Epperly Adventures: We're Thankful in Canilla!

My girls found a stray puppy....but no we didn't keep him.

2 Volcanoes at sunrise at Lake Atitlan

The familiar sounds of the rock crusher chewing up large stones and spitting out smaller ones is quickly being replaced by the sounds of wood saws carefully cutting and shaping warped raw wood into sturdy cabinets. We have continued to transition from concrete pours and block lay to finish work with the hospital nearing completion. As the construction nears completion with every passing day, the administrative checklist seems to grow. Our medical team here and in the US continue to feel the pressure of addressing many questions..... where there seems to be no obvious answers.

This week Shea and I were fortunate to take a trip to another mission hospital 4 hours away near Lake Atitlan. This particular hospital is about 10 years further along in this process then we are currently. Meeting with them was incredibly enlightening, as we think about next steps. The only unfortunate repercussion of this visit is it adds to the list of things that need to be accomplished before we reach our goal of being a fully operational hospital. Our list includes a plethora of equipment, medications, and hospital personnel needs, not to mention the cash to pay for all of it.

Our North American mentality (rightly or wrongly), says that we need to push hard, and fast to accomplish our goals. Through this project, we have learned that waiting on the Lord's timing is of most importance. It's important to have a plan, and work towards it, but without God's timing the road is often more difficult. In the midst of waiting, its easy to become to discouraged by insurmountable needs and answerless questions.

I have found it important on this project specifically, and in life in general, that as we wait for clear answers from God it is always important to have an attitude of thankfulness, and gratefulness for what God has already done. It's not that God needs the praise, but it's we who need the reminders. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

Our List (although not exhaustive) of things to be thankful for this year for Hospital Adonai include:

1. The recent hiring of our first 4 official hospital nurses.

2. Several new workers hired for hospital cleaning, grounds management, and a new cook.

3. The hiring of a hospital secretary

4. A functioning C-arm, and numerous donated and well functioning hospital beds

5. 2 older sets of OR lights that are working great

6. 2 anesthesia machines

7. 2 small autoclaves

8. An X-ray machine still in the crates, but hopefully functional

9. 1 new lab machine to help with our chemistry panels

10. One of our employees who has recently finished basic lab tech training

11. Four 40ft containers filled with medical and construction equipment, and one on the way