The Arrival of the Container

For those who don't know, several people at Bethany First Church organized a large donation of medical equipment and supplies and sent it on a 40' container here to Swaziland for the Nazarene hospital. The container was purchased for the hospital so that they could use it as secure additional storage on the grounds. We have been working for the last six weeks with a local clearing agent on preparing all the logistics for its arrival, which was to be between October 24- 28.

However, the container arrived a week ahead of schedule on October 19. Neither our clearing agent nor the hospital was notified of its arrival. Instead, on Wednesday the 21st, someone from the railway company (where the container is stored until pick up) called the hospital administrator to inform him that RFM would be charged beginning Monday the 26th for storage of the container. We contacted our agent immediately, who verified that the container had arrived. From that point we had to move very quickly to ensure that the container could get to the hospital by Friday so no storage charges would have to be paid.

Since the container was staying on the hospital grounds, we knew we had to arrange for a way for it to be lifted off the truck bed. We had talked with The Luke Commission, who have had multiple containers delivered, and found contact information for the one crane in country large enough to pick up a full container.
However on Thursday the 22nd, we found out that the crane RFM had “reserved” was double booked and would not be available for us. This led to a frenzy of activity as we and Michelle (RFM's resource mobilization officer) looked for other options for lifting the container. Yet we knew that no other crane could lift the container while it was full. Added to our concern was the fact that we had not wanted to unload the contents all at once, so that we could do a better job of monitoring implementation.

By the end of the day we had only one option, and had to go with it. Our agent suggested a company who had a small crane and large forklift who could move the container once it was fully unloaded. We talked this over with Michelle, and decided we would try to empty the container, move it, then try to put as much back in as possible.

The container arrived at 9:30am Friday morning October 23. Brent rode on top of it with a large stick to move the low-hanging wires out of its way on the hospital grounds. The closest the truck could get to the storeroom was about 40 yards, and there was no platform for it to back up to. This meant that the contents of the container had to be emptied by hand, down to the ground and across the 40 yards to the storeroom. All of the donations had been packaged into pallets or crates, secured well with nails, and screws into plywood and four-by-fours. So, once the container was opened we realized it would be impossible to unload it quickly and then load it back up, pallets full and untouched.

Michelle made the decision to unpack every pallet and move the contents in their boxes inside the storeroom. We had to move quickly to utilize maintenance staff who were scheduled to get off work at 1pm. They used one side of one opened pallet as a steep ramp/ latter leaned up against the opened container which helped them lower the pallets down to the ground. From there the pallets were opened with the only tool available for the day – one crowbar. Boxes, equipment and furniture were carried back to the storeroom, and materials like linens and bandages were put into trolleys that took them directly to the storeroom shelves.

The hospital had hired a small forklift to help in offloading the pallets from the container. The forklift was immensely helpful while it worked, but it got stuck in the coal dust between the storeroom and the container for about an hour and half. When it did work, it carried the pallets as far as the entry of the storeroom where they were opened and unloaded.

With this method the container was fully unloaded by 2:30. By 4:00 all the contents of the pallets had been brought inside the storeroom. The mobile X-Ray machine was retrieved by one of the X-Ray technicians immediately, along with one patient bed and the lead vests. He was very excited! Other large pieces, like the steel countertop/ cabinet and several beds, were quickly implemented as well.

The container stayed at the hospital over the weekend without charge from the trucking company, and this Monday a large forklift arrivee and lifted the container into its new location near the maintenance building at the hospital. Everyone seems pleased with its placement. That same day, there was a meeting of matrons from many of the hospital wards to discuss implementation of the container’s contents. They went through item by item, saying which ward needed the particular equipment or supplies. In this way much of the donated goods are spoken for and have a home waiting for them. It will still take work to get them there, but the hardest part is finished.

Dr. Bitchong, the Chief Medical Officer, was away at a convention when the container arrived. When he saw the full storeroom and met with his staff he was exceedingly pleased. He told both of us that there were many good surprises on this container and that its contents would help the hospital in many of the areas it had been struggling with for so long. The work is not yet finished, but we are happy to have the container here, all contents accounted for and in one piece, and the hospital happy!