Back in Chad
Saturday, June 3, 2017
We have been back in Chad for nine days. We are struggling with the extreme heat (93-96F in our bedroom) but are “getting by.”
Three days ago, God sent a refreshing shower which cooled it down a few degrees for a few hours. We know that He will send more rain, cooler weather, and other blessings.
Despite our whining, we know this small sacrifice of living in a hot and dusty land is really nothing compared to that of many of God’s servants who have gone before us. They endured much worse conditions than this without electricity and fans. The intended message here is God is enabling us to continue to serve here.
I am grateful that I am even healthy enough to serve here at my age!
Post heart-post ablation procedure, my heart is beating normally and I only require small doses of B/P medicine. Thanks, Dr. Will and Stephen and team at LMC. I will be able to discontinue the blood thinner in three weeks.
We arrived here from Chad at night and started having meetings with staff the next day.
We started our usual work routine last Monday and gave Kalbassou, our Cameroonian advanced surgical nurse friend who has worked very hard during our absence, a week off.
We are proud of the hospital staff and missionaries here on station, Joan McKenzie (from Scotland) and Claire Bedford (from England) , who helped “hold it together” during our absence as well as doctors from the US who pitched in (Drs Dean and Dianna Kubasz and Drs Jason Oliphant and Sarah Schultz from the USA).
Thanks also to their missions (TEAM and Christ Mission International in Memphis) that allowed them to help us. They already serve in Chad full time.
The hospital is rather busy considering it is Ramadan.
A Small Step in the Right Direction
“A small step in the right direction” should be explained.
We have accomplished another long desired goal and that has been to move all our containers from the clinical part of our campus to a different location on the mission property.
Much thanks to our friends with Lutheran Brethren Seattle area for helping with that project.
We also have long desired to put the containers to better use. That is also being done as you see in the photo.
This building is not completed but by putting a roof over the containers and walls up, we can use it to for our 6:45 daily worship service as well as for staff meetings (while it is cooler in the early morning). We will start using this space for these meetings Monday.
New Surgical Center
The space being vacated by the containers will be renovated and then used as our new surgical outpatient clinic. Not such a big deal perhaps for most of the readers but an encouragement for our staff here and for us.
We desire desperately to raise our standard of care for patients and also for our Chadian staff and missionaries. Improving the infrastructure is a real encouragement to everyone.
Please Pray!
However, the only reason we can serve here is by the enabling of Christ’s Spirit. He has given us a love for the people. They need to know Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:19. “Do not quench the Holy Spirit.”
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Love,
Bert and Debbie Oubre
If you would like to join us in the work for the Kingdom here but cannot physically come, your gifts can be sent to:
CEF
PO Box 2652
Lexington, SC
29071
If you have a preference of how you want the funds to be used, please make a note on the subject line or include a note.