Josh and Nadine | Medical Clinic
Josh and Nadine Guenther are Registered Nurses, currently living in Edmonton, AB. "We were married in 2009, and have always had a strong passion to serve others less fortunate then ourselves." Josh works in the ER at the Royal Alex Hospital, and Nadine runs a Community Nursing Station for homeless men in downtown Edmonton. They are moving to Burundi in January 2013! Serving individuals by helping to meet their basic physical needs opens the door for opportunities to share their devotion for help and love. Help support Josh and Nadine with this special and unique opportunity for them to start a new adventure in a country desperately in need of help.
Josh and Nadine are moving to Gitega, the 2nd largest city in Burundi in order to help start a medical clinic (the Shammah Medical Clinic) that will serve the surrounding area. Josh and Nadine will be working with Burundi Youth For Christ, in order to provide care to people that would otherwise have no help or support. Over 10 million people live in Burundi, and over half of that number live below the poverty line, on less than $1.00 (USD) per day. Burundi is ranked the 3rd poorest country in the world, by the United Nations. 1 out of every 5 children born in Burundi die before reaching the age of five years, and 10% of mothers die during child birth.
Over 175,000 people live with AIDS, and almost 15,000 die every year from the disease. The AIDS epidemic has left over 200,000 orphans in Burundi and climbing. Burundi has emerged from a 12 year civil war and state of unrest, and while the violence has calmed down, the situation is worse than ever. Inflation rates have caused the people to be unable to purchase food for themselves or their families, and the country's economy is in shambles. What little healthcare exists in the country is overwhelmed with the demand of millions of people that need help.
For more information, please visit the Youth For Christ Burundi's website to find out more about all of the wonderful things they are doing in Gitega. Josh and Nadine are going for two weeks this August to visit Gitega, perform community and needs assessments, evaluate equipment and supplies, and gather more information to ensure the clinic start-up will be successful.
They need your help if they are going to get there! Please visit their blog to find their newsletter, and subscribe for updates as Josh and Nadine prepare and raise support to help the less fortunate.
http://joshandnadineinburundi.wordpress.com/
Please help Josh and Nadine as they are asking you to partner with them in hopes of bringing "hope" to Gitega. Any amount of financial support whether it be small or lump sums, as well as monthly support options would be appreciated. Josh and Nadine's expenses include the following:
- $30,000 (CDN) is needed for a guesthouse to be built next to the clinic. This will be an invaluable asset for YFC Burundi in order to open its doors to more volunteers and teams in the future. Our hope is to start construction as soon as possible so it is ready for our arrival in January.
- $12,000 (CDN) will purchase a Toyota Truck, which will be used for mobile clinics, equipment and patient transport, etc.
- $2,000 (CDN) for a gas-powered back-up generator.
- $5,000 (CDN) for a community garden, which will feed the staff and children at the YFC Burundi Gitega complex.
- Money for supplies and equipment for the clinic which will be strongly needed.
Josh and Nadine also need your help with various expenses for them to make this journey possible: Vaccines, medications, medical insurance, travel visas, flights, and money for unexpected expenditures. In total, Josh and Nadine anticipate that roughly $60,000 (CDN) will be needed to help them bring hope to Burundi.
"We are privileged that in Alberta, we take healthcare and many other essential services for granted. We are asking that you would consider supporting us in this journey to bring medical care to those who have none, and to see the people of Burundi come alive with hope and happiness.