I am sorry for not putting out stories of what is going on here but my computer is broken and is down with Johnathan Deitrick, one of the pilots in Bendalay, that work with computers too. It looks like there is a possibility it is my hard drive, not good. I do not have all my email addresses in Jamie's computer so I apologize to anyone now if you do not get my letters. But will try and have my letters go up on my blog so everyone will still have access. So if you don't get a letter send me your email address again and I will get you put on the list again in Jamie's computer. I feel like this is just another way that Satan is working against us. I have been waiting for my computer to announce that we are coming home on furlough at the first of April. We will be staying in the states for 3 months this time to be able to give us enough time to get Cory settled in to be ready to start school at
Collegedale Academy next year. This is something I am not looking forward to as a mother but I feel as though it is best for him and his future. We also want to throw it out there if anyone would want us to come share our mission experience with their church, school or even any bible studies that you may be involved in. We are trying to set up a schedule now so let us know as soon as possible. We will be traveling a lot this time too so you never know if we will be in the neighborhood. God has been so good at taking care of everything that we are going to trust Him and leave the schedule in His hands as well. There is so much happening here. We all have been working long days and this week has been a very emotional one. Emotional not only because we see God's hand before us but also because there was a little girl that died that was very special to one of our volunteers. Matthew Haus is a student missionary that has been living with a local family for the last 6 months. His little sister never had good health but these last two weeks she took a dive for the worst. Even though prayers went up for her and Matt did all he could with providing every test and medication possible she died Friday afternoon shortly after she was checked out of
the hospital because Dr. Olen said there was just not much else to do. I hated to hear that she died but I was over at the hospital with Matt on Thursday and I cried with him at the hospital and we prayed together.
But my prayer was not just for God to heal her but to show His grace and stop her suffering if that is His will. She was such a sad sight to see and you could tell that she was uncomfortable. It makes you think about all the petty things we get upset about and really it is all just junk. How can Satan be happy when he sees a child suffering like this? Sometimes we have to pray the prayer that the family can not pray.
Work is moving fast and days seem to be getting longer because we are trying to get a lot of work done before we come back to the states. Jamie is working on overseeing the building of a new wall that is the borders of our new expansion at the hospital. As we have said before there will be a new maternity ward, new operating room and a private ward that will be going up as soon as we get back from our break. Not only that but Danae now has her parents here full time. Her father is a doctor and is working in surgery everyday. In fact the month of February was a record breaking month of how many surgeries that have been done in a month and I think that number was around 140 something.
Jamie will be busy trying to get a new home built for them too. He
definitely has his work cut out for him. He is also working on a new
project what is called "Project 21". This is 21 villages around Bere
and some volunteers have worked on getting permission for us to go out
to each village and do education on health and other things as an
outreach program. This program has been going on for two weeks now and
Jamie is the dentist. One or two days a week he is in the hospital
pulling teeth all day. This is a free service to the people if they
attend the education meetings. The people are in such a great need of
this that Jamie was so busy he never even eat lunch until dinner time.
That is not unheard of here with all the work we all have to do but this
just shows how intense it has been.
For me, well I am still doing school with the kids everyday. They are
pretty independent but I like to be here just to be sure that they stay
focused and if they have any questions. I am also overseeing a little
construction work myself. I have four guys everyday sifting good dirt
for the bricks that are being made by another 4 guys. This is done with
the brick machine that we had donated about a year ago. We have been
doing this to work toward putting up a new office for the primary
school. Right now there is nowhere for the principal to talk with the
parents. Not only that but we have just invested in a new supervisor
that is going to be in charge of overseeing the discipline only in the
school. They also need a place to keep some supplies. I hope to have
some pictures of this by the time we get back.
I am still going over to the school weekly and helping out make plans on
how to make the school better. Whether it be about discipline, bible
teachers teachings or how to plan for the next year now. This is coming
along but it will be a never ending process I think.
Friday Naomi, Brichelle and I went out into a village called Kalme. We
went out in the car with it full of clothing items. I feel like my
Samaritan closet is just bursting at the seams and I want to get things
in order before I leave. We decided to go out to Kalme to witness to
some of the poor people out there. This is the same place that I would
like to put up a one day church and a new school. We have about 12
acres for it and this is just one of those amazing stories that we have
on how God provided for His children. So anyways, we were going out in
that direction and driving literally out in the bush and there is just
no one in sight. Then all of a sudden we see this man. He looks to be
about in his 40's and his clothes were in shreds. I just knew I needed
to stop to give him clothes when I looked in review mirror and could see
parts of the mans backside because of all the holes in his shorts. I
stopped and Naomi called him over to the car while Brichelle and I are
searching through our things to find something just for him. We find a
pair of jean shorts, t-shirt, button up shirt and a pair of underwear.
After handing him these items he looked at us in aw. He told Naomi that
when he got up that morning he prayed to God and asked Him how is he
going to make it today and where should he go. He said that God told
him to just go out in the bush and that He would provide for all his
needs. He was so grateful and shouting blessings to God and to us. He
was so happy. After Naomi got back into the car I told her if that man
was the only man that we were to come out here for it was all worth it.
To be a tool for God to encourage someone in their spiritual walk with
God is such a humbling experience.
God has been working with all of us in this way. It is something
amazing to be out here on the front lines for God. I know that there
was one time that God spoke to me about the discipline with the school.
It is an experience that if I begin to talk about it will make me cry
because I know God talked to me. And it is because He talked to me as
to why I have kept on fighting with the school to improve the
discipline. I have even had to bribe the teachers to get them to stop
hitting the students. They thought I was crazy. This is the way they
have done it for years even before them. But God has shown me that this
is a battle that He wants me to fight. And because I know it was God's
voice that is what is keeping me going no matter how many people laugh
at me or think I am wrong. I need them to just give this new discipline
a try so that God can show them a better way and let God shine. This
Adventist school should be one that is talked about everywhere for the
best education and best students. God did it for Daniel and his friends
He can do it here for His children in Bere. I believe it will happen
but please remember this on your prayer list and lets keep it ever
before God.
