September 2007 Newsletter

Annual Meeting of LHCB-USA is a Great Celebration

On Thursday July 19th, friends and supporters of LHCB gathered at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, MN to celebrate the work we do for the women, children and families in Dumki and the surrounding villages.

The evening was blessed with warm hospitality from our hosts at Calvary, state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, and stimulating presentations by all the speakers. Reverend Joe Chu of ELCA's Global Mission sent a video greeting expressing ELCA's commitment to LHCB-USA and LHCB-Bangladesh as we walk together in accompaniment in support of this mission. Mr. Bijoy Baroi, Executive Director LHCB-Bangladesh, and Mr. Kajal Sengupta, Vice Chairman Board of Trustees LHCB-Bangladesh, presented a new, compelling video describing the arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh and the programs LHCB has initiated to bring relief from this hidden poison to the village people in the districts we serve. We heard the success stories of the Community Development programs in the Patuakhali District, and the expansion of these programs into the Madaripus District allowing even more women the opportunity for education in health and economics.
Dr. Steve Haggmark, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, World Christianity and World Religions of Luther Seminary, was the guest speaker. He shared his vision and message for LHCB, A Christian presence and mission in a predominantly Muslim country. Maturity in ministry brings new challenges; becoming noticed in a Muslim culture brings new concerns and questions. LHCB serves as a model for service in a Muslim majority world. The three main points of Dr. Haggmark's message for LHCB and for all Christians doing mission work are the following: 1. Mission is about release - setting people free, 2. Be pure of motive - have no hidden agendas, 3. Be who we are as Christians - become what Christ intended.
LHCB-USA is grateful for the support and commitment shown by those who attended the meeting.

November Mission Trip

On November 3, 2007, the first mission trip in 2 years will leave from Minnesota for a visit to Dhaka and Dumki. The 6 member group includes Dr. Diane Petersen (OB/GYN), Dr. Karna Lundquist (Pediatrics), Dr. Steven Rousey (Hematology/Oncology), Karin Robeck (Pediatric Nurse), Diane Wallace-Reid (Media Specialist for Minneapolis Schools), and Terrance Dinovo (Executive Director LHCB-USA). Dr. Petersen, President of the Board of Directors of LHCB-USA, will be making her fourth trip to Bangladesh, and Dr. Lundquist, Vice President of the Board of Directors of LHCB-USA, will be returning for her third visit. The other travelers will be experiencing Bangladesh for the first time! The team is excited to see the work LHCB continues to do providing education and health care for the women, children and families in southern Bangladesh. They are eager to work side by side with the medical staff in Dumki sharing information, techniques and skills to improve patient care. They look forward to providing support and encouragement to the new well projects and village Women's Savings Groups in the Madaripur district just north of Dumki. And they will witness first hand the progress on the Staff Housing Project. During their visit, they will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the hospital and climic with the LHCB staff and their families, members of the Board of Trustees of LHCB-Bangladesh, local businessmen, officials and medical personnel, and the patients we serve in the community.

Our Doctors in Dumki

The skyline in Dumki is changing as the Staff Housing Project continues to take shape. The 3 story building will be among the highest in the village. The entire community watches as the new contruction progresses, but none more eagerly than our medical staff. There are 4 doctors presently on the staff of LHCB. Dr. Subrata is the Medical Director of LHCB, specializes in Pediatrics, and sees patients in the hospital, outpatient and mobile clinics. Dr. Mahkan sees patients in the hosptial and outpatient clinic, and is a regular member of the Mobile Clinic Team that visits the villages 2 days each week. Dr. Justine is orginally from Madagascar. She is a missionary sponsored doctor of the ELCA, and focuses her practice on OB/GYN. The newest doctor on staff is Dr. Mafeda, a native of Banglsdesh and a recent graduate from her medical training. The remainder of the medical staff includes 5 senior nurses, 7 junior nurses and 7 nurses' aids. These dedicated men and women provided medical care for nearly 15,000 patients last year in the hospital, outpatient clinics, and mobile clinic visits to the surrounding villages.

Staff Housing Project

Pictured at the right is a recent photo of the Staff Housing Project showing the construction progress as of August 20, 2007. The second of three floors is well underway in spite of the challenges of building during the monsoon rains. Completion is scheduled for summer 2008. If you would like to contribute to the Staff Housing Project, please visit our website www.lhcb.org and clinck on "You Can Help." Following is a summary of funding for the Project: Total Budget $180,000, Funds Raised to Date $147,531, Funds Needed for Completion $32,469.

Flooding in Bangladesh

Flooding is a yearly occurrence in Bangladesh, a country the size of Wisconsin with 147 million people crowded into city apartments, rural village huts, and temporary dwellings along the sides of roads and rivers. Each year the flood waters devastate acres and acres of farmland, wash away homes, belongings and livestock, disrupt businesses and commerce, and expose millions of people, young and old, to waterborne illnesses and disease. Some years are worse than others – this is one of them. We asked how the flooding directly affected LHCB and received the following information from Mr. Bijoy Baroi,
Executive Director of LHCB-Bangladesh. Neither the village of Dumki where the hospital is located, nor the surrounding Patuakhali District is affected so far. However, in the 3 districts north of Dumki where we have expanded our community development and deep tube wells projects, it is estimated that 300 – 400 families are
affected at this time. Assessments of the damage are being done and relief efforts will be taken in 3 steps:
1. Providing emergency food, water purification tablets, oral saline, first aid medical supplies and clothing;
2. Providing seeds for replanting of vegetable, rice and wheat crops (Phase I); and,
3. Providing low-cost housing and money for house repairs after the flood waters recede (Phase II).
Please visit our website www.lhcb.org for updates on Flood Relief.

Following is an excerpt from a news release from the ELCA on August 17, 2007:

“About 23 million people are believed to be affected in Bangladesh, India and Nepal from what is being described as the worst flooding in “living memory.” In response to the floods in South
Asia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has provided an initial $120,000 in August to support relief efforts there. “The sheer size and scale of flooding and the massive number of people affected pose an ‘unprecedented challenge to the delivery of desperatelyneeded humanitarian assistance,’” according to statement from the United Nations, reported the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, spokesperson for ELCA Global Mission. The United Nations describes the floods as the “worst in living memory,” he said. “Eyewitnesses said the rains have continued for 20 days, flooding out about 14 million people who live along the Ganges River, which flows
east to Bangladesh. Tens of thousands of people have left their homes and taken shelter in temporary camps on higher ground. Most of the people could not carry food or clothing during the evacuation and are consequently dependent on assistance from the government and/or nongovernmental organizations.” About 5 million people in Bangladesh have been forced out of their homes and farms, reported Ishida. “A total of 10 million people may be affected as
floodwaters continue to rise, according to Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh” (LHCB), he said. “This figure may increase, since many areas in Bangladesh cannot be reached.” The ELCA has sent $20,000 to support the work of LHCB, an ELCA companion ministry.”

We need your help!

Please consider a gift to LHCB to help us meet our 2007 goal of $155,000 for the programs in Bangladesh that directly serve the women and children.