Serving with joy in Niger-Day 1

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.

Jeremiah 31:3

Today I observed something very sweet. I was unable to capture it on camera, so I hope to describe it well enough for you to have a picture of it in your mind.  Since my last visit, a mirror has been put up in the ward so that the children who have plastic surgery can see the results. Etched on the mirror is the above verse and these words....This is the face of someone whom Jesus loves! It is so sad that it is in English and not French yet the sentiment is translated by the Christian nurses for the patients.

A little later this morning, I saw a young man on his knees trying to see his face as the mirror is hung low for the little ones to see what they look like. This man had received cleft palate and lip surgery. According to the nurses, his face was completely transformed. I tried to observe him inconspicuously as it was so delightful to see this young man who was obviously thrilled with his new appearance. He kept touching his face and patting his head perhaps to reassure himself that the image was truly his own. It was totally precious to watch.

This man's face was transformed by surgery. He delighted in the new person he saw reflecting in the mirror. What a sweet illustration of what the Lord Jesus Christ does in our lives, by His grace.  Our ugly sinful lives are transformed by His work on the cross. The transformation is only possible at the hands of our Great God and Savior. The power and regeneration of the Holy Spirit truly makes all things new!! The Love of God is everlasting and continues through the good times and the bad ones too.

Sometimes we look in our physical mirrors and we note grey hairs, wrinkles or other features that we see as undesirable. A day at a spa or beauty parlor may give us some hope of improvement. Many turn to plastic surgery for youthful transformation....we know even that will not last forever.

Isn't it great to have a loving Great Physician who transforms us on the inside, too? He transforms our minds, our emotions, our motivations, our spirits so that we are increasingly a reflection of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Those of you who know me, know that is my longing as I serve the LORD. I long to look into the mirror of scripture and see less of me and more of our great GOD. It is His image I long to see and not my own.

So glad that I can look into the mirror and know that my face...wrinkles and all are loved by my LORD who is ever faithful. He is faithful to bring me to this country, this hospital and these dear people.  I get to see first hand His precious loving care. My Heavenly Father is ever faithful to bring life transformation from the perfect image of God found in the person of Jesus Christ.

One day, for those of us who belong to the LORD , we will be complete and like Jesus. Until then, we are given the privilege of reflecting His likeness those around us. My prayer that we would all the a 'sight for sore eyes' in a world of sin's ugliness. May we bring healing to the people whose paths we cross day by day.

Forever Friends

Bonding in the OR

I am sitting in the airport lounge in Paris writing this little blog. As I checked my email, I see that I will be picked up at the airport by my dear sister in the LORD Angele. We have such a good time together serving the dear little ones and mentoring the nurses. Angele loves the LORD so much and it is infectious! I cannot wait to hear all the news, to go on rounds in the morning and hold the little ones in my arms.  The birth rate in Niger is very high. I have heard that he average number of live births per woman is 7!!! Wow...that's a lot of babies to love! Consequently, many of the nursing staff are either pregnant or just delivered a baby. As the oldest one at the hospital, I am the 'grandmaman' to all of them. Angele has a high honor.  She is regularly asked to name babies or attend baby baptisms....even the Muslim people have a ceremony called baby baptism. I have heard several explanations of this ceremony. Apparently the baby's name is given at this ceremony. Often a favored relative or close friend is asked to give a name for the little one. Angele has named quite a few babies. She usually picks Bible names that have strong meanings.
Please pray for Angele today as she carries much influence within the hospital and community. Pray that she would have wisdom and direction for her next step upon completion of her contract with CURE in January 2014. Pray for favor in finding her next posting!
Paul and I would love to see Angele come for a visit to Kentucky. She is interested in visiting the USA to practice and improve her English......in Kentucky?? Haha!
Angele is one of those forever friends!!! This may be the last visit to Niger where I get to work with her but I have a feeling we will cross paths again and again.

And the King will say, I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me. Matthew 25:40

Leading with integrity and skill for God's glory!

