He lived there, and he was their brother...

UNLESS you have been living in a cave the past month or so, you most likely have come across news that Dr. Paul Thistle who through his dedicated service for the past 16 years has endeared himself to the community of Chiweshe in particular, will be leaving Howard Hospital in a few days.

The exact circumstances surrounding his pending departure are unclear, and depending on who you choose to believe, he is either being re-deployed by the Salvation Army, or being transferred against his will to Canada, or as the people of Chiweshe choose to believe he is being kicked out for being such an honest guy trying hard to stop some good-for-nothing church leaders from dipping their filthy hands into the cookie jar (which incidentally he personally begged for from his native Canada).

And as with most things in Zimbabwe, it appears some are viewing this through a political prism with a theory which seems to have gained some traction in some quarters alleging that Vice President Joice Mujuru, who is a senior member of the church and incidentally also wields a lot of power politically, has something against Thistle.

Whether there is any truth to this is anyone's guess, but Mujuru is a senior member of the Salvation Army and she happens to hail from the province in which Howard Hospital is located, the health institution which employed Dr Thistle.

We have seen her parade in the Salvation military uniform on TV for much less causes, and in this instance her silence on an issue so dear to so many in her province lends credence to the speculation that she didn't like Thistle very much and probably couldn't care less if he were to leave.

The Salvation Army, for its part, whatever salvation it represents, in all likelihood does not include the salvation of the people of Chiweshe and thousands of poor Zimbabweans who had come to rely on Thistle for care.

So another white Zimbabwean is being kicked out of the country unceremoniously, why should it be news?

The contribution of Paul Thistle to the nation of Zimbabwe can never be adequately captured in words. For 16 whole years, he served with honour and total dedication at Howard Hospital, providing high quality medical care to the nation's poorest. He left the comfort of Canada where he was assured of a six figure annual salary and all the benefits of a developed society to settle in rural Chiweshe to offer his service to a people who needed it.

For 16 years, he lived among them sharing their pains; when everyone saw desolation, he chose to be a symbol of hope. He married among them; when our store shelves were empty, he got no bread; when bungling NOCZIM made sure the nation had no fuel, he learnt to park his vehicle and hope for better days.

I will mention three instances to illustrate why he was a man apart.

Sometime in 2004, a set of conjoined twins was delivered at Howard Hospital. Their parents named them Tinotenda and Tinashe, names conveying their appreciation and belief in a God who provides ways even where we see none.

Such an occurrence in our public hospitals would attract a flood of visitors to see this rarity but in the end with no expertise for the complex operation needed to separate them, they would be condemned to a sorry death. Not under the watch of Thistle though. He got on the phone, mobilized, begged and badgered until the twins were flown to one of the world's best children's hospitals – Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and ultimately got life-saving surgery. To this day, Tinotenda and Tinashe are alive and will never forget how hard Thistle fought to save their lives.

When Zimbabweans, myself included, decided Chiweshe was too rural, too slow to spend the youthful days of our lives, he lived there, somehow managing to convince hundreds of fellow Canadians to devote months of service there as well. And when the government and the church told him they had no money for supplies, he independently begged for money from all who cared to listen.

Miraculously, even in the darkest of years when even the government could not keep its own hospitals like KuGomo open, Howard remained an oasis of hope. I distinctly remember working as a junior doctor at one of the nation's largest referral hospitals in 2008.

That year, when all that could go wrong did go wrong, we learnt that when we had patients we could not look after we would refer them to Howard and Karanda Mission Hospitals. It sounds unbelievable, but hospitals with hundreds of doctors ended up referring patients to a rural village in Chiweshe. And as patients would report back, it did not matter how far you came, or that they had not a dime to pay, Thistle and his team welcomed you and gave you the best of Howard's renowned hospitality and clinical excellence.

When political violence engulfed our land in 2008, with militias marauding villages wielding pangas and machetes, Thistle would clean the wounds of the victims and nurse them back to health.

Just this past year in 2011, Paul Thistle and his Howard team got a pitiful US$7,000 from government to cater for a community of 270,000. That's right, our government in all its wisdom decided to allocate each of these people THREE cents for health care for the whole year.

