August 23 to October 6
Rev J R Talloch
THE resignation of Dr Christine MacDonald on medical grounds was accepted with regret by the Foreign Missions Committee in July. The purpose of my visit was to provide ministerial supply and to help at the hospital.
My flight out was uneventful and I was met by Mr Donald MacDonald at Nairobi Airport. Our first call was at the Medical Registration Office in Nairobi as it was essential that I be registered in order to be of real assistance to the nurses at Sengera. Normally of course this is a long process involving forms, photographs, certified certificates and an examination. In a kind providence all this was waived and I obtained registration for the duration of my stay on the basis of a phone call to the chairman of the registration committee. Mr MacDonald and I then went on to see the lawyer who is trying to sort out the remaining difficulties we have with registration as a Church in Kenya. Later that afternoon we travelled part of the way to Sengera. We completed the journey the next day, to be welcomed by Sisters Jessie Coote, Truus Ringelberg and Celia Renes. I became immediately involved in the work of the hospital and only relinquished this when I left early on Monday morning, October 1.
The rise in malaria which occurs in June, July and August was largely past, but the 40 beds were usually fully occupied and there were many sick patients. The death rate from malaria in Kenya is high among young children from the time they cease to get immunity from their mother’s milk
until they gain some immunity of their own at around 6 years. At the hospital, despite blood transfusions, intravenous quinine, and blowing oxygen onto their little faces, some succumbed to the disease. Often in those cases the final insult was the native medicine put down their throats before admission.
As far as the preaching and teaching of the Word was concerned I continued the pattern already established, a short address at worship every morning in the hospital, on Sabbath the Catechism class (15 adults and 20 children), two services (150-200 attending, with a large proportion of children) at the church, and the 2 pm service at the hospital. The Sisters have a very well attended Sabbath School at the church at 3.30 pm. We were all agreed that a mid-week class for the nurses and care attenders, whose background varies from Roman Catholic to Seventh Day Adventist to nothing at all, would be a worthwhile addition. The problems of original sin and native antipathy to the gospel are no different in Sengera to those in Scotland and our duty is equally plain: “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that” (Ecc 11:6).
The Dutch Embassy have offered to support the building of a child welfare/antenatal clinic at Sengera. They have agreed to delay the construction of this until Mr I MacLean goes out at the beginning of 1996, DV. With TB and other infectious diseases an ever-present threat, the hospital needs an isolation unit. Both these buildings would be temporary structures which could be moved if the more permanent expansion of the hospital required this.
Politically Kenya is going through a difficult phase, but the country at large, and certainly Sengera, is quiet. The last few days of my stay coincided with a medical conference in Nairobi, which I attended, principally because the information and contacts would be valuable for those remaining at the hospital. The second day of the meeting had to be foregone in order to go down to Malawi. The implementation of the Synod decision to disengage from work in that area was not proving easy. Our “evangelists” were not entirely happy with the conditions they were being offered. A meeting was set up by Mr McGrath, a Christian businessman in Blantyre who has been a great help to the Mission, and I met up with the Rev N Ross, who was coming up from Zimbabwe. After discussion they agreed to go along with the plans of the Church. I was glad that Mr Ross was able to be present.
In the recent past the area around Sengera has been given District status, and local leaders are anxious that our hospital should be advanced rapidly
to district hospital level. Quite apart from this, the presence of a resident doctor would justify expansion to 100 beds and the addition of a theatre and X-ray facilities. When we started planning the hospital at Sengera we were confidently told that, once the buildings were up, running costs would be met from patient fees. It is now evident that this was never a realistic expectation. While the out-patient department may well break even financially, the in-patient work will continue to require financial support into the foreseeable future.
After my last visit I reported that the patient (the Kenya Mission) had undergone a serious operation and that the outcome was in doubt. A year on I have to report that the patient is now out of intensive care and is as well as can be expected.
I should like to thank the Lord for health and strength and a safe journey and to thank the Mission staff for their kindness.
