Maua Methodist Hospital

On our third day in Maua, the group was treated to a extensive tour of the Maua Methodist Hospital by our friend Kathie Mann (A Mission Volunteer with the General Board of Global Ministries). She taught us the extensive history of the hospital, like for example: the hospital was founded by Methodist Missionaries under the funding of Sam Berresford and one of the first buildings to be constructed was the treasured Chapel building that still stands today at the heart of the property. As the tour continued, the team was able to meet countless nurses and doctors around the hospital including one Dr. Tony who, up until recently, was the only working surgeon in the hospital. We also got to visit all the different wings, like the Maternity and Palliative care wings. We also came across the laundry department in which we discovered the truth of how in deficit the hospital was truly working seeing as they only had a singular functioning washing machine and the staff was therefore forced to wash much of the laundry for the 275 current patients by hand. Kathie informed our group then of how dire their need was for working washing machines but simply could not afford them on their own (food for thought).

By the end of the tour we had all come to realize how much the Hospital did for the community as a whole as we saw the evidence of all of the organizations they cared for, like the AIDS Orphans project and a local Bio Farm that teaches young children how to responsibly farm. On the property there was also a School of Nursing that offered a three-year program, this offers a wonderful occupational option to locals that desire to help others. It was quite obvious how impactful this hospital has been on the city in general and we all felt very blessed to have been able to witness their small daily miracles in action.

P.S. To all those suffering the heat back home; todays high in Maua was 70 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 57 degrees, just a small upside to participating in these mission trips :)