They could have easily thrown a tantrum and done nothing like a lot of ministers I will not name, but Thistle being who he is made sure they saw 125,000 people and delivered 3,000 babies. How about that for a miracle? Jesus fed five thousand with two loaves and five fish but after 2000 years of inflation, Thistle fed, housed and offered modern medical care to 125,000 at five cents each!!

Howard was a leader in showing the world that it was possible to provide ARVs to rural villagers and that with dedication, even palliative care could be provided in villages. To this day, thousands still trek from far and wide to receive care at Howard. Hundreds drive from Harare to Howard for care and Thistle has welcomed them and provided them the excellent care Howard has become synonymous with.

The goal of Paul and the other staff at Howard Hospital is that all who desire can access treatment, be restored to full health and be returned to their communities as productive members of society. And he would have gladly continued to offer himself in this service; his wife would have loved to continue teaching midwifery to a generation of cadres who will impact millions until on August 4, for reasons we shall never fully understand, the Salvation Army decided it was time he left.

END PART ONE

Zimbabweans seek a brighter future

Vice-President Joice Mujuru is a lifelong active Salvationist and one of more than 100,000 Salvation Army soldiers serving in Zimbabwe. There is othing in the reports received relative to the HH travesty to suggest that the Vice President has ever been less than supportive of the Hospital’s mission to the people in what is her home district.

The FSAOF joins with others in praying that the Zimbabwean government’s hope for the future and the Salvation Army’s mission in that country will be blessed by God and fulfilled.

________________________________

Zim future bright: Mujuru

August 8, 2013  Vice President Joyce Mujuru

Farai Kuvirimirwa Herald Reporter


Zimbabweans should anticipate having a prosperous life and enrich themselves in abundance for the next five years, Vice President Joice Mujuru has said.

Addressing guests at the fundraising dinner for the Simon Chimbetu Primary School in Harare on Wednesday, Vice President Mujuru said Zanu PF resoundingly won the recently held harmonised elections and it is now time promises availed in the party’s manifesto and campaigns turn into fruition.

“If you look at the Zanu PF manifesto, it is clearly spelt out that the return of the local currency will be done at a later time. This time we want people to have real jobs and not resort to thieving.

“We are going to create jobs which will enrich people for good and with a traceable record. If you don’t make money in the next five years you will not make it,” she said.

VP Mujuru castigated people who have been peddling falsehoods and triggered pessimism after it was announced Zanu PF had won the Presidential, parliamentary and council elections.

She said there was no turning back on the slashing of tariffs that was initiated by President Mugabe last month.

….“The African pride should be shown by how we behave and appreciation on what we do. There is no need for one to be scared as shown by what has been said such as petrol price increases, early local currency return and re-introduction of the South African visas for Zimbabweans.

“Some say scrapping of tariffs which was mentioned before polls was a lie, but rest assured that even those who did not vote for Zanu-PF are going to have bills slashed. We do not want a country that is famed for gossiping and saying things which portray the country negatively,” VP Mujuru said.

She urged people who were in the habit of using the President’s office to achieve their own goals to desist from doing so which she said was against the party’s wish for people to live in harmony.

She thanked Zimbabweans for having trust in Zanu PF and entrusting their future under the leadership of the President in the next five years.

“We have not had enough time to thank everyone and we will thank everyone in the best possible way we can. Chimbetu’s party won elections and this victory is dedicated to heroes who died before and after him.

“As parents we expect future generations to continue with legacies we leave,” she said.

VP Mujuru thanked the Chimbetu family for establishing the Simon Chimbetu School in Chegutu which she says lessens the burden on the national fiscus.

She said the establishment of the school was in line with Government’s desire to continuously improve the education sector for the benefit of future generations.

Electricity bills to be scrapped: VP Mujuru

09/08/2013 By ffzenewsroom

The Zanu-PF Government will be seized with improving the quality of life of ordinary citizens throughout the country, Vice-President Joice Mujuru has said.

….“Some say the scrapping of debts which was mentioned before the polls was a lie, but be rest assured that even those who did not vote for Zanu-PF are going to have their bills slashed. We do not want a country that is famed for gossiping and saying things which portray the country negatively.”

