ELWA Hospital was founded in the mid-1960s by Dr. Robert Schindler, a surgeon from Berrien Springs, Michigan, which is only a couple hours from Grand Rapids. His group, the Southwestern Medical Clnic, has many mission-minded physicians who take turns volunteering overseas. Dr. Schindler was followed here by Dr. Frank Young, who was the surgeon Susie and I worked with in 1977 - Dr. Young was from the Detroit area and was a missionary supported by my home church in the 1970s and early 1980s; later, he became the US-based medical director of the mission SIM. The pediatrician we worked with was Dr. Dave VanReken, who currently lives in Indianapolis - his brother and cousin both did Internal Medicine residency training in Grand Rapids and another brother is currently a theology professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids!
The hospital complex is located about a third of a mile inland from the ocean. It is a ten minute walk from my guesthouse which makes it very convenient. Another quarter mile inland is the front gate and main road that goes to Monrovia.
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Welcoming sign near the main entrance to the hospital. At the far right and in
the background, you can see the fence that now surrounds the hospital.
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Much of the hospital surrounds a central courtyard - the overhangs come in handy
during the rainy seaaon! The various wards enter from this courtyard. |
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In the adult female ward - Dr. Patrick (at right, from Nigeria) looks on as an
EKG is being done at the bedside. |
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| An exam room in the doctors' office area |
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An exam room in the dental clinic which is staffed by a "dental technician" who studied in India -
he can do extractions, anterior root canals, and anterior partial dentures. |
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| The pharmacy building is across the street from the hospital |
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I am not sure how often this ambulance is used. Note that it was donated by
the Lions Club of Liberia!! |
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| The chapel is across the courtyard from the inpatient wards. |
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