The Hands of Christ - Our Great Commission (Part 1)

St. Joseph’s Hospital is located in the city of Migori, the capital of the Migori District of Nyanza Province in Western Kenya. Situated near the Kenya-Tanzania border, SJH serves a large population across a broad geographical region. 

The hospital began as a small clinic on the campus of St. Joseph’s Catholic parish in 1974 by Rev. Fr. Knap. Its mission was simple: to live out the Great Commission to reach all those in need, irrespective of faith, by bringing affordable healthcare to an impoverished region beleaguered by disease and death.  

In 1981, with assistance from the Dutch government, Dutch NGO’s, the Kenyan government, and in cooperation with the Catholic diocese of Kisii, the hospital was able to expand its operations and facilities. Land was secured, buildings erected, and the medical staff grew. The hospital became a magnet of care throughout the region. Better facilities and staff meant that more people were being cared for and more lives were being saved. 

In 1999 the hospital was completely given over to the Catholic Diocese of Homa-Bay. Currently, its operations are overseen by a Board of Governors, headed by Rt. Rev. Bishop Phillip S. Anyolo. 

Rt. Rev. Bishop Phillip S. Anyolo

Serving alongside a large team of doctors, nurses, and student volunteers, is Rev.Fr. Joseph Matiko, a Catholic priest and St. Joseph’s chaplain.

“The figure of the hospital chaplain is becoming increasingly important. Sickness does not affect only the body but the whole person, and it calls for a holistic approach,” says Rev. Fr. Matiko. The Chaplain’s job is to defend the sanctity of human life, to bring comfort and compassion to those who are sick or dying, and to counsel those who struggle in their faith.

 In addition to visiting patients on the wards, the Chaplain conducts the sacrament of Last Rights, performs the weekly Eucharist (Holy Communion) and the daily office (daily prayer). There is no chapel on campus, so he has to make due, converting a storage room and table into a place of worship.

Rev. Fr. Matiko, Chaplain

Ministering to the physical needs of the patients at St. Joseph’s will be the main purpose of my time there. But I am truly eager for the chance to join in worship with my Kenyan brothers and sisters in Christ. The liturgy of the Church unites the Body of Christ across the world and throughout history. It is our connection to those believers who came before, and it is a foretaste of our eternal joy in the life to come.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29

Two Prayer Requests

First, the current exchange rates between the US Dollar and Kenya Schilling are in our favor. Paying program costs this week would save $150. Do you think we can raise $1200 in a week? I do! Please pray for open hearts, provision, patience, and that the Lord's will would be made clear through the work of His Church.

Luke 1:37

Second, an exciting opportunity for our music school may come out of this trip to Kenya as well. I received this email today from my Medics to Africa coordinator in Migori:

Dear Jenn,

Its such a small world! I and my wife Hannah own a music school in Kenya
and I have just noticed from facebook that you and your husband also love
music and own Providence Music Academy! I'd like to get in touch with your
husband and see if we can work out some music exchange programs. My school
is called Nyali Music School and Center and it offers the Associated
Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams(ABRSM).

Best Regards,

Josh
Medics to Africa

You can read more about Josh's work with underprivileged students here.

At first glance, this sounds like a very exciting opportunity for the students of both music academies. Please pray for discernment as Roger and Josh start conversing over the feasibility of such an idea, and that doors would begin to open if this is part of how the Lord is calling us to minister to the people of Migori.

Proverbs 16:9

PEPFAR and St. Joseph's Hospital

“As President, George W. Bush did something momentous that few of you may know about, something so momentous that it is saving millions of lives and generating goodwill for America around the world. Millions of Africans who`d been dying of AIDS are now living with AIDS, thanks to the Bush program. The U.S. is providing pills to more than two million people with HIV/AIDS, people who could never afford them and who were condemned to die. The medicine not only saves their lives, it permits them to live full lives.” -Bob Simon, 60 Minutes

The President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was a commitment of $15 billion over five years (2003–2008) from United States President George W. Bush to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. The program initially aimed to provide antiretroviral treatment (ART) to 2 million HIV-infected people in resource-limited settings, to prevent 7 million new infections, and to support care for 10 million people (the "2–7–10 goals") by 2010. PEPFAR increased the number of Africans receiving ART from 50,000 at the start of the initiative in 2004 to at least 1.2 million in early 2008. PEPFAR has been called the largest health initiative ever initiated by one country to address a disease. According to a 2009 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, the program had averted about 1.1 million deaths in Africa and reduced the death rate due to AIDS in the countries involved by 10%.

 "You know, PEPFAR is an incredible thing just in terms of how many lives it saved. These ARVs [Antiretroviral medicines] have a Lazarus effect on people. You see a picture of them before and then you see them vibrant, alive, working. Their whole family has been dragged down by the illness and now this. I went on a trip in 2006 (to Africa) and I just had a sense of national pride going around, talking to these people, and they were so happy, they would say, "America," and I was saying, "Yeah, our president did that, and it's terrific." It's such an obvious connected thing. People aren't going to hate you when you're saving their lives... I would kiss George W. Bush on the mouth for what he did on PEPFAR." - Matt Damon, actor

St. Joseph's Role in Caring for those with HIV

In September 2004 St. Joseph's Mission Hospital was chosen as one of the sites that would be funded through PEPFAR. Besides making ARV medications available, HIV/AID screening and prevention education is offered to the local community. The hospital's circumcision programs targets uncircumcised men, as research has shown a higher HIV infection rate in uncircumcised communities.

 

St. Joseph's Community Education Program

Volunteering at St. Joseph's is an opportunity to holistically serve these needy people. Whether it is assisting with community education and vaccination programs, helping busy nurses with patient intake, walking with a laboring mother, or comforting a sick child, there are countless opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Won't you join the effort?

Update:

Today's "All Things Considered" on NPR featured circumcision programs in Kenya. The timing is uncanny. Thanks, Roger, for pointing this out.