Zimbabwe, New Truck and Bus Accident

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It has been a busy and exciting couple of weeks.  In Zimbabwe from day to day we have to totally trust in God to help us through.  Shortages in the stores or limits on how many you can buy continue in grocery stores.  Yesterday I went to Chinhoyi for a nurses meeting and went to the store and found more items back on the shelves.  They got their price increases so they started putting things out again. 

I saw sugar on the shelves (limited to 1 bag per transaction).  Beans in  a can was limited to 1.  Bread was back after a raise from $1.00 to $1.50 and unlimited.  Coke and other cool drinks were bank—some stores limiting, others not.  No cooking oil, no regular margarine (butter $18/pound).  And best of all fuel was available with no queues!  I pulled right up and filled up!  Wow, I felt like I hit the lotto.  Just little things like filling up our tank makes us so happy!  We take very little to make us grateful in Zimbabwe!

Yesterday I went to the bank to get cash as you can get  $300 Bond out a week in your account, and they said "we only have coins!"  I decided not to get $300 in 20 cent pieces!

On October 30th Major went to Harare to pick up the new Isuzu truck we had bought to use as or hospital ambulance!  We had a canopy and rubberized bed of the truck added.

On November 1st we dedicated the truck at the hospital. We prayed for it to be used to the glory of God and help so many patients!  We are so thankful to Dr. Stephanie Huang and her sons Julian and Lucas who opened a funding sight on the web and raised $40,000 which covered the truck and 10,000 liters of diesel to keep at the mission.  This has been a lifesaver to keep all our vaccine and  ART outreach programs going the last month when there was no fuel.  Our local District Hospital in Karoi could not transfer any patients to higher level hospitals for over 1 week , or do vaccine clinics, because they had no fuel and there was no diesel in the country! 

Thank you for all who gave to this project.  It is a beautiful new truck and since we dedicated it on Thursday, last week, we haven’t had 1 emergency to transfer!  Go figure!

On Monday this week about 5 p.m. we had an ambulance pull up with about 15 patients who had been involved in a bus accident about an hour away.  All of or nurses—even off duty—came to help and 2 doctors.  Lots of lacerations sewed up and some broken bones.  One of our Nurse Aides broke her clavicle and is off work for a month!  We were very happy no one was seriously injured or died.  The bus company actually came to pay their hospital fees—amazing!  Unfortunately, we had 15 timber frames for a roof on top of the bus, which flipped on its roof and broke them all.  Major thinks we can still use them.

I am feeling much better and feel almost back to normal!  I was able to drive to Chinhoyi and back yesterday for a meeting for the first time in a long time.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!



Major receiving the car from the company

The new truck arrives at the hospital


 Back has been rubberized

 Staff looking at the engine

Staff to dedicate the truck

 Major and Kathy welcoming the new amblance

Bus accident

Comments

  1. TauOnlineNovember 22, 2018 at 6:09 AM

    Ohhh so sad and sorry about the accident, praying for those involved. Congrads on the new beautiful truck!! Chidamoyo is a very soul uplifting place to be, you will just be feeling great to be helping. God bless you #chidamoyoteam

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alex kenMay 8, 2020 at 3:43 PM

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  3. MOMOTOMMay 6, 2022 at 11:08 AM

    thnks

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