VP Mujuru said that electricity bills would also be scrapped.
“Nyika ino hatisati tanyatsowana kudekara since Independence. Ndozviri kutamburirwa navaMugabe. Musanyare zvenyu kuti muno muHarare hamuna kunyatsoitwa zvakanaka zveZanu-PF aiwa. Tiri kungokudai zvakadaro. Kana zvatinogadzira izvozvo, nyangwe nemagetsi acho nemunhu wacho asina kuvhotera Zanu-PF anongobvisirwa futi magetsi acho iwayo, nemvura yacho zvakadaro nokuti ndiyo Zimbabwe yacho.

“Ndokunaka kwacho,” she said.
She urged Zimbabweans to stand firm and remain positive in the wake of rumours doing rounds on fuel hikes and unfounded statements about the return of the Zim dollar and reintroduction of the South African visas for Zimbabweans. She thanked Zimbabweans for voting overwhelmingly for Zanu-PF and for entrusting their future under the leadership of the President, a revered leader with worldwide acclaim….

FSAOF MISSION PROJECT PART TWO

Early the next morning (Tuesday, our fifth wedding anniversary) we set our Satnav to the Ukrainian border.  However,  I had inadvertently set the Satnav to avoid toll roads and we found ourselves crisscrossing major roads for the next four hours, arriving at the border late afternoon rather than as expected around mid-day! Fortunately we were in a good traveling mood and were able to laugh about it!

We expected the Polish patrol to simply wave us through however, they were very keen to learn what we were carrying in all the strange shaped cases and items strapped to the roof rack of our car.  After more than an hour we were finally waved forward to the Ukrainian border.  I was just grateful that Sven can converse in basic Russian; it certainly made life much easier.  

The border guards and immigration authorities were very respectful because Sven had prepared a letter on SA letterhead in Russian explaining the purpose of our mission as providing humanitarian aid and Salvation Army uniforms and instruments to the Corps in Simferofol where we would be conducting a music camp.

They asked us to empty the car and then to open several of the instrument cases for inspection.  Sven named the various instruments and their approximate value making clear however that they were a gift and that we had put no value on them. One of the border guards asked jokingly ‘What, no trombone?’  The mood was by this time jovial. They then asked about Sven’s wheelchair as they just could not figure out what it was and so I had to open it up and show it to them for further inspection.

Next came the inspection of the car documents and trying to convince them after some discussion that the vehicle really was ours and there was no attempt on our part to smuggle it into Ukraine and sell it. 

The queue of cars and trucks extended as far as the eye could see and so, two hours later and by this time it was pitch black, we began our twenty-four hour drive to Simferofol. We’d planned a stay in a village hotel some hours subsequent to crossing the border; now 7 hours behind Sven’s carefully routed to-the-minute and well mapped schedule! But- more bad news!

Within the hour the Satnav informed us that it had no Ukrainian map and we had no option but to instead head to Kiev the countries capital and from where Sven through habit after having made the trip to Simferofol umpteen times, no longer needed the Satnav.

We were now a full nine hours behind schedule, arriving in Kiev at daybreak. 

We continued for another twelve hours and found a roadside hotel in Zaparodze.  There was but one room left, with three beds and even though there were just the two of us they insisted we paid for the empty bed as well. 

We were concerned for the safety of our resources in and on the roof of the car and Sven’s experience having lived in Ukraine convinced us to take turns to sleep in the car while the other person slept in the room. 

The front desk receptionist forgot to wake us at 5.30am so yet another two hours late we set off for Simferofol arriving there mid morning.  For much of the rest of  the way, the roads were old single lane, potted roads with heavy traffic, lorries and cars weaving their way in and out of each other.  However, the sights, sounds and smells of Ukraine made up for this and to think we would have missed fields, row upon row of sunflowers for as far as the eye could see. 

People selling their fruit at the side of the road, with bunches of garlic, flowers, strings of sausage, handmade baskets and other wares.  Without Satnav to guide us Sven relied on the Russian signs pointing us to the railway station in Simferopol and it was there that we finally met, BM Chris Duckett, Wrexham and Ivan Berezkin, Kiev, another of Sven’s recruits from those early SA pioneering days in Ukraine.  

