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Dr. Olaf Forster plans his move to the MDH clinic in Ramada, Kenya
A long-time dream is coming true. Many of you remember Olaf Forster from his visit to the Transformational Leaders Gathering in Orlando a couple of years ago. From that visit, Olaf found a number of ELCA churches interested and willing to support his work with the poor through his NGO Medical Assistance to Africa (MDH). Through the generous support of Christians in America, Germany and South Africa, MDH completed boring a well for the people of Ramada on the site of his clinic.
Very soon, a solar pump and storage tank will be installed. Now, these people, who before had to walk 12 miles for water in the dry season will have an abundant supply. Also, the MDH clinic at Ramada is now operating full time. At the same time, Olaf has finished his residency, completed his PhD. Dissertation, and will move to Ramada from South Africa in May.
www.mdh-africa.org
From our earlier reports, Olaf studied the native medicine of Kenya in his PhD research. He grew to love these people and founded MDH to serve the needs of the poor rural people who had no access to modern medical care. He has built this organization as a Lutheran Christian initiative partnered with a Muslim hospital in Malindi, Kenya. For several years, they provided mobile clinics in the rural areas near Malindi, offering care to those who would not otherwise be treated.
Through the help of the Kenyan government, the clinic was constructed, but had no water, no doctor, no staffing, and no supplies. Now, through the work of MDH, they have full time staffing, water, and staff housing. When Olaf completes his move, MDH will have a full-time medical director on site.
Olaf has a wonderful vision. First, he worked to bring the medical clinic deep into the rural area far from other medical relief. With 5 acres set aside for his work by the village, he next started on the well. He plans community gardens that can be irrigated to show how to grow crops other than maize. Next was some staff housing, as they brought permanent staff to the clinic. Now, Olaf plans to plant a church at the heart of the community, with the building serving as a school during the week. He’s been directing these efforts from South Africa. Now, he moves to Ramada full time.
One of the unique aspects of his organization is that they work with suppliers and airfreight for direct shipments of aid, and their people personally handle each shipment’s arrival, making sure that donations do not fall into the black hole of much assistance to Africa.
Genie and I visited Ramada when we went to Kenya in 2006. I have rarely been further out of my comfort zone, 20 miles down a muddy, rutted road from the nearest paved highway. I think it was the worst road we drove in Africa. I thought we would end up in the ditch as we careened down the road in a two-wheel drive Toyota sedan. The experience was incredible. The people were wonderful; the children would rend your heart, seeing a ten-year-old with an infant strapped on her back as Mom went off in search of water and food for the day.
We would give the kids some trinkets we brought, and a few minutes later, they would reappear in another tee shirt, hoping for another. Many of those MDH serves are AIDS and malaria patients. When parents die of AIDS, children and grandparents are left without any support. There is such a need for care that they send out runners to distant villages and people come from all around. It is not unusual for the doctor to see 150 to 200 people in a day. The medicine is donated so it can be given to the poor.
Nothing transforms the heart like a mission trip, and I can’t imagine a better place to invest our time and resources than MDH. In this day and age, the partnership with a Muslim hospital is something to hold up and celebrate. The transparency and effectiveness of their partnerships and supply chain are world class.
Olaf represents to me a powerful example of someone who hears God’s call on his life, following faithfully on a discipleship journey. If you saw his living arrangements in Kenya, you would understand my comment about leaving the comfort zone. Olaf and his church in South Africa were the first international members of our TransformingChurch community, and MDH is our community’s first international mission partner. Please join us in supporting his work by visiting the website, and making a donation.
For more information, look at MDH’s annual report here Download file, and their website here.
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