Thanks… and keep it coming!
Thanks . . . and keep it coming!
Morning family and friends! Thank you so very much for your financial support! Every time Christina informs me that another donation has come in or I receive mail and there’s another cheque, my heart leaps for joy! We are well over half way there now with the funds needed to support the electricity needs for the outgoing hospital equipment to Ghana. Keep it coming, friends! Every contribution brings us closer to sufficiently fulfilling this need.
For those that may have missed the previous emails, KBNF’s 18th container was fully loaded last Thursday and Friday in Victoria and will leave Vancouver’s harbor for Ghana early this week.
KBNF has been on a mission to provide the suitable power converters to support superb electrical tools, surgery equipment, hospital beds, machines and equipment being shipped over to Dr. Gladstone Kessie’s 100 bed Mt. Olives Hospital in Techiman, Brong Ahafo Region of northeastern Ghana. Ghana’s voltage is 220-240 Volts compared to Canada’s 110-120 Volts. We need a minimum of 20 electric power converters to ensure that the electrical equipment being sent can be effectively put to use. After some considerable team research, the suitable converters chosen have the capability to handle any 2 machines simultaneously.
In partnership with The Compassionate Warehouse, the 40 ft. container was chock-a-block with donated hospital supplies, furnishings and equipment including 20 wonderful electric / manual beds, with nary an inch of air allowed between anything. Brenda, Diane and I stood in awe as we watched Dell’s team pack the container like they were painting a masterpiece. It was a gift of exceptional planning, effort, and execution.
We are preparing a 2nd container for Mt. Olives in May, providing another load of excellent beds, dental equipment, and everything not ready to be loaded this time round including the converters. I would be remiss if I didn’t express our appreciation to Diamond Delivery for their faithful diligence and promptness in picking up equipment and supplies from around Vancouver and delivering wherever Brenda informs them it has to go.
Sponsor a converter and save lives!
Just one example of how lives can be saved . . . Imagine a child struggling to breathe. Can you picture how desperately helpless the staff and family would feel when their loved one is choking and there’s no access to equipment? Suction machines are critical for basic patient safety. Electricity is required. Because of your partnership, we can address this issue.
WE NEED YOUR HELP. . .
Your support is what gives KBNF the ability to extend our hand in partnership with Ghana and West Africa.
Either on-line via our website: www.kbnf.org or by phone or mail.
Thank you everyone!
University Students Help Pack Donations
Another splendid packing day took place at VGH’s old laundry facility, as KBNF gets ready to ship two more containers off to Ghana. One will head for Techiman in the northeastern region of the country and the other to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
We are so very grateful for the energized efforts of Christina Chiu and her dear friend in organizing this event. Facebook was the prime communicator, and we are ever so pleased that these university students are ready to help us again real soon.
Click here to see additional images.
Mr. Johnson Osei’s Retirement Party
Last week, Brenda and I had the privilege and pleasure of attending Mr. Johnson Osei’s retirement party. A social worker for the BC Ministry of Children for many years, it was a night of warm celebrations. Whether it was the Ministry lawyer, leader, colleague or friend, everyone had passionate words for this dear Ghanaian man with a great big heart for children.
We honour Johnson, who has been a faithful member of KBNF since almost our inception.
Have a superb retirement, Johnson! Only not too restful, as KBNF needs you to volunteer for oh, the next 30 years!!!!
Love,
Marj
A Reflection on Love
As we celebrated Valentine’s Day yesterday, I reflected . . . It’s easy to love another when they return that love. I love you, you love me. That’s easy. However, it’s quite another thing to love another when the recipient of that love gesture is not known and can never reciprocate.
At our Executive Board meeting this week, KBNF VP Derek Agyapong–Poku shared how he broke down in tears at his office desk when he received word of dear Patrick’s passing. His staff worried what was wrong. His heart grieved deeply for the loss of that precious young man. Jocelyne shared how she felt helpless at times struggling to find desperately needed albumin and blood required to stabilize Patrick’s condition. The funds were available. The life saving ingredients were not. A flight to Kumasi could have produced three more bottles of albumin. But this was just a drop in the bucket to what was needed. Jocelyne began to comprehend the challenges that face African families when a member of their family needs hospital care in Africa. It’s daunting, friends.
In spite of all these immense challenges, Patrick could rest through the long nights knowing that when his loved ones were away in Sierra Leone and Canada, he wasn’t alone. Jocelyne was right there beside him, an extension of us all, doing everything in her power to reassure this dying man that he was cherished and loved.
As the Apostle Paul eloquently says: “If I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. . . Lovebears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
Thank you for your unfailing commitment to those across an ocean that are the beneficiary of your loving gifts of money, expertise and time through our project work. Your gracious investments continue to extend unfailing incalculable love abroad.
Laundry Folding Party Update
Brenda and her volunteers had an energized day sorting and packing medical supplies for the upcoming shipments to Mt. Olives Hospital, Techiman, Brong-Ahafo Region, in the interior of northern Ghana and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
For eight hours, you could hear much laughter, cheerful banter and questions hurled as the team determined what donated items in fact were, which were suitable for sending, and where on earth is that box that is being packed with lab supplies, respiratory supplies and/or any other supplies. Oh, is the box already sealed containing x, y, z? Lots of fun and patience as our volunteers took up the cause in earnest, determined to meet Brenda’s goal of having all the supplies packed by day’s end.
Lunch was also scrumptious, even though there were no chairs to sit on. Come to think of it, we never sat the entire day! But everyone devoured meat wraps, turkey croissant sandwiches, veggies, apples, and organic coffee with pleasure. The coffee pot malfunctioned, so I made coffee at the nursing unit and could be seen walking through the hospital carrying a pot of coffee on more than one occasion!!
TOYS . . . I observed a little boy playing with Coke bottle caps at a hospital one day, his only toy. Talking with another Ghanaian young man, he recalled how his only toy growing up was a ball handmade with pieces of tape carefully peeled off of boxes mailed to his village. Eventually it was the size of a baseball. So considering how hospitalized children just don’t have anything to play with, I put out a call for toys and books. So a BIG thank you to VGH Neurologist Dr. Tony Traboulsee and his family, as they arrived with a carload of toys and books for the Mt. Olives Hospital in the afternoon. A battery powered train set and a large mauve plastic princess house will grace the playroom of Mt. Olives pediatric unit very soon. Dr. Gladstone Kessie is already very excited by this development.
Aaron Asante, one of our founding KBNF members, also completed loading up hospital linens and a wheelchair destined for his hometown Ghanaian village clinic next week.
We could not achieve any of our objectives without the incredible support of our faithful volunteers and donors. Thank you everyone, for your wonderful labour of love.
Our next packing day is Feb 9th at the VGH old laundry unit. Please “ink” it into your calendar. Brenda and I need everyone on board, once again. Brenda is planning our next shipment for mid-month and we need to prepare the final packing of linens prior to shipping by barge to Victoria for its final loading before heading to Ghana.
Please click here to see additional photos from the folding party.
