Dear Family and Friends,
Happy New Year! We are so grateful that we were able to return to Chad January 10th.
Our time in Chad was a full and encouraging time. It was a time of meetings, welcoming many government officials to show them the hospital work, training of local staff and reflection. It was encouraging to sit down with many sharing their joys and challenges over a cup of coffee or coke, praying and encouraging them!
January is always a busy time as the annual board meetings takes place around the third week of the month. Coordinating airport pickups, housing and feeding our visitors, preparing statistics and reports, sending out invitations personally or via email are just some of the tasks that take place prior to these meetings. The meetings were attended locally and via Zoom. The internet worked amazingly well this year for which we were grateful!
One could see how the hand of God has been on the hospital as there has been many infrastructure changes and its good reputation has grown. Again, our focus is not that the hospital only grows physically but has a spiritual effect on those we come in contact with in the hospital and the community. The government officials, who attended the meetings, were very engaged, asking many questions, encouraging us, and verbalizing how impressed they were with all the advances in the past two years. Yes, there is still more work to be done to improve our services but it was good to hear from others that they appreciate the quality of work done!
During the meetings with our mission partners, much discussions centered around changes in the proposed restructuring of the governance of the hospital in the year to come. This change process needs to be approached prayerfully and with open minds. New documents with the proposed changes will be submitted to the Chadian government and we pray that our proposals will be accepted!
It was nice to welcome the American ambassador, Alexander Laskaris, and the Swiss ambassador, Nicolas Lang, as they visited Guinebor 2 (G2). Over the last 5 years, we have been working closely with the Swiss Development Cooperation on various projects and we have been blessed once again with funding for a 36 KW solar power project for which we praise the Lord! The installation of the system should be completed in the first three weeks of March lifting a big financial burden for monthly fuel consumption.
Bert was able to go to Dougia twice to visit the leaders there. Presenting the good news of Jesus again is one of Bert’s most important reasons for the visits. We continue to pray that God will raise a team who would be willing to go and live among the Kotoko people, an unreached people group, sharing the good news of Jesus to through agriculture, sports ministry, small business development and medical work.
Almost a month into our trip, Bert started having lots of pain in his left leg and swelling up to his thigh. After consulting with our physicians and having various tests, he was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). He was then started on anticoagulants and spent five days in bed with his leg elevated. Our departure date had to be delayed but we are so grateful that Bert’s pain and swelling are gone!
PRAISES and THANKFUL HEARTS:
- The great trip that we had.
- Continued unity in our senior management team (SMT)
- Bert’s health- no complications related to the DVT.
- Our team on the ground, both Chadians and expats, continue to stand strong even through difficult times.
- Our Ethiopian chaplains as they continue to visit the patients in the hospital and follow up with them in the villages around the hospital. Another Ethiopian family will be joining the chaplaincy team in April.
- Dr. Anatole Nzanzu, a surgeon working with CHSC, has joined us for three months.
- Funding for the new women’s ward (which should be finished in June) and solar project.
PRAYER POINTS:
- Please join us as we continue to seek the Lord for His direction of our future ministry, i.e. time on the field, and in the States.
- Stability of the government of Chad.
- Wisdom for decisions made by the board of governance and that they will glorify the Lord.
- More team members for the hospital as some have or will be returned(ing) to their home countries and others will be taking extended furloughs for further training. Some of our needs are for: obstetrician/gynecologist, anesthesiologist, surgeon, family practitioner, ultrasound technician, business administration.
- Bert’s health- no falls as he is still on anticoagulants.
Would you join us in praying Psalms 83:18 over the work at G2: “Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord- that you alone are the Most-High over all the earth.”
We want to continue to thank each of you again for being part of our team, keeping us in your prayers, and supporting us financially! God’s richest blessing to each of you!
In Him,
Bert and Debbie
2 Timothy 1:7