Ivan is a graduate of the Ukrainian Conservatory of Music and an expert linguist and had taken a weeks holiday to join with us.  He was also a member of the third FSAOF summer team that visited Latvia.

I don’t think I have ever been so pleased in the whole of my life to see the sign of The Salvation Army, (Ukrainian).  It gave such a welcome to this weary traveler.  

Here we were greeted by Captain Ruslan and a team of able-bodied men to help us unload the car.  Case upon case of uniforms and brass instruments much to the delight of those who saw what we had brought.  

Ruslan wept as he saw a new trumpet we had purchased for his son who had just graduated from University with part of his studies to be a pharmacist.  Daniel, will return to University in September to do further studies so as to qualify to the highest standard possible.  Much to his delight, Ruslan also saw a large black suitcase and asked if he could keep it or had we planned to take it back with us.  We told him he could keep it and all the other suitcases too thanks to numerous generous donors.  Unfortunately, that very same night Ruslan had to leave on the overnight train for Kiev in the hope to get a visa to travel to the UK for the International Scout Camp at Gilwell Park the next day, and he needed a suitcase.  Part of his appointment as Corps Officer, Simferopol, Regional Officer for Crimea and Territorial Scouter for Ukraine meant that he had to be at the camp and never having been to the UK before was excited at the opportunity.   Until our arrival we were not aware of the disappointment of the clash of dates with our visit. 

Having spent a week with both Ruslan and Marina in Latvia on our mission trip last year I had seen something of the extreme hardworker and character Ruslan is and so I personally missed having him around.  However, the rest of the team had the pleasure of his unique character and personality for a couple of days prior to us arriving.

We don’t know whether it was intended or impromptu but on our entering the building some of the young adults contemporary worship group started singing and playing for us and immediately putting to good use the base guitar we had brought.  They were excellent and I am certain would be well received if featured at the International Congress in two years time.

Major Glad Ljungholm
DHQ Liverpool

FSAOF Ukraine Mission Trip 2013

The next day both campers had an instrument...
For now? Just memorize the  fingering; adno i dva!

Liverpool - Simperopol: 2,210 miles of adventure

DAY ONE!

Someone once said:  ‘The journey of a lifetime begins with the first step’ this trip feels very much like that.  I really did want to go to Ukraine and support Captains Ruslan and Marina Zue, our friends, in their mission and ministry in the Crimea.

Initially I had met them two years ago at a Congress in Kiev celebrating twenty years of the SA opening fire in Eastern Europe.  It was during those early days of TSA moving into Ukraine due to the pioneering leadership of the then, Captains Sven and Kathie Ljungholm that Sven made Ruslan a Junior Soldier, and so it was an added delight and privilege to now come and support Captain Ruslan.  A young man with much energy, drive and passion for the things and the people of God.  I think you would be hard pressed to find a couple of Officers who are more driven to make a difference for good in the hearts and lives of men, woman and children and for the Kingdom of God.

And so our journey began, many weeks ago prior to us leaving home for this beautiful country.  As usual we started collecting resources to take with us, mainly brass instruments, Salvation Army uniforms, a bass guitar, and a piano accordian to name but a few.  We also took some children’s clothes that had been donated by a former officer, now a foster parent for adults with physical and other disabilities.  Pauline had contacted me through Facebook to inform me she had some clothes that she desperately wanted to go to Ukraine, and when we met for me to take them from her, she explained why.

Over sixty years ago, a Ukrainian man left Ukraine for England.  He was now the Father to a Downs Syndrom baby and believed his child for whom they had been told would only live for a few years would have a better chance of survival and quality of life in the UK.  However, as the Father left Ukraine he took an acorn, wrapped it in tinfoil and put it into his little boys pocket for good luck.  As his child grew, and grew into manhood too he kept that acorn and carried it with him wherever he went.  Just last year, Alan, that once baby died, sixty two years later, and when his foster carers read of us going to Ukraine they desperately wanted the best of Alan’s clothes to go with us for other children as Alan was only the size of a twelve year old boy.

