Solar power for a hospital in rural northern Madagascar is what we might call something of a no-brainer. Unstable and unreliable local electricity supplies, the possibility of reducing utility costs, alongside wise stewardship of the resources of the planet that God has given... it was a much welcomed suggestion when brothers and sisters from New Zealand proposed to fund and install a significant set-up for the hospital.
However, a significant storm in late 2017 resulted in water damage to the equipment; and in their own words, ‘to date we have yet to fully recover from this event,’ with repeated attempts to make the necessary repairs meeting difficulties at every turn. The positive outcome to date, nevertheless, is that for two years now solar power has been supplementing power from Jirama (the local supplier) during daylight hours. The goal is still to one day be totally independent of outside supply. This benefits of this would be significant.
The global pandemic has obviously only served to lengthen delays.
What can we pray for?
Please pray for more grace and patience for our Kiwi brothers and sisters, who have seen one setback after another. Pray for endurance and support to see the project through to the end. Pray for those on-site who are seeking to make the repairs; and pray for opportunities for future visits (as required) by those with expertise required.
And please pray for sufficient and reliable power to supply the needs of the hospital in the meantime. Anyone who has spent any time in Mandritsara will understand some of the challenges of an unreliable and unstable power supply.
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