Filling the Gaps, Repairing the Cracks

Winter 2016 - Filling the gaps imageThe Shikarpur Christian Hospital, built on its present site in 1969, has been a major part of the Fellowship’s ministry in Pakistan for nearly 50 years.

In Pakistan, more than 8% of children die before the age of five and maternal death rates are among the highest in the world. These deaths are due primarily to preventable causes.  Over these many years, the hospital has made a significant impact on improving maternal and child health.

“The compassionate ministry to an often-forgotten segment of society—women—has made Shikarpur Christian Hospital (SCH) in Pakistan a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak world. The ministry of the doctors and nurses, both national and expatriate, as well, the work of the Bible women and staff members who minister the Gospel to patients and anxiously waiting family members has been of eternal value. Both have opened doors of opportunity for the Gospel in villages and homes throughout the immediate area.” 1

The goodwill created with the Pakistani authorities by the SCH’s medical work has enabled access for our missionaries and their national partners to minister to the people of the Sindh province.

“Shikarpur Christian Hospital has served for many years as a catalyst, not only in the provision of medical treatment for women and children, but in the work of evangelism throughout the province of Sindh. Because of the care and compassion given through the hospital, our missionaries have gained tremendous credibility in the eyes of the community, and that has earned them the right to speak about Christ. Out of the hospital ministry have grown other ministries—outreach through evangelism, media, literature, tribal work. What happens to SCH has a definite impact on all of our other ministries.” 2

The hospital and its staff have also been crucial in times of disaster in Pakistan. For example, through FAIR (Fellowship Aid and International Relief), SCH was instrumental in bringing emergency relief and meeting ongoing needs during the floods of 2010. One-fifth of the country was underwater because of the heavy Monsoon rains—including a large part of the Sindh where the hospital is located. According to the Pakistani government 20 million people were affected because of the destruction of property, livelihood, and infrastructure. Hospital staff worked tirelessly to address the overwhelming needs of their community.

But buildings, like people, start to show their cracks after prolonged use.

Although the hospital’s buildings have been more than adequate to support the work, the passage of time and the harsh environmental conditions have taken their toll. Major renovations are required to enable our personnel to continue to provide a safe and welcoming environment.

Winter 2016 - SCH filling the gap article picOf primary concern is the staff housing, much of which requires major renovations.
Additional family housing is urgently required to assist in our recruitment and retention of personnel, especially medical personnel. Our goal is $75,000 to cover a new staff housing unit, replacement of portions of the hospital roof and floor, and renovations to existing housing units.

Your generous gift will enable us to continue to care for the physical and spiritual health of mothers, infants, and children in our region of Pakistan.

For more information on how you can participate in this project, go to: http://www.fellowship.ca/FAIR  and follow the links.

 

—Luc Tétreault is Chief Executive Officer at the Shikarpur Christian Hospital. He and his wife, Denise, have been serving in Pakistan with Fellowship International since 2013.


[1] Weakening Pulse in Pakistan, THRIVE, Summer 2012

[2] Ordinary People With An Extraordinary God, Lynda Schultz, 2013, pages 77, 78