Bethesda Medical Center

Goal: $14,000.00

Specific Need

Bethesda Medical Center in Vaudreuil, Cap-Haïtien, Haiti is raising money to expand our solar power system. Bethesda has served the medically disadvantaged in north Haiti for over 60 years. During this time, we have had to rely on electrical power we generate on our campus because there is no functioning general electrical grid available.

Bethesda installed our Phase I solar power system three years ago, which allowed our emergency department to have electrical power overnight for the first time in history and we are one of few clinics in our area with overnight power. Prior to this our nurses and doctors needed to use flashlights and their cell phone lights to provide care at night. This overnight battery power is a great advancement, but the Phase I system does not provide enough power for the entire campus. We currently run our large diesel generator 8 hours per day to provide electricity to the campus and medical center and to provide additional battery charging to carry our clinic lights overnight.

Even this small amount of generator usage costs over $8,000 per month in diesel fuel. We need to nearly triple our solar capacity in order to reduce generator usage to emergency backup only. Our goal with our Solar Phase II project is to upgrade our current 32kW system to a 90kW 3-phase system, which will save a tremendous amount of monthly fuel expense that we can use for more enhanced medical and dental care for our patients. This upgrade is budgeted at just over $200,000. Any amount raised during this fundraiser will help Bethesda become energy independent. The need is growing as the population of Cap-Haïtien is rapidly increasing as thousands of refugees flee gang violence in Port-au-Prince and settle in the north. More people means a greater need for medical care—and that need is growing every day.

Mission

Profile

The Bethesda Medical Center exists to share the hope of Christ through compassionate medical outreach, medical training and providing quality healthcare to patients. Our vision is to become the leading medical center advancing the Gospel through healthcare and medial eduction in north Haiti. The good news of the Gospel is shared with patients through daily chapel services, testimony shared one on one by staff, and prayers and devotionals. Bethesda never turns anyone away who cannot pay, and patients know that they will be welcomed with love regardless of their background. Started as a global medical mission, Bethesda is now an independent organization registered in Haiti and the USA, entirely staffed by well trained Haitian physicians, nurses and dentists.