Visit to Moldova and the Ukraine
October 1995
Rev D A Ross
ONCE again we acknowledge the help of many people in giving money and material aid, as well as much of their time, making it possible to undertake mission work in Eastern Europe. We acknowledge with gratitude to the Most High that we travelled safely to and from the Ukraine, despite a number of problems throughout our journey.
While travelling through Austria a tyre blew out and we later sustained a puncture in another tyre. In Romania a second blow-out brought us to the brink of disaster; but thankfully Mr Edward Ross managed to keep the van with its tyreless front wheel on the road. After clearing up the mess two burly policemen approached us demanding to see our money, ostensibly in search of counterfeit money. We discovered later on that one of them stole \$50 US. At the Moldova border there was considerable friction between customs officials and soldiers and we were caught between the “warring factions”, which caused a delay. Again while parked in one of the streets in Kiev, a passing lorry tore off our front bumper and twisted one of our driving mirrors.
However, this and other problems in travel seemed trivial in comparison to disappointments in connection with spreading the Word of God. One disappointment was to find that families who were previously very interested in us taking services in their homes are not now showing that desire.
It was our intention, after delivering some of our goods in Kishinev, the capital city of Moldova, to press on and spend two Sabbaths in Kiev, Ukraine. However it was not to be as we planned. Due to some of the travel problems already mentioned we spent only one Sabbath in the Ukraine. The other was spent in Kishinev.
We made our usual visit to Mr Gregory Katz, a director of homes for the destitute and of a large orphanage. We left him with about a third of our load, and again he and his staff were delighted with our assistance, although it was so very small in comparison with their needs. Mr Katz cared for us during our stay in Kishinev. On the Sabbath he took us to his church and we were asked to speak to a large Baptist congregation, but we did not accept the invitation.
After the service we visited one of Mr Katz’s homes and through an interpreter addressed the residents from the Word of God. Mr Katz asked us to supply 1000 Catechisms for the orphanage and, God willing, will deliver these on our next visit. We gave Mr Katz practically all 5000 of the Trinitarian Bible Society calendars in Romanian for the orphanage and homes. In all we received from the Trinitarian Bible Society 25 000 calendars with Scripture texts in Romanian, Hungarian and Russian. We are thankful for the opportunity to spread the Word of God in this way.
In Borispol, Ukraine, we had the opportunity of preaching to a small gathering of people in a private home. Our interpreter and helper, Igor Belozyorov was very anxious to maintain accuracy of interpretation. The people listened attentively and there was a short Bible study after the service, which indicated that some of those present had a considerable degree of Bible knowledge. We were invited to pay another visit at a later date but, God willing, when we return we hope to take the services in a public place rather than in a private home. A good friend who has been of help in the past has arranged with a local Baptist pastor that his place of meeting be used for the occasion.
The bulk of our load went to Kiev where we distributed it to a small independent Baptist Church, without whose help we would not have been able to enter the Ukraine with our Bibles and other goods. We also gave some medicines to a hospital in Kiev, which also assisted our entry into the Ukraine. As well as distributing to the above we left a quantity of items in other towns and visited a number of homes with Bibles, calendars, food and clothing which was received with genuine gratitude.
One great disadvantage regarding the mission work in Eastern Europe is the brevity of the visits, which leaves us very little time to speak to people about the Word of God. Nevertheless we look to the good and gracious God
of mercies to bless what we do. Whether we do little or much by way of spreading the Word of God, it is necessary that God by His Holy Spirit give the increase. The Apostle Paul paid, it seems, a brief visit to Philippi, and it pleased God to bless that short period of labour to Lydia and the Philippian jailor. We look to the Lord to do likewise as we engage in these short visits to Eastern Europe.
We appreciate greatly the kindness shown by the many friends we met and their readiness to give of the little they had for our comfort, but above all we are thankful for the mercies granted by the Most High in affording safe travel to and from the Ukraine.
