Baptist Global Response

BGR’s international prayer strategist, Lori Funderburk, shares this prayer request:

BGR partners have been struggling to get three new water wells at the Sanyati Hospital in Zimbabwe.  The large pumps pushing water 7 kilometers from the river are working when there is electricity but we need these three drilled wells in production so we can use a generator to provide water when public electricity is not on.

Partners are drilling the boreholes but seem to get jammed at 25 meters.  Please pray that the men using the drilling rigs will overcome whatever it is that is jamming the bits.  Pray that in just a few days there will be wells pumping water that will pump for many years!

We have written numerous times about the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe and the ways Southern Baptists are reaching out to help people in need in that country. One aspect of that crisis is the way deteriorating infrastructure was crippling the work of Sanyati Baptist Hospital. Southern Baptists, through Baptist Global Response, stepped up to help the hospital by replenishing its drug supply and working to repair its water delivery system. You can read about those projects here and here.

Now we have a letter of thanks from David Mtisi, the administrator at Sanyati, for the lifesaving assistance rendered through BGR. His letter says, in part (and edited for clarity):

On behalf of the Sanyati Baptist Hospital staff and residents of Sanyati in general, I would like to thank you so much for your unwavering support during these needy times.

The availability of the so much needed drugs which we received saw us reaching greater heights in delivering our health services to near and far patients. Almost all hospitals in Zimbabwe closed shop because of the unavailability of drugs but we managed to sail through even up to this day. This is all because of the support from the Baptist Global Response.

Almost for quite a long time we didn’t have a reliable source of water and the hospital in particular many times would have untold difficulties in delivering our services without water. We resorted to neighboring community wells because we didn’t have choice. The pipes that draw water from Munyati river where we got our water for a long time were out of order hence they have been replaced by the Baptist Global Response. So far four boreholes have been drilled and old one has been cleaned and new connecting pipes have been laid to ferry water to the main reservoir tank for distribution. We now have a lot of clean, safe water here in the mission station and this is why I write this letter to thank you so much for the wonderful work done here.

With these few words I thank you all those who contributed towards these projects. May the Almighty God richly blesses you all and may you live to see us in the best of health.

David Mtisi
Hospital Administrator

There remains a lot of work to be done on the water project. They have had problems with the wells not pumping water and another drilling rig was to be brought out to clean and re-case the wells.

The generous, caring souls who donated to help this project should receive Mr. Mtisi’s word of thanks with gratitude. God has worked through your generosity to make a real, life-saving difference for people at Sanyati. Through you, he has given people new hope and new life. The love and compassion of Christ has been demonstrated in a tangible way for the Sanyati community and all those who come  to the hospital from all over Zimbabwe for help. We join Mr. Mtisi in thanking God for people who care about people in need.

Dr. Mark Byler, director at Sanyati Baptist Hospital in Zimbabwe, sends this urgent prayer concern:

Friday morning a family of seven was brought into the hospital with severe burns. They were storing fuel in their home and it exploded when preparing to cook. The have burns anywhere from 15% to 55% of their bodies. Two of the seven have died today, a 10 year old boy and 13 year old girl. Another one probably will die as well.

Please pray for this family. It is very difficult to treat these types of wounds, especially without water and electricity. The next few days will be critical in their chances of survival. Pray for healing and pray for wisdom for the staff as they treat him.

This just in from BGR prayer coordinator Lori Funderburk:

Last June, the inflation rate in Zimbabwe was over 1 million percent and rising.  Today it is over 11 million percent and continues to accelerate.  For many months an average worker has not been able to earn enough money to buy food.  Some people have even stopped going to work because their salaries will not cover the cost of even one essential element. 

Hospital workers and teachers have stopped going to their jobs.  The staff at Sanyati Baptist Hospital left on strike. ( The hospital is not in control of the issues they are striking over.)  The only staff remaining are the heads of departments and 27 nurses.  The hospital has closed outpatient services and the pharmacy and will discharge all patients who are not critical.  It will be open to local emergencies and maternity only.  The laundry and ability to sterilize instruments is gone.

– Pray that those operating the hospital will have wisdom in this situation.

– Pray for the patients who will not have the means of medical care needed.

– Pray that Christians and the church in Zimbabwe will seek God and take a leadership role and that God will be glorified in the outcome of this situation.