Ted arrived today from Kampala and we immediately immersed him in the world of healthcare. We have been helping Arua Medical and Radiology Center for the past 4 years, and have been delighted with its growth from primarily a radiology center to a much fuller service health center, now offering lab work, general consultation, orthopedics, dentistry and minor outpatient surgery! AMRC has outgrown its city center premise, and is now looking at a major expansion to a second location a kilometer south of the city on the Kampala road. We went to look at the building work being done and both Ted and I were very impressed by the vision of Ronald Debo the CEO of AMRC. The great thing about AMRC is that not only does it continue to grow by plowing back the profits into the business, but it continues to offer services and treatment that were not previously available in Arua and for which patients either did nothing – and suffered the consequences – or went on a three day trip to Kampala. As you can imagine, most did nothing, and serious conditions that could have been simply solved through medication ran their course often to the demise of the patient. So AMRC represents the best of social entrepreneurship – a profitable and growing business providing an ever expanding range of health services to the community!
The new facility is planned to go one step further – inpatient services, offering general surgery. There is a hospital in Arua, but the surgery resources are so limited that only emergency surgeries are done. If you have an “elective” condition, there is no likelihood of being operated on. Hence the great opportunity and need for a private clinic that can perform such surgeries. We are working on how we can help make this plan come to a reality for the people of Arua.
Later in the afternoon I was the speaker at a business prayer meeting held by our friend Reverend John Bill Akutuko. John Bill was my first contact with the Church of Uganda in Arua and initiated the first business breakfast at which I spoke, and which has been the catalyst for all my work here. He is unusual in that he preaches the high calling of business for those of us in the marketplace. He asked me to speak about “Creating and Building our Businesses with Christ as our Model”. A great topic with which I hope I was able to do justice. Following we had a series of people share their reaction, and then on to prayer. It was a very special time of interaction and prayer – seated under the trees in the garden at Slumberland (my hotel). It was both inspiring and relaxing. We felt the presence of God and there was great warmth among the people who attended. Blasio, Ted and I were also able to meet some business people that were new to us.
Well, I’m in the dark with a battery that is fast expiring, waiting for a dinner that was ordered over an hour ago, and knowing that the water will be cold again tomorrow. Not perfect circumstances, I admit, but it looks like rain again tonight (as the last two nights) and this brings cool and food! I find myself very contented and with a strong sense that this is exactly where God wants me right now. He is my strength and shield! My prayer is that all of you reading this blog would also know the peace that comes from believing in Jesus Christ as savior.
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