January 27, 2025

In Goma a few years ago

There has been as escalation of fighting in Goma, North Kivu Province, between M23 and the Congolese army over the last weeks. The military governor was killed this last Friday. It became a desperate situation as the rebel army M23 has taken over all roads leading into Goma and other port cities along Lake Kivu. Over the weekend there were power and water outages with escalation of the conflict. The news today, January 27th, 2025, is that Goma has been taken over by M23/Rwanda, there is street warfare, and the airport is closed. It is a serious situation and we do not know what the broader implications are. There are many new sources covering the situation namely Reuters, Aljazeera, and BBC. This is a chronic conflict over mineral rich land. M23 last overtook Goma briefly in 2012-the conflict which delayed our arrival into DRC.

This conflict does not affect us directly in Ituri Province, as we do not border Rwanda. It is a complex situation which has persisted for years. There are no easy solutions and civilians are suffering and hundreds of thousands are displaced. Pray for Goma and surrounds, for food, water, electricity, and peace. Lord have mercy.

A Living Parable

The beautiful girl in a shining white dress with beads in her braids is called Mavita. Mavita means ‘War’ in Swahili. She was born in a time of war and conflict, of flight and displacement in Nyankunde 3 years ago. Mavita came to the hospital with non-descript fevers and then starting having seizures. We confirmed that she had meningitis as she was transferred to the ICU. The day after her ICU transfer I asked her mother if she ever received her vaccine series as an infant. A quizzical look came over her face, like she was searching for the answer in the dark recesses of her mind. After a brief pause, she said, “No she didn’t receive anything after birth. We were on the run and we weren’t stable.” I nodded in understanding, as I understood this reality. During the period she described only 2/12 health centers were functioning due to armed conflict. Maternal and neonatal mortality was at an all-time high. Women lacked prenatal care. Vaccine campaigns did not happen and people had difficulty accessing care. There were roadblocks and people fled violence. It was a devastating time. It all made sense- Mavita was an innocent victim of war. She developed meningitis after not receiving protective vaccines during a time of war. Mavita is an example of how the vulnerable suffer the most from war and displacement. The effect of war lasts for years and is difficult to quantify, such as an increased incidence of meningitis.

A Water Project

We were blessed by the visit of our water engineer friend Janet Ausel and her son over New Years. It was the first time that one of Emmanuel's friends has come out to visit. The goal of the visit was to map out the 2km underground water system, determine out how much water the system is capable of producing and how well it is functioning, and to do some water testing. We walked many miles following water lines, measuring flow, and looking at water taps. It was very interesting to have a better understanding of things. The next job is to determine how to improve flow to the system, how to maintain it, and how to plan for possible shortages. It was an encouraging time and we are so grateful for their visit.

Infectious Diseases and Other Challenges

The hospital continues to challenge and keep us busy. We have seen a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases such as meningitis and tuberculosis…of infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. I am caring for three children with measles at the moment, that's right MEASLES. One case of measles is a public health emergency and means a high population mortality rate. We are reminded daily that the world is a fallen place and we long for a new earth, not in a depressing, but a UNDENIABLY REAL way. We often have an opportunity to be present in very important times in peoples’ lives-birth, death, and everything in between. Not a day goes by that we wonder if what we do matters…but it doesn’t mean that it is always easy. Hard conversations, blood, and guts and struggling to make things work. Sometimes it is a painful decision to not operate due to inoperable cancer…sometimes it is too late to stop the bleeding.

We are fortunate to be able to help orphan and vulnerable babies in our health zone. This month we began supporting two babies whose mothers died from post-partum hemorrhage. This hits close to home for me as I experienced a hemorrhage myself after giving birth. We usually hospitalize these babies for a short period to sort out home care and ensure that they are healthy. These beautiful babies now receive formula support through the help of the organization Saving Moses, with monthly weight and health checks.

Honey

Warren harvested honey for us this weekend! Then began the process of heating, filtering, and filtering again. It is a labor of love just like it is for the pygmees in the forest. It has been 6months or so since the last harvest. Our 12-year old hive is still going strong! One of the hives that was destroyed by an out-of-control fire two years ago has re-populated with bees and appears to be stocking honey again. In other news we just harvested over 1 kg of vanilla pods!

Many prayer and blessings from eastern DRC,

Lindsey

Prayer Requests

-Pray for security to return to North Kivu Province, specifically Goma and surrounds, for security meetings, for access to basic needs. Pray for diplomatic solutions and that this won't turn into a regional, larger-scale conflict.

-Pray for the hospital leadership as they make strategic decisions. Pray for discipleship of staff physicians. Pray for the health crises of tuberculosis and other diseases that plague our region.

-Pray for an upcoming medical conference we plan to attend in February in Asia. Pray that Emmanuel would have meaningful interactions and for his spiritual development.

-Pray for our little soccer team that has started, for kids to grow in their skills and cooperation. Emmanuel has been so encouraged by the things he is learning from his Congolese coach. Pray for his coach, that we could be an encouragement to him.

-Pray for our short-termer Paul that he would be blessed by his time in Nyankunde. Pray for him as he makes decisions about medical school,