Congo-Brazzaville (MNN)–This weekend, MNN’s Ruth Bliss is flying out to Quito, Ecuador to celebrate a passionate vision with HCJB World Radio, 75 years of ministry.
Part of this assignment is to give you, the reader, a cross-section glimpse of the passion driving this group of people into uncharted territory.
Our first story hails from the Republic of Congo, home to the Pioneer Christian Hospital in the north. ‘North’ doesn’t quite do the location justice. The facility sits near the west bank of the Oubangui River, in the village of Impfondo.
Due to its isolation, the people have no access to quality medical care, leading to a broad spectrum of healthcare problems.
HCJB World Radio’s Sheila Leech works with a team stationed there where the challenge to ministry is staffing. “Pray for safety for our team, for extra strength, for health, particularly for Dr. Paulyna Orellana, who is there at the moment. She is the only physician on staff. She’s very, very tired. It’s a wonderful opportunity she has dreamed her whole life of serving God in Africa, of being a missionary to Africa.”
The doctor Leech references is Ecuadorian physician Paulyna Orellana. She joined a growing multinational team sent to fill in for the hospital’s founder, Joe Harvey, who had left for furlough with his family.
She’s part of a team of short-term replacements in an area of Congo that is under-evangelized. Others came from HCJB World Radio’s international headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado or from Hospital Vozandes-Quito.
Between the 14 Congolese staff maintaining day-to-day operations, and the others who brought experience, training and linguistic gymnastics (French, Lingala and English), the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ has proven a “vibrant experience that touched my heartstrings,” says Orellana.
With that awakening came a passion, says Leech, that feeds a holistic growth pattern. “For us, here in Ecuador, this is a fulfillment of our investment in the country here, at HCJB World Radio healthcare. After 50 years, serving in the healthcare arena here in Ecuador, we are now seeing Ecuadorian missionaries going out to the uttermost parts of the Earth.”
