FROM DREAM TO REALITY
From the earliest stages of the ministry, part of Pastor Charles Mugisha’s dream was to care for children medically. And that dream began to be lived out early on through med teams visiting from a number of states around the U.S. They were able to treat all kinds of diseases, as much as it was possible for a team with limited technology to do in one week.
One of those teams was in conjunction with the Lois Palau Association’s Kigali CityFest in July 2009. On that team was Dr. Pamela Pyle, a doctor of internal medicine from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Dr. Bradley Titus, a cardiologist who had built one of the top cardiology units in the U.S. at in Portland, Oregon. In the process of serving at the CityFest alongside Africa New Life that week, both doctors sensed a calling from the Lord to build a small medical clinic in Rwanda, with an emphasis on both providing healthcare and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over time, this two-handed theory became known as health evangelism.
And what initially was expected to be a small medical clinic has developed into the second largest private hospital in Rwanda, and a state-of-the-art facility like none other in the region, serving men, women, and children with excellence while proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.
The timeline below highlights major milestones along the journey from dream to reality. Through every step, this project has been clearly blessed and is a testament to God’s power– and a reminder that we can never out-dream His capabilities.
2009: THe DREAM IS BORN
Dr. Charles Mugisha, President and CEO of Africa New Life Ministries, saw an expanding need. With all the good being done for sponsored children in Rwanda, one gap still existed: advanced medical services. Through a partnership with two US-based doctors, Dr. Pamela Pyle and Dr. Brad Titus, the idea of the Dream Medical Center was born. But we can never dream as big as God’s plans.
2013: FUNDRAISING BEGINS
Within the first two years, enough funding was raised to gain board approval and move forward with the plan. A site was chosen on Africa New Life’s Dream Center campus on the south side of Kigali, and prayers began sweeping through the ministry for God to touch this project.
2014: CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON A SMALL CLINIC
After years of prayer, fundraising efforts, and continued passion for those in need, God showed up in a big way and construction began on what was to be a small medical clinic in Kigali, Rwanda.
SUMMER 2015: BOARD APPROVES A FULL MEDICAL CENTER
Through the generous donations of many, the small clinic turned into a 50-bed, three-story medical center located at the Dream Center, the campus of Africa New Life Ministries in Kigali. Construction plans expanded and the architectural plans were put together for a full-service medical center.
JANUARY 2017: MEDICAL DIRECTORS COME ON BOARD
Africa New Life welcomed two medical directors for the center, Dr. Sam Kagali and Dr. Marc Simpao.
Dr. Sam Kagali is well known and respected in Rwanda. With a national presence within his profession as an OB/GYN and a faithful following of thousands of patients, he serves those in need with compassionate care that is unmet in other facilities. He is a Christ follower first and displays his beliefs by serving his patients with the dignity and respect that Christ taught us to provide.
Dr. Marc Simpao is an Internal Medicine physician based in Austin, Texas. He and his family recently returned from Rwanda where for three years he worked in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Education to promote a more robust training program for Rwandan medical students and residents. He has a passion for global medicine and improving access to quality care in resource limited settings. Marc is committed to strengthening the Dream Medical Center’s US partnerships in order to enhance its mission and equipping.
JANUARY 2017: THE KILIMANJARO CLIMB
In January 2017, an amazing group of Africa New Life friends ascended the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise support and awareness of the Dream Medical Center being built in Kigali, Rwanda. They surpassed their fundraising goal of $250,000 to raise a total of $312,577!
SUMMER 2017: EQUIPMENT iS DELIVERED
We have been blessed through donations from generous individual donors as well as through Project CURE and the Afya Foundation, U.S. organizations providing much of the equipment that will be needed to serve our patients. Throughout the summer of 2017, five shipping containers of equipment arrived and began being installed around the Dream Medical Center.
OCTOBER 2017: DEDICATION AND RIBBON-CUTTING
On October 7, 2017, we celebrated the progress of the medical center with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony. A special group of visitors joined us from the U.S. and beyond for this special moment.
FALL 2017: CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED, FINAL PREPARATIONS BEGIN
By the fall of 2017 construction was almost complete, but there were still a few pieces of equipment such as specialized surgical instruments that we needed to procure before we could begin offering services to patients in Kigali. Even today, we have needs that we are still looking for partners on.
FALL 2018: READY TO SERVE
After years of planning and prayer, the time arrived. In fall 2018 we welcomed our first patients into our care. Since then, the Dream Medical Center Hospital has served well over 342,000 patients, and thousands of babies have been born into a safe, clean environment, setting them up for a healthy life. We praise God for this incredible facility and the opportunity to minister to tens of thousands of Rwandans every year!
Visit the Dream Medical Center Hospital’s full website to see all that this incredible center has to offer its patients across Rwanda!
