Building A New Foundation

So much has happened over the last month, it’s hard to know where to start.  On August 25 we had a groundbreaking ceremony for our new clinic/hospital on the grounds of our Awasi clinic.  For some time we have seen the need of having an inpatient facility to care for patients who need more care than we currently offer.  As our patient base continues to grow, we have found the need for more space as we care for patients, and for our laboratory services.  We enlisted the help of Crispine Nyangwara, who works in site planning and development to give us an outline for use of the property and Fidel Oyugi, a church member and architect, who was able to draw the plans for the new facility.

The hospital will include an expanded outpatient clinic, an emergency department, a surgery theater, facilities for labor and delivery, and inpatient wards. The plan incorporates our existing building, but adds other needed facilities also.  Other recent upgrades include the finishing of our well and water tower, improving our electrical capabilities to assure better reliability, and a new septic system.

After careful consideration, we enlisted the services of Realvenas Construction, a firm headed by church members based in Kisumu. We have seen these men grow up and are excited to have them use their talents and abilities in this project. Several of them have benefited from the church sponsored scholarship program to get their education, so it is a blessing to see the fruits of that effort also.

The work began with laying out the pattern for the foundation, and digging the trenches for the concrete work.  We have also purchased a more suitable generator to supply our electrical needs so a small shelter is being built to house it.

The total cost of the new project is going to be around $500,000.  This will supply a state of the art medical facility that will be a center for education as well as care, and a place of spiritual and physical healing.

If you would like to be a part of this important ministry, tax deductible donations can be sent to African Restoration Ministries, c/o Shaun Turner, Treasurer, 1551 N. Courtney Road, Independence, MO, 64050.  Be sure to indicate that the donations are for the Mildred Smith Mission Hospital.  Other donations can also be made to the Mildred Smith Mission Health Center and mailed to 8027 Strawberry Hill Road, Odessa, MO, 64076.