Building on a Solid Foundation

We are definitely in a season of building here at Tenwek.  The hydroelectric turbine expansion, which will more than double the amount of power at Tenwek, will be completed by the end of October.  This massive gift from Samaritan’s Purse will provide adequate power for decades to come and allow for future expansion of the hospital.  

The yellow turbine provides 340kW of power and has been in operation since 1987.  The new blue turbine will provide 520kW of power, more than doubling our current output. Excess power will be sold back to Kenya Power and Lighting. 

The penstock water accelerator.  Water from the dam passes through this tube which then turns the turbine, and generates electricity. 

Speaking of which, the “trainee housing project” was started a few weeks ago (a miracle in itself).  Once completed, this 4-story building will provide housing for more than 25 trainees (medical students, interns and residents).   The building site is extremely challenging as space is tight, and there is a huge 6-meter soak pit, which needs to be rerouted.  And despite recent torrential rainfall, we are still on target to complete this project by the end of the year so that we can accommodate our next group of trainees (current housing is completely full!)  Again, Samaritan’s Purse provided a large chunk of the funding for this important expansion (40%), but we are still about $100,000 shy of our goal.  Please consider joining our vision of providing solid medical training for Africans by supporting this project (www.wgm.org/tenwek-hospital-housing).  

The foundation for this building is being dug entirely by hand. 

The Galats are also continuing with our smaller scale “ministry house” (in our back yard next to our house).  This building will include two much-needed apartments for visiting staff (and our guests), and also an “upper room” for ministry (replete with a brick pizza oven for feeding hungry residents!).   We are so thankful for those who have donated into our Galat ministry account with WGM, as this account provided the funding for this building (www.wgm.org/galat). 

Most of the building materials for this house have been sourced locally, including the rough-hewn wood beams used to make the front porch and the block which was hand-cut from a rock quarry. 

The workers were pouring the front porch the same day as Josie's 1st birthday, so we took the opportunity for everyone in our family to place a permanent imprint of their feet in the concrete. 

Seven pairs of Galat footprints...

Finally, a massive vision is beginning to take shape at Tenwek.  For a number of years, we have been dreaming of the possibility of a free-standing orthopaedic "hospital" at Tenwek.  After much prayer (and many meetings) the hospital administration has caught this vision and a site has been proposed (a huge hurdle as space is so limited at Tenwek).  And a missionary architect just arrived at Tenwek last week (staying for an entire year helping with all these building projects and the master plan).  He will be helping us sketch out the concepts for this Tenwek Orthopaedic Center of Excellence.  We are trusting God to accomplish this big goal in His timing.  

Thank you for your continual partnership with our family at Tenwek hospital.  We are approaching the 6-year anniversary of our arrival here, and it is amazing to see what God has accomplished in this short period of time.  And we remain here thanks to your prayers and faithful financial support.  Thank you for your partnership with us and for sharing our goal of training African orthopaedic surgeons and caring for the most needy, all for God’s glory!