Project Lifeline Video

Project Lifeline from Bob Wielenga on Vimeo.

Project Lifeline team returns from Kenya

Our Simply Missions medical & water filtration crew (nicknamed: Project Lifeline) has returned safely from Kenya.  They were able to conduct clinics in Olmoran, Lorrian, Salama, and Olkalou, Kenya.  In the end they saw 1280 patients! 

The water crew taught four men in Olmoran how to properly build the water filtration systems.  Those men will continue to build five filters a week for the next five weeks, under the supervision of a local pastor.  That will result in 26 filters in that community in a little over a month.  One filter unit was placed in the medical clinic in Olmoran and will be in process for 21 days (that’s how long it takes to initially get clean water out of it). 

Our team trained five men in the village of Salama do the same thing for the next five weeks resulting in an additional 26 filters (52 total).  This crew will also be supervised by a local pastor. 

Immediately folks began asking where they could get a filter for their homes.  The pastor in Salama told those who could afford materials to purchase the items needed and the work crew would come to their home to install the filter for them.  Those who are without means will receive one of the filters that were donated. Those that can purchase their materials now have a qualified team to install their filter.  We anticipate that each filter has the capacity to provide clean water for up to three families.

We still have funds to build more filters in these communities, but we wanted to make sure this setup was going to work before over committing resources.  We are excited to see how these small changes may help breathe life into the community and open doorways for these pastors to minister to these families.

Thanks for praying for this team and for making health a possibility in these communities.

What About Haiti? Things you should know about how you can help.

Since our focus is short-term missions, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about the possibility of mission trips to Haiti, and the question has been on our mind as well. In fact, Global Outreach Development was birthed out of numerous trips to Haiti, so responding in a tangible way is important to us on many levels. When the earthquake struck, we didn’t have any active connections with missionaries on the ground there. Since then, we’ve sought to make some connections with the intention of bringing aid groups. The most emphasized issue raised by our recent contacts is that for the next few weeks/months, Haiti will need many trained medical personnel, but non-medical teams will not be needed for another few months. 

Here are some important things to think about:

• The devastation in Haiti created a massive strain on limited resources
• Even with supplies being delivered, the damaged infrastructure (from administration, to roadways) has made it difficult to properly distribute those goods.
• The vast majority of the "hands" that are needed at this point should be medically trained ones.
• The usual risks of international travel are elevated when heading to a natural disaster site
• The need in Haiti will be ongoing (most often I am hearing the word “decade” used), so think carefully about the best way that you can help both now, and in the future.

If you are a medical person or have networks with medical personnel you may consider assembling a team.  Here is what you’ll need:

Medical Teams  (ideal composition)

• 1 ER doctor or family doctor
• 1 Internal medical doctor / pediatrician
• 1 PT or PT/OT
• 3-4 RN nurses (wound care specialists)
• 1 medic
• 2-3 support people ( at least 1 pastor or spiritual leader)
• your whole group should be between 10-12 people

Additional Considerations

• Your team needs to be self sufficient, including pillows, air mattresses. (Think ‘camping’ but without pots and pans.)
• Simply Missions will coordinate with the Earthquake Crisis Center in order to do the logistics for you
• The Earthquake Crisis Center will provide ‘housing’ and food/drinks
• A stay of about 1 week or longer is encouraged
• Be willing to be stationed at a clinic site
• Keep in mind that there is the possibility of infectious diseases
• Funds will be needed for renting (mini) buses to transport teams locally
• Have immunizations updated
• Bring antibiotics for personal use for GI issues (bactrim, cipro, flagyl)
• Make sure you take your malaria medication before arrival

Contact us if you or someone you would like to assemble a team of medical personnel. We hope to be able to send non-medical relief teams as soon as we know that those teams will not be consuming the limited resources necessary for the survival of the Haitian people.

In the mean time, pray for Haiti.

Kenya Update

A Simply Missions medical team will be serving in Kenya on Feb. 5-14.   While there, the doctors will conduct medical clinics in four rural villages.  The rest of the team will be training members of the Anglican Church of Kenya on the process of assembling the Aqua Clara water filtration systems that many of you generously helped to provide.  The goal is that the team will assemble 15 units on this trip during the training sessions, and then the Kenyan’s will continue with 200 more units in the weeks following.  Please be in prayer for this team as they travel, work, and minister throughout Kenya.