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Rainbow in the clouds

Ted is the senior surgeon at the hospital, whilst Rachel works part-time in paediatrics and the maternity ward

Doctors Ted and Rachel Watts, along with their two young sons, are living in Mandritsara in northern Madagascar and serving with SIM UK at the Good News Hospital, part of a project that seeks to make the good news of Jesus known in this rural part of Africa and beyond. 

Like almost everywhere else in the world, the Madagascar government put stringent measures in place to try to limit the spread and development of COVID-19 and the Good News Hospital was no exception.

The hospital’s senior surgeon Ted, who is sent by Beeston Free Evangelical Church, Nottingham, took this photo (below) of the hospital entrance, where a temporary triage centre was set up to screen all new patients for coronavirus symptoms and if necessary, send them to a newly-created “red zone” to isolate them from other patients. “The ‘rainbow in the clouds’ is a wonderful reminder that in these days of turmoil in the world, God is on the throne,” says Ted.

The hospital entrance with COVID-19 'screening sheds'

However, despite the impact of COVID-19, the team give thanks that work to prepare the ground for a new theatre complex went ahead and a ceremony was held in May to publicly commit the building project to God in prayer.

Above: The first stones are laid and Ted speaks at the ceremony, below

The new building will include three major and one minor operating theatres; four consultation rooms and a new recovery and intensive care unit. Once built, the new block will offer better medical care for patients, as well as provide facilities to train local Malagasy surgeons and ensure the long-term sustainability of the hospital and its gospel witness in Mandritsara.

Find out more from the Friends of Mandritsara Trust, which supports the work of the Good News Hospital, at: https://www.mandritsara.org.uk/

By Kerry Allan

Please pray

  • For everyone involved in the Good News project to know God’s presence and sustaining power through these uncertain times.
  • For God to bless Rachel’s plans to identify children in need of help through a new malnutrition screening programme.
  • That building work on the new surgery block would progress well and for the remaining funds needed to complete this project.

This was posted on 2 July 2020 in Medical Mission and Ministry stories.
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