Needs in Zim

Greetings once again.



I hope this finds you physically well and spirtually fulfilled. Since my return to The States many have asked how they can help. As you all know, the needs are endless as Zimbabwe's healthcare infrastructure continues to struggle. The latest reports reveal that the cholera outbreak has taken over 1500 lives with death rates as high as 50% in some areas of the country.

Below you will see an email I received from the executive director of PAPA Missions, Terah Ott. Basically, a shipping container is leaving from Wichita, KS in February for Karanda Mission Hospital in Zimbabwe. You will also see a list of needed medical supplies for the hospital that was recently provided by Dr. Dan Stephens. If you have any access to these types of supplies, any donations would be greatly appreciated. The needs also go far beyond medical supplies. If the Lord leads you to assist the people of Zim in any other way, just send Terah an email and work out the details.

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone you feel may want to help.

Thanks again.

IN HIM>
kevin.




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Kevin,

Thank you for asking about sending food to Karanda. We have asked the same question over the years, and have been told that including food on the container will cause problems at customs. Apparently sending food would precipitate the involvement of a completely different branch of government, creating the potential for delays and confiscation. There are a couple of food-type items that we could send that will help undernourished children/infants, but not cause problems with container passage. The two items that seem acceptable are baby formula and food supplements specifically designed for undernourished children and infants. These can be labeled as "medical" supplies, thus, not involving the other governmental agency. Dr. Stephens sent me a list of items that the hospital specifically needs, and I would love your help in finding any of the items on the attached list as well.
Our container will ship in early February from Hospitals of Hope in Wichita. I have ordered some supplies for the container, and am having those sent to the warehouse in Wichita. There are other items that have been requested, however, that may need to be purchased locally to avoid shipping costs. Would you be willing to make a run to Wal-Mart or Sam's Club for some basic supplies for the guesthouse and hospital if I supply the funds? You could then deliver them to Hospitals of Hope, alleviating shipping costs for us. Any Via Christi Medical supplies that are being wasted can be taken to Hospitals of Hope as well. Please do keep in mind that Zimbabwe customs does check expiry dates and will confiscate items with expiry dates within 6 months of shipment. This will not only waste supplies, but will delay progress of the entire container. Expiry restrictions aside, we welcome any help you can provide in supplying Karanda with necessary goods. You know better than I what they need.

Hospitals of Hope
3545 N Santa Fe
Wichita, KS 67219

I think your idea of sending a yearly container is a good one. I would be willing to take care of the logistics if you can help me raise the money. It costs ~$12,000.00 to send a container from Hospitals of Hope, and that includes some medical supplies that they have in their warehouse.
I saw the video you recently posted on your blog. Is there any way I could get a copy of the photos you used, as well as a DVD of the slideshow? I do not have very many current photos for the Web site, and will not have anyone traveling there until late May.

Blessings to you and your family.
Sincerely,Terah Ott

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LIST OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR KARANDA HOSPITAL

