Our doctors, The Netteburgs!

Dr. Olen and Dr. Danae Netteburg have left for the states for their annual leave.  They are also taking extra time to have their next baby.  We are all anxiously waiting to see if it is a girl or a boy!  My guess is a girl.  I will let you all know.  Her due date is August 12.  We will miss them while they are gone.  

Tammy 

Time to get busy

I love working for God.  I love working for God here.  He has been talking to me again.  It is almost funny to me because He is almost doing it in a humorous way.  Ever since I have been back I have not been in full gear.  I have been just choosing what I want to do here and there.  I have had some spare time to myself which I have really appreciated but at the same time it gives me too much time to think about self and how much I miss my kids.  

Last week my baby milk formula program just exploded with new cases.  It was almost ridiculous.  This is something I have to get out and do.  I have to asses the situation and make sure that each case is necessary because each case is $300. per year that I will be taking on.  Each case was one that I just couldn't say no to.  And it seemed like everyday there was one or two or three more cases.  I started to wonder if God is trying to tell me something?  I believe He was.  I can't explain it exactly but it made me work with the people.  It woke me up to the fact that I believe God is telling me that it is time to go full force again.  So I decided, from experience,  it is best to listen.  

This week I got into the village.  I went to go visit an old lady that Naomi knew from passing her house.  She told me about her and told me that she thinks that she is really suffering.  I decided that this was where I wanted to start.  So one day this week I went to see the old lady.  Her house seems to be barely standing.  As I got closer to her house I couldn't believe that someone was living in this old mud hut that was falling apart and melting away with the rain.  Only part of her roof exists and that is the side that she sleeps under.  She invited me into her compound and as I proceeded I slipped on the green filled puddle that is right outside her hut.  Her bedroom is about 5 ft x 7 ft.  She kindly rolled out her mat on her bed that was about 10 inches off the ground.  I sat in the middle and Naomi was on one side while this lady was on the other.  As I looked forward the other side of her house was bright because there was no roof and she was using it as her kitchen.  As I sat there I began my interview.  At first things were going good and I was learning that she was married once but her husband left her after she had 5 kids.  Only one of her kids were alive and lives away from her and she doesn't even know for sure where he is.  

As I am listening to her story I begin to hear other noises in the house too and it distracted me.  I look over on the wall and a rat is running up.  Then I hear one behind me and a little later I am sure there was two playing together right beneath me.  I am starting to freak out.  Sorry but I am human and not use to this.  They were everywhere in this little space.  I know it is bad but all I could think about is my skirt touching the ground.  Will a rat run up my leg?  I look at Naomi and she knows me so well and tells me it is going to be ok.  During my freakout I am trying to look like normal as I continue asking questions.  Then I think, this lady has to sleep here what am I freaking out about.  I tell myself that I can do this for 15 minutes.  

The interview is over and I decided to help her however I thought I could.  I handed her a bag full of different foods.  Then I went outside and really looked at the house and the roof.  I think that I am going to just hire someone to come out repair it they way they do it locally with the grass on the roof.  Then I looked at her beaten up hands.  I thought about all the years that she has suffered and worked in the fields.  She is doing her best but is not being able to move like she use to.  I decided to start her on a business.  I can do that with just $20.  I talked to her about what she thought she could do and how to manage the money.  Then the three of us prayed together asking God to bless her and multiply her business.  As I began to walk away she pulled Naomi back by the arm.  I turned and looked at them.  She looked down at the $20, which is 10,000 CFA,  then she looked back at Naomi.  Naomi told me that she wanted to know what it was that I gave her.  She said that she knew it was money but how much?  Even though this woman was probably in her 60's she looked like a child in my eyes at that moment.  She said that in all her life she has never touched money that big before.  I just told her to give God all the glory.

I wonder how many times does God give us something good that we don't recognize? I believe that it can also be disguised as something that we think is tragic but the outcome is a blessing.  That is why we should praise Him during the bad things too.  God hears our prayers but our ways are not His.  Trust Him, talk to Him and try to recognize what He is doing for you.  This woman has nothing really but she thought that God heard her cries for help.  It is so fun working for God.  Thank you to all of you who are giving donations to our giving fund so I am able to give to those in need.  This whole mission is God's love all over the place.  Thank you! 

