June 2007 Newsletter

Welcome our new Executive Director

LHCB-USA welcomes Mr. Terrance L. Dinovo as our new Executive Director, effective May 1, 2007. Terry brings a wide variety of experiences to the position. He graduated from University of Nebraska with a degree in history, and studied at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN receiving Masters degrees in both Divinity and Theology. For over five years he served two parishes in rural Nebraska, and then returned to Luther Seminary as Curator of Special Collections in the library. He gained additional skills in management and fundraising as Director of Programming and Development at the Minneapolis Athenaeum, and most recently has shared his love of the written word as a department manager at Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

“From the moment I read the position announcement, I knew LHCB was potentially a good fit,” says Terry. “Here is an organization which successfully provides assistance to women, children and families of southern Bangladesh, with support from local individuals and congregations: Christians aiding Muslims, Muslims teaching Christians. Here is a message of love and charity reaching out to the other side of the globe, a microcosm of something potentially much larger. I look forward to working with the Board in pursuing all the possibilities within our grasp.”

LHCB extends a warm welcome to Terry and his wife Diane. And we look to the future with enthusiasm and hope as we continue to nurture this special mission.

A Fond Farewell

As our Interim Executive Director, Sue Wheeler has led LHCB-USA through a sea of challenging decisions that have strengthened and prepared us for the future. We respect, admire, and appreciate the expertise, the insight and the inspiration she shared with us as we made ready for the next chapter of LHCB. Although we will miss Sue, we are deeply grateful to her for guiding us to this time when we welcome our new Executive Director, Terry Dinovo. We wish Sue all the best as she embarks on her next mission.

Notes from our Interim Executive Director
Sue Wheeler

Over the past year and a half, I have been privileged to serve Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh as an organizational development consultant and Interim Executive Director. It has been a rewarding journey, with more challenges and complexities along the way than one would imagine in an organization our size. And actually, that’s what has been so rewarding. LHCB encompasses a group of committed and loving individuals who work diligently and creatively across cultures, miles, and languages to make life better for those we serve in southern Bangladesh – most of whom we’ve never met. I can’t think of anything more Christ-like than that.

Together, we’ve accomplished a great deal. We’ve rebounded from leadership transitions in LHCB-USA, ELCA’s Global Mission, and LHCB-Bangladesh all within the same year. We’ve clarified roles and finances, developed necessary management tools, honestly communicated needs, set goals, and monitored progress. We’ve assembled materials, plans and people to tell the story of LHCB and assure a connection between the supporters here and the ongoing work in Bangladesh. We’ve discerned the kind of leadership we need for our next phase of growth and development and have hired our new Executive Director. We’ve had one overarching goal throughout the decision making – to bring LHCB to the kind of good heath that will sustain us long into the future.

As I transition to my next assignment, I feel so blessed to be carrying along the many things I have learned from members of the LHCB family. Your work is good and true. I have been proud to be a part of it.

And now, I am so happy that Terry Dinovo, LHCB’s new Executive Director, has joined the LHCB family. I know that his capabilities, collaborative spirit, and heart for the work will serve this mission very well. I will be watching your progress and praying for your continued wisdom and success.

Staff Housing Project Update

On a bright sunny day in November 2006, LHCB celebrated the groundbreaking for the new Staff Housing Project. Work was disrupted for more than three months because of the political unrest in Bangladesh as the country prepares for upcoming elections, but was once again underway in mid February 2007.

Construction in Bangladesh has its own unique challenges. There is no natural occurring rock in Bangladesh so bricks are made of the clay, then crushed to make cement. In the rural village of Dumki there are no large pieces of machinery to dig holes, no dump trucks to haul the clay soil, or power mixers for the cement. All the labor is by hand. The laborers are plentiful and care is taken to respect the local customs and expectations in employing the workers. As monsoon is approaching, the workers will face the challenges of building in wet and muddy conditions.

Poul Bertelsen, of MSAADA Architects, is the designer of the new Staff House and acts as our consultant, overseeing the construction project. He visited Dumki in August 2006 prior to groundbreaking, and will be visiting the construction site again this summer. We look forward to hearing his report and updates on the project when he returns.

Please pray for the safety of the construction workers, for Bijoy Baroi, the Executive Director, as he travels between Dhaka and Dumki supervising the overall work of LHCB, and for the dedicated staff of LHCB as they continue to provide care for the women and children we serve.

News from the Women's Savings Groups:

Maksuda’s Family Lives on the Income of a Rickshaw Van

Maksuda Begum is 37 years old and lives in the village of Charboira about 6 kms east of Dumki with her husband and 3 children. A group organizer from LHCB helped 17 women from her village form a savings group. During weekly meetings, the organizer taught about health care, women and children’s rights and social exploitation; and provided the functional training the women needed to start a small business. Each member started saving 5 - 10 Taka (8 - 16 cents) a week, accumulating 17,000 Taka ($274) over three years. Maksuda took a loan of 2000 Taka ($32) from the group and bought a rickshaw van. Now her husband drives the rickshaw van and makes 5000 Taka ($80) per month. Maksuda has repaid her loan with interest, her family has a regular source of income, and life is easier than it was before.

LHCB also installed a deep tube well in Maksuda’s village, giving 30 families access to safe, arsenic-free water and healthier lives. She and her other group members are very grateful to the LHCB field staff for their great assistance and support.

News from the Hospital in Dumki:

A 19 Day Old Baby Girl Recovers

Monika, a 19 day old infant girl, was brought to the LHCB clinic in Dumki by her parents. She had been seriously ill at home in her village for 2 days. During her examination, she was found to have a fever and pneumonia, and was immediately admitted to the hospital. After receiving modern treatment and care for 2 days, she began to improve. After 5 days, she was able to fully recover from her illness, thanks to the dedicated services of the doctors and nurses and the blessings of God. Her mother and father offered deepest thanks to the medical staff for their great services.

Annual Meeting

LHCB-USA

July 19, 2007
6:30 - 9:00 pm
Calvary Lutheran Church
7520 Golden Valley Road
763-545-5659

Mr. Bijoy Baroi, Executive Director LHCB-Bangladesh, and Mr. Kajal Sengupta, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, will be our guests at the Annual Meeting bringing the latest program information directly from our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh.
Dr. Diane Petersen, President LHCB-USA, will provide an overview of our progress and our exciting plans for the future. Please join your fellow supporters of LHCB to celebrate this mission of hope and promise for the women, children and families we serve.