We'll aim to have tukuls (thatch houses), a dining facility, communication hut, and a classroom building along with the health facility. I'm encouraged to see the needed funds for this first year, coming in steadily.

More in the days ahead, about Desta and the Ethiopian team now preparing for the trip to D. in December. Love, Rob and Nancy