Tammy Parker

parkers4bere.blogspot.com

parkers4bere@gmail.com

Jamie phone: +235 93 46 46 35 

Tammy phone: +235 95 25 86 58 

Jamie & Tammy Parker 

Hopital Adventiste de Bere 

52 Boite Postale 

Kelo, TChad 

Afique 

All donations can be sent to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

P.O. Box 969 

Harrison,  TN  37341 

Make Checks payable to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

Earmark:  "The Bere Project" 

"The blessings flow"

Now that I am back it has just been trying to get back into the swing of things again.  The first 24 hours are always the toughest because everything is so dirty.  Even though you know what to expect, it is always a shock.  Dr. Danae welcomed me with a hug and said, "welcome to dirt".   She knows every time she comes back it is the same thing.  It doesn't matter how much someone cleans your house before you get here it still seems dirty.  But after time things begin to blend in and your back to not caring about it.  

When I got back I got the report that my very first baby on the baby milk program died from malaria.  She must have been about three years old.  I don't know if you remember the story back when we had the bad storm and this little baby girl's mother died.  Cory, my son, came to me and was concerned about how this baby was going to live without a mother.  She was a newborn and needed milk.  If a mother dies here the other family members will just give the baby water until it dies.  Which I think is just awful.   But I understand now how hard it is for them to get the formula.  It costs about $6 a can that will last about 1 week and they only make about $1 per day.  It is nearly impossible for them to afford it.  I had a container of formula in my cupboard that I bought "by accident" and that was that the beginning of the baby milk program.   I am very proud to report that we are giving out about 65 cans of formula a month and the program continues to grow.   We are being able to build relationships with the family members that come to work for us for 2-4 hours a week for the formula.  

I was just talking to one of the young girls that has Aids with her little 10 month old baby girl on Friday.  She was working out in our yard sweeping trying to work for the formula for her baby.  I noticed that she was not wearing any shoes.  Since Naomi, my translator,  was working with me that day I had her talk to her with me.  I asked her first how things are going for her at home?  She replied that everything was fine.  As I continued with the questions she began to cry.  I asked her what is really going on?  I told her that I am here to help if she needs me.  She began to open up about how she is living with her brother and his wife and how mean they are to her.  She doesn't have any extra food for her baby girl.  She said, "I know my baby is little and I just can't feed her any more than I do right now but I know she needs more."  I asked her where her shoes are and she said that they broke.  I just felt like I should do something for her and give her a chance in life.  I started her on a business for $20.  I taught her how to do the financial side of it and told her if she were to pray over her business everyday that I just know that God will multiply it for her.  I also gave her a pair of my shoes and gave her $4 for clothes for herself and I had a few things in the house for her baby girl.  It felt so good to do something like that for someone.  In my heart I just knew that she needed just a start.  Working for God like this is just so rewarding and I thank God for always providing us with means to do what He is asking me to do.  

The other thing that I wanted to share with you is about one of my dear friends.  We always call her Mama Presil.  She is a very old lady but I have always thought she was such a beautiful one.  She is the only African here that I know with green eyes.  I have been friends with her for about 3 years now.  She is a very spiritual lady.  One time I was able to get her a Nangjere bible along with three of her friends and when I handed them out they did a happy dance for me singing God's praises.  I met her husband once before he died.  He was a good man and a pastor.  Well, a couple days ago her family brought her to the hospital.  While I was on my furlough she had a stroke.  But they brought her to the hospital because she stopped talking and wouldn't open her eyes.  Two days before this happened Naomi saw her and told her that I was planning on visiting her very soon.  She said she was looking forward to the visit and just waiting for me.  I haven't had a chance yet to get out there.  When I went to see her in the hospital I absolutely hated to see her like this.  I began to cry as I was holding her hand.  I prayed to God aloud and with her family.  I was feeling so bad inside for not seeing her before she got like this.  Then after my prayer I began to just talk to her mixing English and the little Nangjere that I know.  I was calling her sister in Nangjere and asking her in English to please wake up I want to talk to you again.  It was the craziest thing, she woke up!  I don't know why or how but she woke up.  The whole family felt like it was a miracle.  I was just so happy to see my friends beautiful eyes again.  I got to talk to her and I went and made her bwee, which is like a rice porridge.  I spoon fed her the bwee.  She has regained her strength and seems to be getting better everyday.  And all I can say is praise the Lord! "

