The Next Level Christmas

Christmas is just days away! At Hospitals of Hope we’ve gotten into the Christmas spirit thanks to Bob decorating the our tree and others bringing in holiday snacks! Christmas is such an exciting time with all the decorations, the music, the holiday traditions, time with family and so much more. But we would be doing ourselves an injustice if we did not take time to reflect on more that just the surface level excitement of Christmas.

As Christians, we take Christmas to the next level by celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. The story of Christ’s birth is a testament to God’s power, love, and grace and gives us all a reminder of the hope we have in Christ.

But is that the ultimate end of celebrating Christmas – celebrating Jesus’ birth? I think there is yet another level with Christmas. While Jesus’ birth is reason to reflect and celebrate, his life and time of ministry give us an incredible example for the holiday season.

Jesus spent much of his time on earth healing the sick and caring for the poor and loving those that weren’t loved. When a widow’s son died, he brought him back to life. When ten lepers met Jesus while he was traveling, he healed them all even though only one came back to thank him. He talked to individuals like a tax collector and a prostitute that were considered the outcast of society.

Jesus himself stated why he had come in Luke 4:18 “…he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.”

James, the brother of Jesus later wrote “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

Christmas time is fun with all the festivities, traditions, and presents. But what better way to take Christmas to the next level than by following the example he left of caring for those who need it. It is easy to get caught up in the endless gift lists and holiday parties. But we hope that you take time not just to celebrate Jesus's birth, but to be Jesus to those around you and those in need around the world this Christmas season.

We are very grateful for many of you following the example of Christ and helping us with the mission of caring for the sick and bringing hope of Jesus to so many. Thanks to your support and encouragement, Hospitals of Hope has been able to continue in another year of ministry of bringing healing to bodies and souls around the world. Without your financial gifts, prayers, and encouragement we would not be able to have the impact that we have had. We do wish you a Merry Christmas and we hope you are surrounded by the beauty and hope of this Christmas season.

Thank you for an amazing year and we are excited for another great year of bringing Christ’s love and healing around the world.

Medical supply container and Clinic In A Can head to Africa

The first week of December proved to be a busy and exciting week for Hospitals of Hope!
This week we sent a 40 foot shipping container full of medical supplies to Burundi, Africa. We partnered with an organization, Friends of Kibimba Hospital, to send the container.

The container held a wide variety of supplies from basic medical items like needles and bandages, to equipment like an autoclave and patient monitors which were all supplies Hospitals of Hope had collected and were able to redistribute to Burundi.

This was Hospitals of Hope’s third container of medical supplies sent with Friends of Kibimba to Burundi.

Volunteers with the organization spent many hours over the hot summer organizing and packing the container. The container is set to arrive in February and a team from the organization leaves February 15 to meet it in Burundi.

Hospitals of Hope is thrilled to have had another opportunity to partner with Friends of Kibimba by sending much needed medical supplies and help bring healing to bodies and souls in that community.

Also this week, we received word that the three-unit Clinic In A Can that we built in June is on the next leg of its journey to South Sudan. When we finished building the container clinic, we sent it to Omaha, Neb. where it was on display at the Methodist Women's Hospital. The Clinic In A Can could not be sent immediately to South Sudan because of the raining season there.

Hospitals of Hope’s Clinic In A Can ministry worked with Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Healing Kadi Foundation in Omaha, Neb. to send the container clinic to Kajo Keji, South Sudan.

This portable hospital is constructed in three forty-foot shipping containers and will be set up in a “U” shape. This small hospital contains exam rooms, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and surgical and radiology suites. It also holds a generator and water system, enabling it to be self-sufficient regardless of the surrounding infrastructure.

The Healing Kadi Foundation eventually plans to construct a larger hospital, but that will take several more years. In the meantime, the Clinic In A Can will provide much-needed medical care to the more than 450,000 refugees living in Kajo Keji.

This container clinic was our tenth clinic and we have since constructed three more. You can read more about this Clinic In A Can here.