Christmas Miracles

This is an email I sent on Christmas Eve to family & friends. Wanted to post it here for you as well...

Merry Christmas to You!

This year is ending and it always makes me nostalgic – both for family and friends but also memories of this past year and how God has blessed. Last year this time we were rushing to make up some Christmas gifts from a few things we bought and some donated items so that the hospital employees would have at least “something” from the hospital. We scrounged enough money to barely have a Christmas party with a few snacks thanks to a donation from a friend of mine. The salaries were barely distributed before New Years, let alone Christmas last year. Yet still we remained optimistic and tried to put a good spin on everything so that morale would continue on its slow climb upwards. Throughout this past year we have steadily seen improvements in the financial performance of the hospital. Partly it is due to an increase of about 20% of inpatients over last year, but also our cash flow is improving as well which is really what makes an organization function.

So this week I find Christmas miracles surrounding me – instead of me shopping and packaging Christmas gifts for the employees we were able to buy them pre-packaged (it’s tradition to get rice, oil, sugar, salt, soap, & matches and there are stores that package them for you if you pay for it) and employees were surprised yesterday to hear the announcement that their Christmas package was ready to be picked up! Also people like to be paid before Christmas and for salaries we are dependent on a government grant. We prepared payroll in faith that the money would come through and yesterday it was deposited and people are able to get their money! We have also made our supplies and drug purchases for the month and I’ve signed a pile of checks for various purchases that have been waiting for quite a while. The most amazing thing is that we have money to cover all of the checks we’ve written – which you might not realize but is a miracle in itself!

Last week after being delayed about a month we had a delivery of two containers from AmeriCares (our large donor in the US) full of medical supplies and medication. That was 60 feet of materials delivered in one day!! The stores staff and others worked tirelessly to unload everything and then continue sorting things the days following (a never-ending process). We are so thankful for these donations and specifically the nutritional supplements for the malnourished children – the meals are already being distributed.

Personally since returning from my visit home I have been busy – just keeping up with everything I feel at times that I work non-stop. But thankfully I’ve had the chance to take frequent breaks. In November I climbed Mt. Mulanje with some friends and felt very proud of myself for surviving although we didn’t summit. We had a group of officials from the US doing an “appreciative inquiry” the week of Thanksgiving both here and at Blantyre Adventist Hospital. They brought some welcome encouragement and support. For Thanksgiving about 25 of us got together in Blantyre and made a feast as close to traditional as possible – complete with the overeating feeling at the end! There are more folks from the US now that Maranatha is moving their base to Blantyre from Mozambique as work is wrapping up there.

Overall I am doing well – I have no reason to complain. Cristy and I and some friends are heading to Lake Malawi today for Christmas and we are looking forward to enjoying white sands and a tropical lake. Granted - it’s not like Christmas at home but as I told a friend this morning – it’s white sandy beaches, I can’t complain! J I do miss my family dearly and wish I could be at the table tomorrow and share all of the wonderful traditions that we have. Thankfully we have phones and internet which keep us connected and a time in the future to look forward to being together again.

As 2009 comes to a close I am again just overwhelmed with thankfulness for each of you and your thoughts and prayers. There is still a lot of work to do here but I am just excited to be part of the changes that are happening and continue to happen. I know there are more challenges ahead but I am confident that the miracles of Christmas will continue through the new year. Blessings to each of you!

Merry Christmas!

Elisa