Today, Spotlight is focussing on our Missionary Partner Gillian Rose who is stationed in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is east of India on the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the world's most densely populated countries. Its people are crammed in the delta of many rivers which flow through the country southwards to the sea. Poverty is deep and widespread - it is reckoned to be the 8th poorest country in the world. However it is a fertile country of lush greenery and many waterways making travel by boat very common. In the south are large mangrove forests - home to the endangered Bengal Tiger.
Gillian, however, is in the north west of the country near the Indian border. She works in Bollophur Hospital, a small village hospital with 4 outlying clinics serving a rural area. Being a rural area means difficulty in attracting and keeping a resident doctor because they command a much higher salary in the towns. Although they have visiting doctors from the town the burden of the responsibility for the hospital falls on Gillian. Bollophur is also a teaching hospital - 18 girls arrived in January to begin their 3 years training to become nurses. There is an intake twice a year. As well as her other duties Gillian teaches the 3rd year students mid-wifery. In the last few years the hospital started training laboratory technicians. There are 12 students this year. As well as a Pathology Lab there is an X-ray Unit, an Eye Clinic and a Geriatric Ward.
We receive a letter approximately 3-4 times a year from Gillian with a monthly report in March. You can read Gilllian's letters for yourself. They are on the notice board in the large hall. Our Missionary Correspondent is Linda Brough who sends our magazine with a covering note every two months to Gillian. Linda has been doing this on our behalf for years and I would like to thank her very much for her work.
From Gillian's letters we can follow the changes that have occurred over the years.
- From hot water bottles for premature babies to incubators;
- From candles and oil lamps when there are one of the many electricity power cuts to their own generator;
- A well for fresh water dug which is called St Ninian's well;
- A new roof and paint for the inside of the building;
- A biogas plant which is fuelled by manure from their cows. You will be glad to learn that the cows have a new mosquito net so they are no long plagued by them during the night.
Some of the funding for these things are paid for by the churches who are Gillian's missionary partners. (Fourteen years ago St Ninian's provided an incubator albeit an obsolete one but still in working order until lately). At present the congregation are sponsoring 3 nurses (we need more help so if you are interested in helping with this you can speak to Jean Bell or myself). Over the years many knitted items have been sent including hats for premature babies and little cardigans. Gillian thanks the knitters from our congregation for these items. At present the need is for small shawls.
Gillian's dedication to her work for God and to the people of Bangladesh is awe-inspiring.
Gillian always finishes her letters by thanking us for keeping alongside her and asking for our prayers, so I will finish by asking you to remember Gillian and her work in your prayers.