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HAU Chaplains Receive Training Via Butterfield Foundation

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As reported by the Chaplains Association of the Free Methodist Church... In mid-February 2023, Tim and Patricia Porter, along with Rev. Dr. Colin and Barbara Meneely from Belfast, Ireland, and Rev. Dr. Anthony Headley, a retired professor from Asbury Theological Seminary, went to Burundi, Africa, to train chaplains at Hope Africa University in partnership with the Butterfield Memorial Foundation. There were 19 chaplains/chaplain candidates/pastors from three countries and four hospitals: Van Norman Clinic and Kibuye Hope Hospital (Burundi), Nundu Deaconess Hospital (DR Congo), and Kibogora Hospital (Rwanda), as well as chaplains from HAU and other institutes. Two of the chaplains were also FM Superintendents in their districts. Participants report that it was an amazing time of training, collaboration, and fellowship. We pray that more of our U.S. chaplains can take their education, advanced certifications, and chaplaincy experiences to engage in future cross-cultural mission training
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God is good all the time, and God has been especially good to Hope Africa University (HAU) in this time of pandemic.  We have had no reported cases of Covid-19 among our students (only one on the faculty). Our students have continued diligently with their studies, the new agricultural program was launched, and we are scheduled to graduate a new group of doctors, teachers, ministers, and other professionals in February 2022.  Praise God. While the Covid-19 virus has not greatly impacted the University’s work, it has significantly impacted families’ ability to support their young people pursuing study at HAU.  In one of the poorest countries in Africa, even in good times, finding the financial resources to attend college can be daunting, now add Covid.  Concern about how they will pay college tuition and fees worries and distracts students from their studies; some despair and think of giving up.  So, today, our HAU students are even more in need of scholarship support.   I am sending t
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Young Foundation Supports Friends of Hope Africa The Friends of Hope Africa University (FHAU) announce a generous $328,596 gift from the Young Foundation. The gift is designated to support the new Agriculture Program and other needs of Hope Africa University.   The Young Foundation supports Christian organizations working in mission fields in Africa and has been a long-time supporter of the Friends’ work with HAU.   John Ellis, former FHAU President noted, “The Young Foundation has been with us from the beginning with the founding of the HAU in Kenya, and then our move to Burundi.   The Foundation understands the importance of this work.”   David Fisher, former President of the Young Foundation and a founding member of the Friends of Hope Africa Board died this year.   “This legacy gift is a great testimony of the many people who have caught the vision of helping to build a great institution in one of the poorest countries in Africa.   It is an act of faith in the future of the people

Elections

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Ruling party presidential candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye casts his  vote  in the presidential election, in Giheta, Gitega province, Burundi  Wednesday, May 20, 2020.  Peaceful Transfer of Burundian Government is Good for the Future of Hope Africa University On May 20, the peaceful transition of presidents occurred in the Republic of Burundi with the election of Evariste Nydayishimiye as the new president. The country’s constitutional court recently upheld the election results. The president will be inaugurated in August 2020. Nydayishimiye, 52, is a former army general. In recent years, he has held several positions in government, including minister of the interior and public security and as the president’s military and civilian chief of staff.  This peaceful transfer of presidential power is a positive sign of the growing stability within Burundi and productive for the continuing growth of Hope Africa University and our work with it. The good news of the election has, howev

Covid-19

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  Around the world the Covid-19 pandemic is on everyone’s mind. For those of us who support and care about the ministry of HAU, some might be wondering how it is affecting the university and its hospitals.   The continent of Africa as of Friday had more than 18,000 confirmed virus cases, but the country of Burundi has had only 6 of those. Experts have said Africa is weeks behind Europe in the pandemic and the rate of increase has looked alarmingly similar. The World Bank recently approved a $5 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to respond to the threat posed by Covid-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness in Burundi, focusing on prevention and containment strategies.  Hope Africa University is proactively implementing strategies to prevent the transmission of disease, and the HAU medical leaders have been closely watching and learning from what is happening in other countries as the virus spre

Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons

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Great news! In 2020, Kibuye Hope Hospital will become affiliated with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons' surgical residency program. This is a major step forward for KHH. Becoming a PAACS hospital recognizes the quality of Kibuye's surgical program, the capability of the staff and the hospital's commitment to service in the name of Christ. There are 9 hospitals in 8 different countries: Tanzania, Gabon, Niger, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Cameroon, Ethiopia. Kibuye will be hospital number 10 in the 9th country, Burundi.  Here is what PAACS says about its ministry:  "The Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) is a strategic response to the need for surgeons in Africa. We are a non-denominational, multinational service organization training African physicians to become surgeons who are willing to remain in Africa to meet this need. PAACS also disciples these residents to share the love and gospel of Jesus Christ with their patients. The surgical and s

New Pharmacy Building

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Some key parts of Kibuye Hope Hospital are less obvious than others. Cleaning, purchasing, lab testing, accounting, and so many other tasks are vital for a hospital to work well, but can be a bit hidden. Kibuye is about to open our new pharmacy building - a huge improvement to one of these critical support services.   As KHH has grown over the past decades, the pharmacy function has grown, spread out, and moved around. There have been multiple small pharmacy locations, scattered around various buildings. It makes it hard to manage, hard to staff, and confusing and frustrating for patients. Our receiving and storage are done in places that are cause the tasks to be time-consuming and difficult. Our new pharmacy is a stand-alone building, centrally located in the hospital compound. It's been designed and built so that all the functions - managing, receiving, storing, and serving patients - will all be more efficient, faster, and easier for everyone. Patients will get medic