DRESSINGS:
Tape: Medipore, adhesive, paper, any type
Gauze: 3x3 or 4x4s, Kerlix, kling, Conform, drain sponges, Vaseline gauze, nu-gauze, iodoform gauze, aquacel Ag, duoderm, basically any type of dressing.
Wraps: Ace bandages, any stretchy type bandage
Plaster of Paris
Fiberglass casting material
Plastic dressing: Op-site or tegaderm type
DRAINS AND TUBES:
Foley catheters: 8 Fr- 26 Fr. But primarily 14-18 Fr and then 12 and 20Fr.
3 Way catheters: 20-26 Fr.
Urine drainage bags
Texas/Condom catheters
Chest tubes: 20-32 French (Fr.) with or without trocar
Drainage tubes: Penrose drains and any close suction drains (JP Drains, J-vac drains, with suction bulbs or similar connections).
Naso-gastric and Gastric tubes—8 Fr – 18 Fr or 20 Fr.
INTRAVENOUS SUPPLIES:
Intravenous catheters for starting IV’s 24 to 14 gauge
IV tubing, preferable that that does not require a pump.
Sterile IV bags for drawing blood or making IV fluids.
SUTURE:
Absorbable: Vicryl (1,0,2-0, 3-0, 4-0, on needles -- round except for the 4-0 that should be on a cutting needle), Chromic catgut (1,0,2-0, 3-0, 4-0), Dexon (1,0,2-0,3-0, 4-0). Also 10-0 8-0, 9-0 ophthalmic only—Dexon or Vicryl). Any other absorbable suture is okay too.
Non-absorbable: Primarily use: 3-0, 4-0 nylon or prolene (cutting needles) and 1-0 and 0 ethibond and 3-0 silk (or any braided suture) on GI needle.
OTHER:
Linen savers, incontinent devices
Warm, heavy duty, washable blankets
Bed Linen
Surgical gloves 6.5-8.0
Latex-free surgical gloves (Dan Stephens, size 7.5)
Latex and latex-free exam gloves
OB ultrasound for Fetal heart monitoring ( more than one)
Pulse oximeters
Oxygen concentrators (220v 50 hz)
TRACTION:
Weights, Pulleys, rope,
ORTHOPEDIC;
Plates, Rods (Kirshner rods, K-Nails, Tibial rods,), Pins (K-wires, Steinman pins)
Austin-Moore Prosthesis (Femoral heads), screws (all sizes).
Hand drills and bits
Pin cutter (large)
Electric drill (with batteries okay) but if we could plug it into the wall even better as batteries are so expensive and don't last long).
Bone saw: Hand held and electric
Gigli saws (wire devices--work great)
Dermatome: Padgett with spare blades
UROLOGIC:
Cystoscopic instruments: Basic set with biopsy ability and the ability to place ureteral catheters
Catheters as above
OPHTHALMOLOGIC:
Laser for ablating posterior capsule opacity
Automatic refractor
Aplanation tonometer or other type of tonometer (one that would attach to a slit lamp) or one that puffs air into the eye and gets a reading that way.
Hand held cauteries
Another List (may have some repeats)
urine test strips, protein/glucose (GP2 020)
methylene blue powder, 25g
autoclave tape, steam sterilization, 18mmx50m
sterilization tape, dry heat sterilization, 18mmx50m
adhesive tape 2.50cm x 5m
adhesive tape 5cm x 5m
applicator stick, wood, with cotton tip, 15cm
bandage crepe, 10cm x 4m
blade for surgical knives size 10
catheter Foley, balloon 5-15ml, Ch 16, sterile
catheter Foley, balloon 5-15ml, Ch 18, sterile
catheter Foley, balloon 5-15ml, Ch 24, sterile
catheter Foley 3-way, balloon 30-50ml, Ch 22, sterile
clinical thermometer oral/rectal, ºc+ºf ,flat type
elastic bandage, 8cmx5m stretched
gauze impregnated with paraffin, sterile, 10x10cm
handle for surgical blades no.4
needle luer 26g x 1/2" (0.45x12mm), sterile, disposable
scalp vein infusion set 25g
Plaster of Paris or Light cast (fiberglass cast)
spinal needle 22g x 40mm disposable
surgical gloves, sterile, latex, size 7.0
surgical gloves, sterile, latex, size 7.5 and non-latex (Dan Stephens)
surgical gloves, sterile, latex, size 8.0
syringe luer 10ml disposable, without needle
umbilical cord clamp, disposable
umbilical cord tie, 3mm non-sterile, 100m
undercast padding, synthetic 7,5cm x 2,7m
Intravenous fluids (Ringer's lactate, Normal saline, D5W )
Skin staplers
GIA type staplers
TA type staplers
Ultrasound Jelly
K-Y lubricating jelly
Povidone iodine, Scrub and paint
Gauze 4x4 or 3x3 gauze dressings
ACE bandages and Kerlix type dressings
Physical Therapy equipment
Paraffin baths
Ultrasonic heat machine
Crutches (all types and sizes)
Endoscopic equipment (Esophagogastroduodenoscope, bronchoscope)
Urology equipment including cystopic instruments and scope
Video endoscopic equipment
Surgical overhead light
Operating room table
Ventilator
Oxygen concentrator
Pulse oximeters
Non-latex gloves sterile for surgeon 7 1/2 size
Non-latex gloves non- sterile for surgeon 7 1/2 size
Latex Gloves Sizes 6.5 – 8.0 Sterile
Colostomy and ileostomy supplies
Surgical stools
syringes especially 5 and 10 cc
Otoscopes
Operating room side tables/trolleys and MAYO stand
Sutures--Any and all (especially 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, 0 and 1-0 absorbable sutures (Vicryl/PDS/Maxon/dexon/monocryl)
Sutures Any and all (especially 3-0/4-0 prolene, nylon and 3-0 nurolon/silk, 0 and 1 ethibond/mersilene/ticron)
hand held cautery
Surgical gowns reusable for use in sterile environment
smooth mover or mover to transport patient from surgical bed to trolley (cart)
EKG machine
Surgical EKG monitor
Ophthalmic suture (10-0 nylon/prolene on Ophthalmic cutting needle
Dermatome with blades
Weckcell dermatome with blades and various size cutting widths.
cidex
Hibitane
Surgical drapes--especially reusable cloth drapes

