The Rotary Club of Toronto-Leaside

The Salvation Army

William Booth – Founder

HOWARD HOSPITAL

 P.O. BOX 190  

Glendale, ZIMBABWE

Telephone (0)758-2433

THE ZIMBABWE BULLETIN

March 2005

“… Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”  Habakkuk 2:3

Though some folk could interpret this verse to refer to the lateness of this newsletter, our first for 2005, the Thistles of Howard Hospital are inclined to use it to reflect upon God’s goodness, of seeing God’s purposes unfold after a decade of service in Zimbabwe.  Paul and Pedrinah have served over ten years at Howard Hospital, seven under one roof!

Where has the time gone?  With the counting of years, it’s sometimes difficult to believe that we are still a part of the successes and stresses of service in Zimbabwe.  We’ve experienced so many up and downs from the ruts and rivets of our dusty roads, so many miles, so many twists and turns.

Though someday we will write an ‘Out of Africa’ type autobiography, with this newsletter, we wish to reflect upon the highlights of 2004 and the excitement of this new year.  We are thankful that the economy in Zimbabwe has seen some stability, and with it an opportunity to see projects and plans come to fruition.

The statistics are out for 2004. We have taken stock.

• Last year we treated 70,000 outpatients and 6500 inpatients.

• Over 1900 operations were performed in our theatre and there were 2300 deliveries in the maternity unit, …no popcorn or pizza here.

• In personnel, there was the perennial changing of the guard, i.e., the constant turnover of staff: the transfer of our Matron to another hospital, the death of one nurse, a security guard and driver, and the loss of friends and family members to the grim reaper of HIV.

• On the plus side, we’ve had an influx of fresh young talent and trainees: new medical laboratory scientists, nurses and sisters-in-charge, and pharmacy assistants to meet the expanding services at the hospital.

We’re still very much a busy general medical, surgical and maternity hospital smack in the middle of a mature AIDS pandemic. The results of our research to reduce the perinatal transmission of HIV have been published and we are now in the next phase, the treatment of expectant HIV positive women, to prolong the lives of both mother and child. Sponsored by Ve’ahavta, the Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee, and CIDA, this new project is intertwined with our HIV treatment center, Tariro (‘Hope’) clinic.  1500 patients are registered in Tariro’s co-trimoxazole program to prevent AIDS-related infections. 150 are receiving treatment with the antiretroviral cocktails.  Zvainwisa mvura.  (It makes you drink water, i.e., it is excellent).  The HIV clinic is the most exciting development in the last twelve months. People living positively with the virus are faithful in their monthly visits.

This enthusiasm has spilled over into the countryside, into our community care programs. Our Home Based Care Program has 1500 patients registered for visitation by our volunteers. The program is no longer just palliative care, but support groups of people living with AIDS and supervision of those on TB and HIV treatment.  The clients have been linked with the volunteers, local corps officers and pastors, rural health clinic sisters and village headmen for a truly community based approach, inspired by a recent visit of our chaplain to Uganda.  Meanwhile, our Child Sponsorship Program supports over 300 orphans.

The hospital continues to rely on the support of friends at home in Zimbabwe and abroad.  We’ve established ties with a Rotary Club in Harare.  We’ve received a  generous donation of surgical supplies and equipment via the Salvation Army in Sweden, and a container of pharmaceuticals from Health Partners International Canada.  A row of houses is being constructed by local craftsmen in order to accommodate our recruitment of staff.  Our request for a diesel generator has received a favourable response, again from the Swedish Territory.  An answer to prayer.

We’re getting older, … and busier. Our house is a beehive of activity with King Bee James teaching Alexander the Wannabee how to sit up, stand up and speak up.  James has started preschool in British style uniform.  Alexander is voicing his desire to join him, but communication is not his strong point.  He prefers to feed, burp and roll around the house  Pedrinah has been appointed to the nursing school as a clinical instructor while studying for her Bachelor of Arts in Nursing Science by correspondence.  We are hoping to be in Canada in June on a midterm furlough, so this may be our last newsletter until that time.

We are thankful to our professional staff, and workers for their faithfulness in the small tasks of the mission.  Likewise, we send a sincere word of appreciation to our friends around the globe, who everyday make our ministry possible with their support.  Thank you for your generosity.  To quote Norman MacEwan, ‘we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’

In closing, we would again like to share with you our prayer requests.  Please pray for :

• Peace and economic stability in Zimbabwe in light of the March 31^st, 2005 parliamentary elections

• Financial support for the daily operations of the hospital

• Our ministries in the community : Home Based Care, AIDS Education,  Support Groups of People Living with HIV, Child Sponsorship and Follow up of Patients on  HIV/TB treatment

• Our HIV treatment center

• Our conjoined twins, Tinotenda and Tinashe would have undergone surgical separation in March at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto by the time you receive this newsletter

• Our health and safety

Finally, we are pleased to announce that we have been accepted to train as Salvation Army Officers in the Canada & Bermuda Territory, through a tailored training program, noting our ongoing responsibilities in Zimbabwe.  God has called us to a lifetime of service to the underprivileged and has blessed us with opportunity to do so.   The opportunity to become Salvation Army officers is an enlargement, an exciting extension of this service.

Happy  Easter.

Your friends,

Paul, Pedrinah, James and Alexander

The Salvation Army Howard Hospital

PO Box 190

Glendale, Zimbabwe

Pthistle@healthnet.zw

www.salvationarmy.org/www_zim.nsf  and click on services/hospitals

 ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’  Les Brown 

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