It's time to start thinking about another trip. I had the great fortune to meet Dr. John Fletcher and his wife Gwenda last week. I had heard about his mission and been in contact with him via e-mail and then phone. It turns out he was traveling across the US and was able to make a stop in Columbus, NE to talk to me, John and Dr. Pete Diedrichsen. We spent about 3 hours asking all the questions we could think of. It appears that he has worked hard for a long time to build up a teaching mission hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. The country has had plenty of political turmoil over the years. It was formerly known as Zaire and before that the Belgian Congo. It is currently stable in his region and he and his wife are able to travel freely and safely in the region. John and Gwenda have spent most of their lives in the mission field and most of the last 20 years in DR Congo. He is an American trained general surgeon and 3rd generation missionary surgeon. They've managed to build a hydroelectric plant on a nearby river and so have reliable electricity that most of the country is without. They've also managed to arrange reliable delivery of equipment through their seaport.
We are just now starting to put together a team to go there sometime in 2013. Details have yet to be worked out. People interested should leave their contact information with me through my private e-mail, or through my FB site Dr. Nila Novotny/FB
You may read more about Dr. Fletcher's mission and his hospital at the following sites.
Dr. John and Gwenda Fletcher, DR Congo
Good Shepherd Hospital, DR Congo
This is appealing to me for its opportunity to teach and help Dr. Fletcher develop training programs in the poorest country in the world.
It is ranked 183 of 183 in poverty by the International Monetary Fund (US is 6th, Nicaragua is 134 and Guatemala is 116).
I will post more information as it becomes available. Please keep our team in your prayers as the team is being developed.
NN
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