I take the opportunity also to remind our readers again of the excellent booklet, The Shorter Catechism, which we have now printed in Russian. It is available from the Church Bookroom for those who wish to use it for spreading sound doctrine among Russian-speaking people. I also ask that you continue to support this small mission to Eastern Europe with your prayers and financial contributions.
The whole earth let His glory fill.
Amen, so let it be
(Ps 72:19).
Mission NewsZimbabwe
MISS Katie Macaulay is expected home in Scotland towards the end of December, DV. Miss Norma MacLean will be due leave in the spring of 1996, if all is well. Miss Marion Graham is in great need of assistance. One can imagine the responsibility of having 600 boarders on the Mission, ordering food, seeing to their general health and well-being and interviewing the parents when difficulties arise, as well as seeing that the standard of teaching and discipline is maintained.
The John Tallach School has had an excellent record for good examination results and also for firm discipline. Marion, of course, has been ably assisted by Katie Macaulay and Norma MacLean and a fine African staff. The general atmosphere is one of happy and harmonious co-operation in the daily tasks. We can recommend the work to any young people interested in promoting the cause of Christ in Zimbabwe.
We heard with interest that Dame Sibanda, lately retired from the police force in Bulawayo, has offered his services as boarding master in the John Tallach School. Mr Sibanda is a former pupil of Ingwenya School and has been a regular attender of the services in Bulawayo. His wife is a member there. We hope that if this appointment goes through, Mr Sibanda will be
a strong and able helper in the boarding school and a good influence.
Dr Stamps, referred to previously as Minister of Health, told the staff at Mbuma Hospital how much he appreciated the good work done at Mbuma over the years. He fully sympathised with the difficulties of staff shortage but was doubtful if the situation would improve as far as African trained staff were concerned. Young African men and women feel the isolation of Mbuma a great disadvantage and prefer the city. They also had a visit at Mbuma from the Senior Provincial Medical Officer, Mr Mthamo, a former pupil at Ingwenya, whose grandfather was an elder there in the days of the Rev John Tallach. He is a pleasant, approachable man, and he referred with affection to two of his former teachers at Ingwenya, Mrs Margaret Macleod, Harris, and Miss Cathie Mary MacIver, now in London. It is disappointing to hear that Mr Mthamo does not attend church services while in Bulawayo.
One of the staff at Mbuma writes, “We have a fine African staff here at Mbuma. They are not trained, but they take on all the nursing duties without complaint. We have four church members on the female staff, and five on the male staff. The two youngest male members, both as to age and membership, are the most active in Christian duties. They are very anxious to read any good religious literature and try to pass on what they read in little Sindebele lessons for the many children who run around the hospital, waiting for their parents who may be receiving treatment. The two young men are Thembelani Ncube and Simon Ngulube. Thembelani was brought up in the Church; his grandfather was an elder in Mpakama. The other young man’s grandfather was Paul Magaya Ncube whose photograph is in the biography of the late Rev James Fraser. He is holding his bicycle and his words are recorded, ‘The whole reserve will be lit up with the glory of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.’
“We are so thankful to have the photocopier as the two young men mentioned are constantly bringing material to type or to put through the photocopier to be used in their missionary efforts. Many African adults come to the hospital for long periods for treatment for TB. Sister Anne is mostly at work in Isolation and she tries to get these patients to memorize the catechism as they sit around for hours doing nothing. Relatives and “grannies” join in and seem to enjoy the exercise. Many of the older women cannot read but the others help them. They are mostly AIDS patients who have no resistance to such illnesses as TB. Anne has asked Milton Ndlovu to help among the Isolation patients. (Milton is a half-brother of the late David and they were close friends.) What we really need is an evangelist who would be wholehearted in this work among those poor
people. We hope the people at home will be remembering us all in prayer.” This is an excerpt from a letter from one of the Sisters.
Kenya
It was reassuring to hear that Rev and Mrs Neil Ross hope to remain in Kenya until Mr and Mrs Ian MacLean and family arrive in January, DV. This will be a great help for Sisters Celia and Truus.