 

Bandmaster Chris Duckett assist by strapping down the
last items, a plastic bin containing 12 SA uniforms and
an acoordian piano.

And so with our car heavy laden, probably groaning beneath the weight of the heavy load our journey began.  At 8.00am Sunday morning we left Liverpool and headed for Barrow-in-Furness in the Lake District for me to conduct the installation service of Lieutenant Martin Davison.  

This journey was fraught with difficulties, including a road accident and roadworks.  However, we eventually arrived to find the enthusiasm of this brand new Lieutenant and a very receptive group of soldiers and friends.  Martin’s enthusiasm was infectious as he encouraged his folk to look beyond their four walls and reach out into the community God had given to them.  Martin had swung wide the doors of the hall for us to be able to look out and others to be able to look in and we witnessed something of Martin’s possible first mission field, the people in the pub across the road from the hall.  After the meeting Martin very kindly took us out for lunch and prayed God’s blessing upon our journey and gave us even more uniforms to take with us.  We turned the car around and headed back down south for the boat at Harwich late that night.  

En route we stopped to collect a cornet that Sven had bought on e-bay and to meet with Vaughan Rowlands a former Officer, one of the earliest in the UK to join the several hundred UK members, who again wished us God speed.

 And so, from Harwich to the Hook of Holland we sailed arriving in Amsterdam at 07.45 and with Sven at the wheel we journeyed through Holland and into Germany where it was time to switch drivers.  

With me then at the wheel we traversed Poland until we found a small village hotel around 11.00pm (01.00 UK time).  Early the next morning (Tuesday, our fifth wedding anniversary) we set our Satnav to the Ukrainian border.  However,  I had inadvertently set the Satnav to avoid toll roads and we found ourselves criss crossing major roads for the next four hours, arriving at the border late afternoon.  

END PART ONE - DAY TWO

Major Glad Ljungholm

DHQ Liverpool

The Thistle Epistle - August 2013

Dr. Paul Thistle & Family Newsletter from Zimbabwe          View in browser  |  Email preferences

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” - 2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV

