Month: November 2016

Our patients here at Hopital de Guinebor ll (“G2”) in Chad come from all over Chad and Cameroon. They come from many different ethnic groups and cultures. Most are Muslims from North Chad.

Achta, this little three-year-old emaciated girl, presented with this huge intra-abdominal mass. Her parents said they noticed it five months ago. It is more likely that is was there at birth as I’m almost certain that it’s a neuroblastoma.

It took almost three hours of hard work in the OR to remove this awful tumor that has been growing all her life and robbing her of normal health and life.

I’m still trying to understand why so many of our patients are brought in only when they’re at death’s door.

This family obviously loves Achta and came up with the surgical fee right away.  This family doesn’t seem poor. In respect to our surgical team, not a bad investment of time and effort, wouldn’t you say?  The family will hear of Jesus, His love for them and His plan to save them. No charge.

Blessings to you in Christ’s name,

Bert and Debbie Continue reading “Praise – Another Precious Young Life Saved”

“This is the day that the Lord has made.  
We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
~ Psalms 118:24

Sunday morning– sitting on our back veranda, enjoying the cool breeze, listening to the birds singing their songs, trees rustling in the breeze, trying not to think how much dust will be coming through the open windows ? because of the wind, hearing the kids at the Koranic school reciting their lessons loudly, hearing motorcycles booking it up and down the dirt roads, trucks revving their engines as they are trying to get them going, cars honking, thanking God that our “OK official papers” are finally in hand so that we can drive our car to town after almost 2 weeks of waiting for them and being “compound bound,” but also reflecting on this past week and thinking what will be in store for the upcoming week!

Remembering the challenges and joys of the past week, these two immediately come to mind:

First was accompanying a grieving mother who had lost her baby son during labor because she didn’t come to the hospital and instead labored for 2 days at home. She endured a very difficult delivery without a sound and smilingly thanked us for helping her after the birth!

Not even twenty-four hours later, rejoicing with another family at the birth of their healthy son.

What a contrast just 24 hours apart! It can be such an emotional roller coaster that can’t be fully described!

Questions that often come to mind are: Why did they wait so long to come in with the sick person? Why do they think that cutting a little baby on the belly will take care of a tumor? Why would they refuse blood when the hemoglobin level is 5 (normal 12-16)? How can you watch your child losing weight, looking like a skeleton and still waiting to bring the child in? How can they smile through the pain that they are enduring? The losses? The death all around?

Why…? Why…?

But, more importantly, I have to ask myself how have I impacted their lives — both staff and patients — the people we have come to live among and serve?

Have they been able to see the love of Christ through me, through my words, through a gesture like holding a hand, through tears or a smile?

Or are they just seeing frustration or anger?

My prayer is that each day I remember Psalms 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made. We WILL rejoice and be glad in it.”

Once again, we want to thank each of you for accompanying us in prayer and your financial contribution. As we are fast approaching Thanksgiving we want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

In His Grip,

Debbie and Bert