Myrtle Beach couple shares update on building hospital in Kenya
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - A Myrtle Beach couple and their ministry have made their way across the world to take on a big project.
Since Lori and Bobby Coles landed in Kenya last week with Touching Lives Ministry, they’ve been hard at work making one of their biggest dreams come true.
The couple wants to help build a hospital, the Sanjweru Medical Center, in the home village of their adoptive son, Brian Wasonga.
TLM CEO Kathi Evans said this past week, they’ve been touring other medical facilities to get ideas and advice.
“It was a great advantage being able to go through those facilities,” Evans said.
Evans shared new details on phase one of building the medical center.
She said it will include an outpatient building with several amenities, including a labor and delivery area and a procedure room for minor surgeries.
She said they would also install solar electricity.
The Coles brought Wasonga to Myrtle Beach nearly a decade ago for life-saving surgery he could not get in Kenya.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Myrtle Beach family raising money to build hospital in adoptive son’s village
- Family plans trip to Africa to see adoptive son who received life-changing surgery in Myrtle Beach
- African teen working to ‘pay it forward’ after getting medical treatment in Myrtle Beach
Wasonga said the closest hospital is a 45-minute drive from their village, but many do not have cars.
He said a hospital right in their backyard would be a saving grace.
“We are recording approximately 20 deaths per year,” Wasonga said. “It’s all for lack of medical care.”
Evans said many people do not realize how lucky we are to have hospitals nearby.
“We take for granted the healthcare we have in the United States,” Evans said.”It’s not something that people here have the luxury of taking for granted.”
Wasonga said generous donations are what saved his life, and he’s asking everyone to donate one dollar to help save thousands more.
“If a person is willing to give, we really appreciate that,” Wasonga said. I’ve been helped by the donors. There are so many people who need this help, but we cannot leave this all up to them.”
TLM hopes to break ground on Sanjweru Medical Center on Oct. 4, but they still need your help to reach their goal of $300,000.
If you’d like to help and donate, click here.
Copyright 2024 WMBF. All rights reserved.