Re-entry

Salutations to all.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and let all of you know that I have arrived home safely. I've been back for about a week now, and I think i've kicked all the jet lag stuff. I must say that the culture shock of re-entry has been much more prominent than previous trips. The day after I returned, I went to grocery store to get a few things, and I was unexpectantly overwhelmed when I walked in. Look at all of this food! It's everywhere.....and there's tons of it! People are milling around through all the fresh vegetables picking the ones that are up to par. Aisle afer aisle is stocked full of any type of food you can imagine! Everything is so clean and there's even some nice Christmas music playing. Whoa....this is weird and a bit surreal. I quickly think of Zimbabwe and the grocery store I visited that was nothing but empty shelves except for a few produce items and a rack of wine. I also think back to my conversations I had with the Zimbabweans about how things were back in The States. I then took my stuff to the check out counter, swiped a plastic card, and left. On my way out my mind is running and Zimbabwe is at the forefront....hurting. I get in my Jeep and notice that I'm parked next to an $80,000 SUV. Man....what I could do with $80,000. Then I think about another conversation I had with one of my Zimbabwean friends, Gilbert.

"Do all Americans have there own cars?" he asked.

"Yeah, most of us do," I replied.

"Wow....so you can go anywhere you want when you want to?"

"Yep, pretty much."

"What kind of car do you have?" he asked.

"A Jeep Cherokee."

"A Jeep! Wow, only the rich people here have Jeeps."

"But mine's about 12 years old," I replied in an attempt to convince myself and him that I wasn't one of those 'rich people.'

But I am one of those rich people. I am of the top 1% of income earners in the world.....the top 1%! I am that rich guy down the street. I am on the top end of an incredible disparity of wealth distribution in the world. Something all the sudden doesn't feel right. Why am I here and they are there? Is this the way it is supposed to be? A scripture comes to mind;

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

2 Corinthians 8: 13-15

So, what if the coin was flipped? What if we were there and them here? How would we think of them? How would we want what they had? Why don't they use some of what they have to help us? Why wouldn't they just make a small sacrifice to help us....to help us feed our families and provide medical care for our children? Why won't they just see how we are hurting and how challenging it is to live like this? Why don't they just understand that this life isn't just about themselves? Why don't they live like the Christians they say that they are?

Whoa.....that's something to chew on.

So, yeah, re-entry culture shock is quite a bit more challenging than the initial imersion culture shock. Please pray for me a God continues to work on my heart in this regard.

Well, I think this is it for now.

In closing, just remember to think for yourself and follow what the Lord is leading you to do....not what the world is misleading you with.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Timothy 4: 1-4

In HIM>
kevin.