Dear Friends,   Hello from Toronto en route to Zimbabwe. We are writing you with the latest updates on our family and our mission – and an important fundraising request.   The Thistles are not surprised about how fast their trip to Canada has passed by. Summer vacations usually go so quickly. The grey skies and wet weather did not dampen our spirits and occasion to travel about Ontario from Ottawa to Stratford to Niagara Falls, then to Chicago and Moncton, then back to Toronto this week in preparation for our return to Zim.  In between expeditions, Paul has been working part time doing obstetrics on call, and general practice.  The boys have had a field day of soccer, football, cricket, and baseball re-invented (Czar Alexander’s rules). Pedrinah has had some quiet time, as she prepares for the next year of study towards her Masters in Public Health.  We have been privileged to share our experience at Rotary clubs, in small group gatherings, at dinner parties with friends and family, and recently, at our brother’s church at Lutes Mountain, New Brunswick. In Stratford, Ontario, Canada: James, Paul, Alexander, and Pedrinah We welcomed the rest and recreation that our Canadian excursion encompasses.  A change can be as good as a rest. We are ever grateful for the hospitality of our family and friends, especially our parents who allow us to use their home in Toronto as our base.  We are blessed. An integral part of our trip this summer has been our formal connection and commissioning with TEAM (The Evangelical Missionary Alliance) which is affiliated with Karanda Hospital. TEAM is a 122 year-old organization which supports more than 550 missionaries and staff in over 35 countries; now, we count ourselves among them as we continue our work.   We return to Zimbabwe next week for another round in the ring.  As we plunge into the work, there’ll be no time for a ‘rope-a-dope’ – just ‘dope’ (in the pharmacy). After the turmoil of 2012, we have mixed emotions but firm convictions. The country had a general election on July 31st, and there are feelings of anticipation and anxiety as we await the results.  A lot of what we do in medical missions, in public health care, is tethered to the state and stability of the economy.  We live and work in a world of paradox where extreme wealth coexists with extreme poverty, and though peace is sought many people, poor and disempowered, are often compelled to violence in their search for justice. Within this mission field of thickets, the Thistles have set our hands to the plough. To paraphrase Rabbi Tarfon, ”we are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are we free to abandon it.“   Karanda is known as the place to go for quality health care – especially surgery. This often overwhelms us with long queues of patients who have experienced delays and neglect at home or at their referring hospital. People often cannot afford the bus fare to hospital let alone the user fees.  Furthermore, there is no ambulance service. You cannot dial 911. There are no Meals on Wheels.  There are no wheels. After the poor harvest of early 2013, there are no meals either.  Sick people in need of specialist services cannot afford the cost of transfer to - and treatment in - central hospitals in Harare, where a minor operation can cost three months’ salary … if you manage to have a paying job; 80 percent of Zimbabweans are unemployed.  The provision of affordable, accessible health care to Zimbabweans is called unrealistic, unsustainable, and impossible by armchair critics.  We disagree, but have preferred to voice our dissent with actions, rather than words.  The naysayers discourage but do not defeat us.    We were excited to hear good news from Karanda while in Canada. The hospital hosted an ‘Eyes for Zimbabwe’ cataract camp in early July.  182 patients received sight. This sets a record (in the Thistles’ memory, if not for Guinness’) for the largest number of eye patients operated on in one week. We’re delighted that we were able to facilitate this venture, and look forward to a full report upon our return.    The Rotary bicycles arrived at Karanda in late June for our community health team, followed by the bike maintenance workshop.  This project is now a reality, and we anticipate long-term benefits for patient care in our villages scattered throughout the district.  Another Canadian Rotary initiative, the provision of equipment and supplies to support our Maternal Child Health program has also come to fruition with the delivery of the portable X-ray machine, and other medical equipment. Zvinonwisa mvura: It makes you want to celebrate with a drink (of water!). On that note, we hope that the next partnership will be a water project to improve the quality and quantity of potable water at Karanda Mission.      We have often been asked on furlough for an update on the situation at Howard Hospital.  In response we have had little news to report. Unfortunately, the first-hand reports from the hospital staff, family members, and Chiweshe patients who are seeking medical care at Karanda continue to contrast sharply with the official Salvation Army communications. We request your prayers for: Peace in Zimbabwe after the elections.        The people of Chiweshe.  For reconciliation at Howard. Nurse Milton Zindoga who is out on bail over the Howard Hospital protest. His High Court appeal starts next week. Accessible and affordable health care for the people of Zimbabwe.  Karanda has a vital role to play here. Education assistance for our orphans and vulnerable children in Chiweshe and Mount Darwin.   The Thistle family.  For our health, and our safety on the roads as the boys go back and forth to school. James (Grade 7) and Alexander (Grade 3) will be starting their new year of school in August. The Thistle family is in good health and strength as we transition to our longer-term appointment at Karanda. Our relationship with TEAM at Karanda requires us to be self supporting.   This is a change from our previous 18 years of missionary work with the Salvation Army, for which we received a living allodwance.  Under these new circumstances, we need to raise sufficient financial support to sustain our family while at Karanda, above which we can use funds for hospital and community needs.    In this regard, we are conscious that our newsletter is disseminated to the many colleagues and contacts, friends and family – those of you around the world who have partnered with us in our ministry in Zimbabwe. For some of you, your interests may have changed over the years. For those who remain concerned about our work in Zimbabwe, we kindly ask that you might consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation to TEAM, earmarked for the Thistle family. To give online, please visit http://goo.gl/zkaUib. To donate a paper cheque, donations can be mailed to TEAM of Canada, #372-16 Midlake Blvd SE, Calgary AB, T2X-2X7, Canada. Please indicate on your cheque that the donation is intended for "The Thistles". Paul and Pedrinah would be pleased to be in touch at a personal level should you have questions or require more information. Don't hesitate to email us atdrpthistle@gmail.com. If a printable handout for donations would be useful to you for to give to your organization, one can be found here.   Thank you for your ongoing care and concern for our work in Zimbabwe.  Chara chimwe hachitswanyi inda: One thumbnail cannot crush a louse.   Yours faithfully,   Paul and Pedrinah  James and ("You can even call me Al") Alexander [Scroll down for this month's photos] Karanda Mission Hospital  Mt Darwin PO Box MR92 Marlborough, Harare Email: drpthistle@gmail.com Phone: 263 (0)772 464 973

