Phil's return from Nairobi and the upcoming birth of our first grandchild!

I'm thankful Phil returned from Nairobi a week ago today. He had been in Nairobi for the past 3 weeks, trying to speed up the shipment of medicines out of Kenya and on their way to the 3 locations in the DRC. Prayers are still needed for the final paperwork clearance to allow the trucks to leave (the exit permit).

Last weekend I got these photos - the other end of the medicine supply chain system. Seeing these photos, from our teams in the field, highlights the incredible challenges they face in Medair's work of saving lives by supporting isolated, hard to reach health facilities in locations receiving large numbers of displaced people.

Medicines are loaded on a helicopter in Goma and sent to a drop point, in an area inaccessible by trucks, due to fighting. Our staff receive the medicines and load them up on motorcycle taxis and then make the long difficult journeys to their respective locations.

From beginning to end - getting medicines to the isolated health centres that Medair supports have multiple challenges. We are just thankful for the commitment of our staff in 'going the extra mile' - doing everything possible to succeed and respond to the needs of people in suffering.

Literally on the other side of the world, we are celebrating the fact that Nathan and Anna are expecting a child in early June! Last weekend Anna's parents held a baby shower to celebrate. You probably can't see the cake very well, but there are 3 pairs of hiking boots on it! Nate and Anna have always reveled in hiking, and from now on they will be doing that with a child/children! We were sorry to miss the shower, but that is the reality of our lives right now.

 Not only does this signal a change in Anna & Nathan's lives, but ours as well! They and we enter a new season of our lives! Our contracts with Medair end at the end of June. For a number of reasons (including being more available for our first grandchild!) we are now planning to leave Congo at that time and relocate back to Minnesota. 

Praise:

1. For the loading of the trucks in Nairobi on Friday;
2. For the recently received medicines, that went from Nairobi to Butembo in only 2 weeks (a new record since we have been in Congo) in April;
3. That Anna's pregnancy has been going well!
4. That Anna recently got another scholarship for her studies at Boston University!
5. For the upcoming birth of our first grandchild, marking a new season in our lives!

Prayer: 

1. For our staff in the field who are working in extremely difficult locations;
2. For the transport and customs clearing of the three trucks now on their way to Goma, Butembo and Bunia;
3. For all the handover related to leaving our positions here in Congo;
4. For ending well with Medair Congo
5. For a smooth delivery of Anna & Nathan's baby!
6. For our transition back to the US, finding jobs and reintegrating back into a society that is often no less mystifying than the one we currently live in (though for different reasons). 

Goma cut off

 We wanted to simply update you and sollicit your prayers for the situation in Goma. The fighting has created a situation where all roads out of Goma are cut off, except for the road crossing the border into Rwanda (and speculation is rife that this border will be closed). 

This has been some time in coming, as you might imagine. The government forces have been losing significant ground since the elections. There is still no particular indication that the rebels want to take Goma, rather their aim seems to be to make the population of Goma suffer (as normally Goma's provisions come from the countryside - from which it is now cut off). Currently supplies come into Goma only from Rwanda, so prices are rising on a daily basis. 

These changes in the status quo have meant a number of things for Medair. First, we have had to pull back from some of the places where we have been serving because of security issues. This has meant quite difficult trips out from sites where staff have been serving on alternate routes. The attached video shows the harrowing trip by motorcycle over muddy mountaineous roads that some staff had to undertake in order to get back to Goma. This particular trip meant taking a boat on Lake Kivu as well.

24/7 health post set up in camp for displaced people

Medair has also recently opened a 24/7 health facility in a camp for displaced people in Goma to serve the people fleeing to Goma (there has been a significant population movement in this direction, as you can imagine). It has also meant that Medair staff working throughout Eastern Congo, but with family living in Congo, have the added stress of concern for their family members, from whom they are separated. Finally, it has had financial implications as Medair has given a salary advance to staff with family in Goma so that families can purchase hibernation supplies, in case the situation gets worse. Supplies have also been purchased for international staff, in case of hibernation in Goma. 

Community meeting to open health post

Christine and I were in Nairobi seeking medical care while much of this transpired. We came back to Goma on Wednesday. But headquarters wants to limit the number of international staff in Goma to 7, in case of need for boat evacuation across Lake Kivu. So on Thursday, I flew to Beni (and subsequently went overland), in order to go to our base in Butembo to address some logistical concerns. I will work from there for the next couple of weeks. On Friday Christine flew to Bunia, to work from our base there and participate in a training for staff who have returned from the field. 

We have been challenged in getting supplies for all of these responses again. We have a truckload of supplies that we hope will leave Nairobi this week for Butembo. And we have several truckloads of additional supplies, for which the orders need to be finished so that they can be trucked to Congo. 

We simply want to ask for your prayers for all these things in the weeks to come!

Praise:

1. General calm and little violence in the post-electoral period - thanks for your prayers;
2. For access to good health care in Nairobi; 
3. For Medair's commitment to its staff, international and nationa staff; 
4. For the healing of our country director, Marian's, sudden hearing loss!

Prayer: 

1. For us to be able to get other needed supplies from Nairobi to Congo - and cleared from customs (you can just keep this on your prayer list continually!);
2. For peace for Congo, and for the suffering of Congolese to stop;
3. For Medair to be able to continue to stand in the gap with the afflicted, the harassed and the destitute