Love and blessings, 

Tammy Parker

parkers4bere.blogspot.com

parkers4bere@gmail.com

Jamie phone: +235 93 46 46 35 

Tammy phone: +235 95 25 86 58 

Jamie & Tammy Parker 

Hopital Adventiste de Bere 

52 Boite Postale 

Kelo, TChad 

Afique 

All donations can be sent to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

P.O. Box 969 

Harrison,  TN  37341 

Make Checks payable to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

Earmark:  "The Bere Project" 

I offended

 

 Some people took offense that I would take a picture of something so crude so I wanted to show you the picture I did take.  The guy was standing up getting ready to go on his merry way.  I was just wanting to show everyone how close he was and how dirty the place is.  I wrote this story because I wanted to show everyone that it is not all wonderful here just handing out food and clothes to the needy.  Sometimes the life here can be so different that it is almost like I have to reprogram my brain to except things again.  I know I am ok living here and there are many blessings to being in a place like this but it is like I go through a little culture shock every time I come back.  If you only want me to share the stories of helping people than I can do that.  I don't have to share everything in my life here I just thought it would be interesting to some to hear it all. 

Love and blessings, 

Tammy

"Welcome to Chad"

I could tell that we were in Africa as soon as I turned the corner after coming down the corridor of the plane.  I look up and see and African woman with a plastic bag on her head sticking straight up about 12-18 inches up above her had.  She was wearing it with attitude like she had just discovered a new fashion that everyone was soon to follow.  We proceed up the escalator and as soon as we get to the top a young boy is throwing up all over the airport floor.  I said aloud to Jamie, "welcome to Africa".  We walked around him and tried to find the bathrooms way at the other end of the airport.   I was lucky to get in there before everyone else and I got into a stall without toilet paper, of course, but I always come prepared and keep kleenex in my purse.  I hear someone in the stall next to me and as soon as I open my stall door the room is full of Arab women.  But it was hard not to notice the woman that was in the stall next to me.  She had left her stall door wide open.  She had on several layers of pants on under a skirt.  She continued to use the bathroom with the door open.  I had my suspicions that the women stood on the toilet instead of sitting.  I guess they are just use to the squat pot method.  I can't believe that I am still shocked at what I see even after four years in Africa.  

We were still not in Chad yet.  This was our stop in Ethiopia.  Then from there we go to Ndjamena, Chad.  As we are boarding the plane I try to slip by the check in attendant after giving my ticket.  He was busy telling the people ahead of us that they had to check in their carry on bags.  I didn't want to do this with mine because I had breakable gifts in mine and the last flight from Knoxville to Washington broke one thing and I didn't want it to happen again.  I was about 20 feet away from him and then he yells at me but I continue on like he wasn't talking to me  Then he chases me down.  I think, great here we go again.  Jamie pipes in and told him we are not checking it in because the last flight broke something and refused to pay for it and showed us the fine print on the green check in tag.  They have a little yelling match (which is the only way in Africa to get your own way, we have learned that" and Jamie won.  There was plenty of room for it on the plane.  Not many people on the flight to Chad. "Surprise!"  "Surprise!"  We both mainly slept on that flight so the last 4 hours seemed kind of short.  