"I have decided to stick with love ... Hate is too great a burden to bear.”  - Martin Luther King Jr. Rotary bicycles arriving at Karanda Tinotenda and Tinashe Mufuka, Nyachuru Village, Chiweshe Copyright Doug MacLellan Photography

The future of Howard Hospital

No one wants Howard Hospital to fail. However, at the moment its future looks very bleak and it’s on shaky ground. 

The polluted recollections and reporting of the SA lends nothing to furthering a more inspired or positive future and is in large part the reason for its demise and the cause for untold suffering and death! 

No amount of press releases, however promising they might be, can sanitize the untruths and apparent indifference.  

The sullied selective memories are the antithesis of the transparency expected by the million plus soldiers and officers worldwide, and the millions more of volunteers and supporters committed to sharing in the Army's mission.

Consider this:

•                The hospital has no surgeon.

•                It is down one doctor, and it is reported that the doctors who do remain are busy with private practices.

•                It is down one midwife and instructor.

•                The current hospital administrator is new, and the third one in five months

•                Donations from Canadian supports have dried up

•                Volunteer medical professional no longer come to work on short-term missions

•                The first choice for Chief Medical Officer turned down the position

•                The second choice Chief Medical Officer is tied up in immigration issues and has not yet arrived – more than a year since Thistle was given notice to leave Howard Hospital (and 3 years since discussions to replace Thistle allegedly started at IHQ)

144 beds available and less than 20% of them are occupied by patients

•                Medicines are in short supply and often not even available

•                The hospital facility is falling into neglect – reports of simple janitorial tasks going undone were received

Howard Hospital isn’t out of business yet. There are a few faint glimmers of hope. Commissioner Makina was replaced as International Secretary for Africa  by Commissioner Joash Malabi, and Commissioner Chigariro was replaced as Territorial Commander of Zimbabwe by Colonel Henry Nyagah. And the Salvation Army world is awaiting the results of the High Council, charged with selecting a new General, who is the international leader. A new hospital administrator and a new Chief Medical Officer will round out the leadership overseeing the Howard. Perhaps these new appointees will be able to make a difference and bring Howard Hospital back to life.

 Commissioner Andre Cox – Chief of Staff, Salvation Army International HQ, London, England

Commissioner Cox is also a native-born Zimbabwean. He was promoted to the position of Chief of Staff on 1/1/2013, replacing the outgoing Commissioner Swanson.

Due to the immediate retirement of General Linda Bond, Commissioner Cox has been serving as the Acting General of The Salvation Army. He called for the convening of the High Council in July 2013 to elect a new General of The Salvation Army.

On August 3, 2013, Commissioner Cox was named as the new General of The Salvation Army.

Commissioner Kenneth Hodder  – International Secretary for Personnel & Legal and Constitutional Adviser to the General, Salvation Army International HQ, London, England

Commissioner Hodder is an American and served as the Secretary for Personnel and Legal Advisor to the General at the time of the removal of Dr. Thistle. He  received transfer orders on October 6, 2012 to become the Territorial Commander in the Kenya West Territory, effective 1/1/2013.

General Linda Bond – International Leader of The Salvation Army, Salvation Army International HQ, London, England

General Bond is a Canadian. She issued the letter ordering the removal Dr. Thistle. She also met with Canadians supporters of Dr. Thistle to discuss their concerns over the issue.

She shocked The Salvation Army world when she decided to end her time as General short of her full appointment and retire on June 13, 2013, effective immediately. This action left The Salvation Army without a top leader, pending the election of a new General by the High Council.

It should be noted that Commissioners Chigariro, Peddle, Hodder, Cox and Swanson were all members of the High Council of 2013, and as such, had a vote in the selection of the next General of the Salvation Army. And not only did they have a vote; they also were eligible for nomination as General. Commissioners Cox, Swanson and Hodder were nominated for the position of General.