January 26, 2024
Wow, January has really flown by! Warren has declared 2024 as the “Year of the Chicken” but thus far it seems to be the “Year of the Rabbit.” At the moment we have 47 living creatures in our care! This includes 21 meat chickens, 2 roosters, 6 laying hens, 2 parrots, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 12 rabbits! The BIG theme of the month on our little Congolese homestead is that of baby bunnies. Both of our females had their kits, so presently we have 8 babies. They are born without any fur and are so tiny (except for their HUGE feet), but they quickly double their size. It is amazing how much joy these little animals can bring. It is also good for Emmanuel to have the experience of caring for animals. We also are waiting on a bunch of chicks which should hatch any day.
Emmanuel has a green lovebird he affectionately calls Grio. You know, like Rio the movie with a “G” to indicate that it is a green parrot. Emmanuel taught Grio how to fly and prefers to ride on his shoulder all the time. I am realizing that not just everyone has birds that can fly around the house! So between our African grey parrot and Grio there is a lot of flying around our living room.and we have baby. Rabits from Emmanuel
Hospital News
We are completing a rehabilitation on the Women's Surgery ward which is starting to take shape. It will be wonderful to have a nice space for women! This building, built by Richard Dix in the 1970s is still in relatively good shape and we are thankful to have been able to help with needed repairs.
A little boy came to see me this week for a medical follow-up. We treated him for tuberculosis of the kidney and he had a miraculous turn-around. I almost didn’t recognize him. After looking him over, checking his blood pressure, etc, I said “He looks great! What is the problem?” They said, “Nothing at all. We want to know-can he can eat salt again.” He looked nervous. But after I said, “Absolutely, yes!” he gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen. It was like he had opened a much sought-after gift for Christmas. Can you imagine feeling joy over something simple like salt? It is true though that salt brings much flavor to food which brings joy. This is what Christians are supposed to be like in the world. We bring joy and meaning to everyday experiences because of the presence of God in us.
We have been seeing a lot of complicated pregnancies and very sick babies. I happened to be in the operating theater one night to receive a baby after a caesarian section. The woman had an immediate complication to spinal anesthesia, lost consciousness, and stopped breathing. Her color changed and I knew she needed immediate attention. The anesthetist began breathing with a bag, while I grabbed the epinephrine and started chest compressions. Fortunately she responded well to treatment, her color and vital signs returned, and she started breathing again. There are many things to learn from this case…but it demonstrates the risks of childbirth in this part of the world. Each year we follow about 20 orphaned babies with formula, all who lost their mothers due to birth complications. This is a reality and one that we want to fight hard to change.
Warren has had more complicated orthopedic and general surgery cases again. We are grateful that his vision appears to have stabilized some, but there will probably always be cases that are difficult for him now.
Another Family Joins the Work
As we help them with plumbing and various things around the house we remember what it was like for us moving here. It is a blessing to be surrounded by nature and live close to where we work. I love being able to have a garden and fresh food and go for evening walks. We feel blessed again to be able to share our world with missionaries again.
Orphans
On New Years Day there was a special event for orphaned children. It was a lovely event with 100+ participants, Bible stories, and treats. It is difficult to think about the reality that these children live with, but God knows each one of these children. This event was good for me to put faces on the problem. You can see immediate, obvious effects of armed conflict like displaced peoples, hunger, food insecurity, and injured people. But then there are even more hidden consequences, such as orphaned children. We need to be prayerful for these kids and ask God to be intervening in their lives.
Prayer Requests
Thank you for your faithful prayers and communications. It means a lot to us to hear from you. We will be back in the USA from mid-March through June this year! Emmanuel will finish 3rd grade at Grace Academy, so we will be based in North Carolina. We look forward to this. It can be hard to leave our life here…but it is important for his education and for us to stay connected to friends and family as we live in a challenging part of the world.
-Pray for visitors through our mission, CHSC, and Samaritan’s Purse who will visit in February/March. Pray that they would have a good understanding of God’s calling on our lives and that they could be an encouragement in collecting stories and interviews.
-Pray for the many medical needs of rural peoples and that our hospital would be able to provide quality health care.
-Pray for Warren’s eyesight to be stable and even improve.
-Pray for our friends the Staffords as they adapt to living here.
-Pray that we would seek to encourage others and plant seeds of hope in people’s lives.
-Pray for the many orphaned children in this area.
-Pray for continued improved security of the region.
Blessings,
Lindsey
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