Now comes the real fun!  We get to go through customs in Ndjamena.  But I was so glad that everything went smoothly.  A guy was already collecting our bags by the time we got to the baggage claim area.  He recognized the Cabela bags and knew that they are all going to Bere.  Thanks to Garwin McNeilus and his big tips we get special attention.  We make our way outside and Jamie leaves me in the road with all the bags and he takes a taxi to get the truck we left at the mission housing.  We get everything packed up and we now have to get our money exchanged.  We go to the market area instead of the bank because we can get a better exchange rate.  It is absolutely crazy down there.  Cars are parked every which direction.  Jamie finds a place to park and as we pull up a man is using the bathroom right there!  I felt embarrassed like I was invading his personal space right out in the middle of the market.  What is wrong with that thought process?  It is crazy here!  And to be clear this guy was squatting down using the bathroom not standing up.  My mind just could not process this to be ok so what do I do?  I got out my i-phone because I thought no one would believe me.   Now I get the picture after he gets up and leaves his prize on the ground but I just wanted people to see how in the middle of everything he was and how close I was.  

I just thought I would share the good things, the bad things and the crazy things this year.  And it is things like this that make me ask myself, "what am I doing here?".   Welcome to my world in Chad. 

I hope this doesn't offend anyone.  Its just so hard to come back to so many drastic changes. 

Love and blessings, 

Tammy Parker

parkers4bere.blogspot.com

parkers4bere@gmail.com

Jamie phone: +235 93 46 46 35 

Tammy phone: +235 95 25 86 58 

Jamie & Tammy Parker 

Hopital Adventiste de Bere 

52 Boite Postale 

Kelo, TChad 

Afique 

All donations can be sent to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

P.O. Box 969 

Harrison,  TN  37341 

Make Checks payable to: 

Harrison SDA Church 

Earmark:  "The Bere Project" 

No Pics for Now

I know everyone likes pictures but I have been trying to get this one letter out to you for the last 6 days with a picture and it looks like it is just not going to happen. I am going to send it without a picture and then I will later see if I can send the picture out by itself. I am wanting to write a lot this year and I am getting frustrated like Satan is trying to stop me from communicating and this is something I think I am going to need this year to survive.

Tammy

Going Back!!!

I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my face. I couldn't seem to get enough air into my lungs. I cried for at least an hour on the way to the airport thinking about the fact that I was about to leave both my children in the states a half a world away from me. I am not ready for this. I am so scared and begin to pray to God about whether this is the right thing for me to be leaving them. "Lord do you still want me in Chad? Because I feel like my heart is being pulled out of my chest!" I talk to Him letting God know that I need something from Him to let me know that I am doing the right thing. Because if I'm not I would love to stay and be with my children. Be there to pick out banquet dresses or be around for Christmas. All of the realities of what I am going to missing just rush to my thoughts and I need Gods affirmation. I never felt like I was sacrificing too much being here in Chad until I had to leave the other half of my love in America. "God I need to know something before I get on that plane. Because all I want to do right now is be in the states with those I love. God! I need you now!"

I hug Cory goodbye. I didn't want to let him go. But I force myself to turn away and move forward toward our 24 hour journey. We had ten bags to check in which costs $200 a bag after the first four. So we know we are looking at $1200, and then we have a big box with an oxygen concentrator in it that a couple was donating to the hospital. We thought that it was going to cost between $400-$500 since it was over the allowed 50 lbs. We move up to the counter and as we get everything checked in the total cost for everything comes to $406. What? I thought for sure they were making a mistake. They said that they were only going to charge us $58 a bag and $0 for the oxygen concentrator. We couldn't believe it. What a blessing! We have been a little concerned about our money this year with trying to get everything for two kids for a whole year and so the money has been tight. God knew that the money has been a concern for me and I do believe that this was one sign for me that He is supporting our journey and letting me know that He is not letting me go to Africa alone. He has promised to go with me and I feel His presence which was exactly what I needed.

Thank you God for caring about all the big and little concerns in our lives. I just knew that He was letting me know that He is hearing me. As we get settled and wait to board the plane I accept my fate again. "Lord I know that you will take care of my children for you love them more than I do. I will go forward and do what you want me to do and go to a place that is not my home if you want me to." But knowing that I am not going alone and that the Creator of all things is in control and loves me and my children, that gives me some courage to go where you are sending me again.