March 2021
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Dear friends,
It is time to update you! Progress continues to be made on
opening the Love4Bukwo Hospital this year. We have set some goals for the next few years so we can be focused and not become overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. Work continues on the mission house. All the supplies that are needed to finish the exterior and much of the interior are being purchased and brought to the site. We were able to use some trucks from the government to assist with this, which is much cheaper than how we were doing it. Our hope is to have all supplies on site before the rainy season begins so that as we have money to hire the workers, we will not have to struggle to get the supplies.
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Our goals for this year are to complete a few rooms in the mission house so we can house our physician and our nurse practitioner (Maggie). We still need a generator as it was determined that the one we were examining will not work with the current in Uganda. So, we hope to find one in Africa that willbe compatible. We must also build an incinerator on site. One surgical suite will be completed (sealing it, etc. so it will be sterile). Once these things are accomplished, we will open the hospital for outpatient treatment and triage as well as maternity. We will be able to do minor surgery and caesarian sections. Though we would love to have the entire operation complete,there is just not the funds to do this all in one year. But we felt that at least providing some good care and helping people to get where they need to be if we cannot help them is better than no care.
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Recently there have been a number of deaths in the community. None of these are COVID related. But the people of the community are asking us to at least get a morgue, even if we can’t open the hospital! Having to bury 15 people in just a few days and having no place to hold the bodies is overwhelming. We have looked into this and could possibly bring something on site that is already premade from a shipping container. We will need stable electricity though to maintain the correct temperature.
We are getting closer to being able to get back into Uganda. Restrictions are lightening. Maggie hopes to go this summer while Peter will stay here to help their family be sustained. Maggie knows the language and the people and can also provide care. At this point, she is planning on staying long term. Others will join for a short period to help hire and train staff and get things up and running. Please pray for Peter and Maggie to know exactly what to do. Peter has such skills with dealing with all of the logistics and communicating with governing officials that it will be hard to have him stay in the US. They have their own trucking business now and if they can hire a driver, this would free Peter up to work on all of the communications and logistics!
We are pleased with the progress that is being made in having a nonprofit organization (NGO) in Bukwo which will be the counterpart of the US base for Friends of Bukwo Global. This will enable us to have a group on the ground that will help determine where funds need to be channeled once the hospital is up and running.
Back in the fall we shared about an opportunity to gain some needed beds and equipment. Due to the virus and our timing to return to Uganda, we had to turn down this opportunity. We plan on communicating with Partners for World Health when our plans are solidified for our return. Please pray that the supplies and beds we need will be available when we are able to ship a container. There are so many logistics involved in all of this!
When I, Judi, look at all that needs to happen it can be overwhelming. Where will the supplies come from, how about all of the money that is needed? How will we be able to get the staff hired and deal with the permits, etc. that will be necessary? And what about all the money that is needed? How will we get a generator big enough? How about that money? Then I think of where we have come from. Just a few short years ago, all of this was just a dream of the Sabays. I was not
even aware of the need. Yet here we are now, with a beautiful
building and a mission house that was not even on our radar until 2 years ago! I must tell you that Peter and Maggie have poured everything into this dream. They work so very hard to be able to give every dime they can into this mission. Will you join them? I praise God that COVID has not hit the area there. But the need is still great. The area needs to hear the Gospel and how to live out that Gospel. The hospital will give us that forum as we teach staff about honesty and trust and share God’s truth with all that enter the doors.
Thank you for all you are already doing. We so covet your prayers. If you have any connections that would help us to gain what we need yet, please contact us. If you have any questions about our future plans, let us know.
Prayer requests
Praises
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We were able to find a cheaper method of trucking supplies to the site
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Covid has not hit the area
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There have been no accidents on site
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For the team that is on the ground working hard to complete the buildings
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Prayer requests
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Finances to make this dream a reality
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Wisdom in where and how to purchase a morgue, generator and possibly an incinerator
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Safety for those completing the work
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Wisdom in when to travel-and for all the logistics to fall in place for that to happen
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Driver for Peter and Maggie’s company