Republic of Congo:
How are we getting to go?
At Indiana University School of Medicine, fourth year students are offered the opportunity to complete an international 8 week medical elective. Sean and I have always been interested in mission experiences and international experiences. (Sean: Haiti, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Jamaica / Candice: Jamaica, Honduras, Ukraine, and various locations in the US). The opportunity to learn in the medical field in an international setting prompted us to explore the options. During his third year of medical school, Sean began emailing certain contacts about his interest in an international elective.
We don't remember the exact circumstances, but somehow HCJB based in the Republic of Congo was contacted and discovered that Sean speaks French (the official language of the country). We began researching the story of Dr. Joesph and Rebecca Harvey and how the Pioneer Christian Hospital came to be in Impfondo, located in the northeast portion of the Republic of Congo. We felt lead to learn from and serve next to these people and experience this portion of the world!
How does Candice get to go?
It works for me to go on the trip as well since I graduated from the University of Indianapolis with my masters degree in Occupational Therapy in December 2008. Why find a job when I could go work in the hospital alongside my husband for 2 months!
What are the dates?
We depart out of Chicago on January 31st, and arrive back into the US on March 28th.
Republic of Congo?
This information is taken from various sources: books we have read, world fact book, BBC, and most comes from the information we have received from Global Outreach Mission (our sending organization).
The Republic of Congo is a nation about the size of New York State, located in the heart of Africa, on the Equator. Congo is home to approximately 4 million people. The capital, Brazzaville, is located on the Congo River, right across from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To distinguish between the two Congos, the Republic of Congo is often referred to as "Congo-Brazzaville", and Democratic Republic of Congo as "DRC" or "Congo-Kinshasa."
The official language of Congo-Brazzaville is French, while Lingala and Munukutuba are the most widely spoken of 67 national languages. The major religions are Christianity, Animism, and Islam.
Congo-Brazzaville is divided into ten regions, and one commune. The Likouala Region is the Northern-most region, and is covered with dense tropical rain forest. Impfondo is the capital of the Likouala region and is where we will be working.
Pioneer Christian Hospital
Information taken from Dr. Harvey's website:
"Since the early 1980's, Global outreach Mission has been partnering with local churches and other mission organizations to provide health care services in Congo as part of our larger expression of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In 2001, the President of Congo authorized Global outreach Mission to take possession of a former Communist youth camp and transform it into the country's Pioneer Christian Hospital. After years of hard work and determination, with lots of help from volunteers and local personnel, Congo's Pioneer christian Hospital (PCH) opened in January 2006.
The Pioneer Christian Hospital is a 46-bed general mission hospital located in Impfondo (population 20,000), capital of the Likouala Region (population 91,000). The hospital's 30 buildings include: Laboratory, X-ray, Ultrasound, EKG, Pharmacy, Chaplaincy, Emergency, Maternity, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Outpatient Consultation.
Today, because of God's faithfulness, the cabins of this former youth camp are now patient wards; the mess hall is now a well-equipped surgical suite; and the amphitheater once built to show propaganda films is now a chapel where prayer serves are held daily and the Good News of Jesus Christ is freely proclaimed.
Immediate plans include the development of a nurses' training program, a life changing HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment program, and a local Christian radio station. we hope that primary and secondary Christian schools, community health networks, family practice and surgical residencies, and missionary aviation services will be added in the future."
Who will we be working with?
Dr. Josesph Harvey is the American physician with whom Sean will be working. There is another doctor, nurses, and administrative staff who work at the hospital as well. I am sure more details will come when we arrive and get into the groove. Dr. Joe and his family live close by and we look forward to meeting and working with them!
Where will we be staying?
We will be staying in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom guest house on the hospital property. We will have a bedroom to ourselves, and the other two rooms are occupied by hospital administrators from the US. (Some more people who speak English!)
How can we be contacted?
We plan to update our blog or send email updates at least once a week. The hospital grounds have Internet access, but it is very slow and very expensive, so we'll see!
Field Mailing Address:
Mission G.O. Congo
Hospital Evanelique Le Pionnier
Avenue Dennis Sassou-Nguesso
BP 10, Impfondo
Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)
Thanks for being interested in our lives!!! We are excited!
