"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11  

The Queen, in her 1992 Christmas message, named the year "annus horribilis". Our name for the year 2001 is "annus turn-around"! By his grace, God has turned around a number of situations here at Berega. What to us appeared hopeless, He has filled with hope.

More than 200,000 people live in the area served by Berega hospital. With 140 beds and a busy out-patient department, its aim is "to make Christ known" - through good medical care and through presenting the gospel. However, last year the work of the hospital became seriously threatened. A year of El Nino flooding and damaged crops was followed by a year of severe famine and drought. People had no spare cash for medical treatment. Although the hospital always treats patients unable to pay, the drop in income severely affected the finances of the hospital. This, combined with poor administration, resulted in over £30,000 debt, no money for staff wages, regularly running out of essential drugs, and a hospital seemingly on the verge of closure. To us, it appeared to be a hopeless situation. 

New provision

Many people prayed. Through responses to the needs of the hospital, God made it very clear that although we felt like giving up with the work at Berega, he had not given up on it at all. The words of Jeremiah 29:11 became a reality. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

The events of last year are a testimony to the amazing provision of God! To us it seems like God has opened a floodgate and poured in all that the hospital needed - and more!

Alongside a change in hospital administration, there have been numerous gifts from individuals and churches, donor agencies and money allocated by the government. One highlight was a group of ex-patriates in Dar-es-Salaam organising goat races to raise money for the hospital!

As the accounting books were closed at the end of the year we gave glory to God. Not only had all the debts been paid, but there had also been enough money to do a major renovation of the maternity ward, re-wire the hospital, install a new generator, dig a bore hole to supply running water on the wards, put new mattresses in the children's ward and keep the hospital store full of medicines! And this year there is money to do further essential renovations - and to start a community outreach programme into the surrounding villages.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory..." (Ephesians 3:20) 

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