Ever the same

First resumé after the Corona-year 2020

For private companies, like Diospi Suyana, that are financed by donations 2020 was a year full of risks: organisational, financial, political and health-wise.

Organisational: the missionary hospital wants to provide medical treatment to as many poor patients as possible.  But when the Government imposed the state of emergency on 15th March it was difficult for us to continue providing this service.  Police controls on the roads and curfews made it sheer impossible for people who urgently needed to see a doctor to travel.  Swiftly-passed state regulations further impeded the normal running of the hospital.  But nevertheless our staff treated 34.236 patients in 2020.

Financial: treating Covid-patients is expensive.  Due to the pandemic we had to purchase extra equipment and materials.  Because the State drastically increased the salaries of nurses working in public institutions, Diospi Suyana had to follow suit.  Still we managed to prevent encountering financial problems; we are thankful that in 2020 Diospi Suyana did not have to take any loans and that we received a record-amount of donations.

Political: since the middle of March there was a real danger that the State wanted to get its grip on Diospi Suyana.  The long negotiations with the Regional Government showed once again that it is impossible to bind governmental bodies to actually fulfil what they promise.  When on 29th May the missionary doctors John spoke on the radio about these dangers, something unexpected happened: more than 1.5mio Peruvians picked up on our SOS-message on our social-media sites.  The overwhelming public interest opened many doors.  Within the week we had important conversations with top-ranking politicians in the capital Lima and on 4th August a meeting with the Head of State.  The situation stabilised itself.  Politicians, mass-media and even the public paid tribute to the hospital’s contribution in providing healthcare for the people living in the Southern Mountains.

Health-wise: roughly 10% of those who contracted Covid were medical workers.  Our staff at Diospi Suyana also had high-risk-exposure.  The screening tests at the hospital’s entrance found that more than 1,200 patients had a Corona infection.  We are thankful that none of our Peruvian staff nor any of missionaries died from the virus infection.

So we thank God from the bottom of our hearts for his many blessings in the crisis-year 2020.

The melody of the song that John Lentink (piano) and Dr Jens Haßfeld (guitar) are playing touches the heart, its rhythm the bones.  As I take a photo of the text on the TV-screen I notice immediately how perfectly it fits to our experiences.

“You keep your promises.  You never let us down.  In fire or in storm you are there, ever the same.  Your love is great.  You, O Lord, are sovereign!”/KDJ.

You keep your promises.  You never let us down.  In fire or in storm you are there, ever the same.
Morning devotion: the church sanctuary is also used as a waiting room so that people can keep their distance more easily.
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