AOMH: Finishing the Race with Faith
Although the rainy season is well under way in Nigeria, work on the Agnes Onuoha Memorial Hospital continues at a steady pace in preparation for its opening in 2024. The site electrician and his team are installing the wiring and equipment for the hospital’s power. A “thunder arrester” is also being installed to divert lightning strikes from taking out electrical panels and critical machinery.
In the thick of the rains, the indoor plastering is ongoing. Clearing of the land around the site has begun and will continue as the weather allows. Installation of custom doors and hospital-grade lighting technologies are the next phase of construction, and vendors for that work are expected to be selected soon so that work can begin.
There are several exciting new developments at the AOMH site. An engineering firm has been engaged to drill two new boreholes on the site to serve the hospital’s water needs. When completed, water from the boreholes will be pumped into overhead water tanks to ensure a constant clean water source. In addition, water harvested in each rainy season will be stored in underground water reservoirs and then filtered for use in the hospital.
Reliable communication in the rural area of the hospital is also being addressed. Initial meetings have been held with a local telecommunications company about siting a cell tower close to AOMH to improve phone service and data network coverage and reception. Having a cell tower nearby will greatly improve the hospital’s ability to collect, store, and transmit research data, patient records, referrals, and other information vital to effective operations.
A second structure is arising on the grounds of the hospital, courtesy of the Niger Delta Development Commission, an arm of the Nigerian federal government. The building is intended as a meeting hall for medical conferences, research symposiums, and community education and will accommodate as many as 300 people. Currently, the building is still at the foundation stage, but the government construction crew expects completion and handover to happen in the next few months.
Paperwork has been completed, and a shipper has been secured for the donated hospital beds from Methodist Hospital and Texas Christian University Harris School of Nursing, and a sail date for the beds is expected any day now. Two shipping containers have now been loaded with supplies from Project C.U.R.E., and paperwork is nearing completion. Negotiations are underway for two shipping slots and a sail date for those containers.
God’s hand and provision for AOMH have been clearly evident throughout its inception and construction, and we are so grateful for that and for those of you who have been the vessels of His grace. It is the encouragement of God, our supporters, and those in desperate need of the care of AOMH that keeps us pressing on towards the goal of opening our doors. Is God calling you to help us finish that race and be a vessel of grace and healing? There is still much to be done, and your help is needed. Open doors start with open hearts. You can open yours by clicking the link below.