Angle is the nurse manager who is completing her 3 year assignment  in Niger. Thank you Angele!!  In this picture we are preparing to go to a village clinic. We love working together.

And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

Psalm 78:72

It is with bittersweet anticipation that I return to Niger next Wednesday, November 6th, 2013. It is hard to believe that the CURE Hospital in Niger is more than 3 years old! It is a great joy to be returning to a country and a people that I love. It is also a little sad that my dear sister in Christ Angele will soon complete her assignment with CURE Niger. She is 'graduating' to her next calling to serve the LORD. What a gracious and precious sister Angele is to me!

When young people in their 30's are so passionate about the LORD and His kingdom purposes, my faith is strengthened and encouraged!

When I visited CURE International Headquarters yesterday, I was struck by all the wonderful gorgeous young people who were enthusiastically serving the LORD. Like Angele they were committed to doing their best to serve 'the least of these' around the world. ( I digress)

What I shared with several yesterday is my prayer and blessing for CURE International Staff at their Headquarters.  This morning I share the same for my dear sister Angele.

Angele has been like King David, the king who was called to be a person after God's own heart. She has shepherded many within the hospital and without. Angele has a heart to lead people to excellence in their lives. The way she leads is with integrity....truth, honesty and complete transparency. Her life is one that exemplifies sacrifice and loving concern for others...her patients, her nurses, her friends and family members.

Angele is leaving behind a group of nurses that who have improved clinically and developed professionally as a team. Thank you, Angele!!

Yes, indeed, Angele used her skillful hands to lead and bring healing to many boys and girls.

She would say, 'Gloire a Dieu' or Dieu 'Merci' For those who may not understand....Glory to God and Thanks be to God!

My prayer requests as I go are simple:

Never wavering in my response to God's call
Integrity in all that I do
Gratitude and Guidance in daily work
Energy, Enthusiasm, Encouragement to serve staff and patients
Reliance on and resting in the LORD!!

Thank you for praying for me as I go. Please know that I am so thankful for the supportive work that prayer is to this journey.
I will have the joy of meeting the up and coming nurse manager, Elodie. There will be classes to teach. There will be meetings, demonstrations, mentoring, auditing, encouraging, challenging greeting, organizing, singing, laughing, trying to communicate in my quebeqois French. Most importantly, I will be called to share the love and light of Jesus Christ to bring healing to these dear people!

Thankfulness!

God our Father
God our Father
Once again
Once again
We bow our heads and thank Him
Amen,  Amen

(Sung to the tune of Frere Jacques)

This past Monday was a celebration of Thanksgiving in Canada. Thankfulness is often lost in the gatherings and turkey dinners (the same thing that happens south of the border in November)  So, I could not resist posting this darling picture of Anna Lee praying before a meal. It is such a joy to see the little ones thanking God for their food. We are so blessed to have food in abundance in this part of the world.  
In a few short weeks I will be leaving again for Niger.  There is not much security regarding food for the dear people there....and so praying before a meal takes on a whole richer meaning!
So perhaps if you read this blog, would you be especially thankful and give thanks to God our Father....you don't need to feel guilty for having so much food....an attitude of gratitude is the beginning of a life of sharing and caring for others.

Forever Friends

Friends: Angela and Maureen at Dr. M's in Lusaka

Friends: Lynn Hacker and Angela saying goodbye after a wonderful week together!!

Friends: A parting shot from the inside of the small airplane we flew in from Mukinge back to Lusaka

Traveling to Africa, specifically Zambia bonds people together in an amazing way! The long flights, airport layovers and travel challenges brings acquaintances to a new level of friendship. Although I have known Angela and Michael from TCPC and Trinity Christian Academy, we never had the opportunity to spend so much time together! I had met Lynn Hacker only a couple of brief times when she has been in the USA on furlough. This trip was going to prove to be a friendship making one!
As we prepared to travel, our families got to spend a little time together and enjoyed the discoveries that me made along the way regarding interests, travels and love for God's kingdom and purposes.
Although we are not all called to go, clearly Angela and I had it in our hearts to visit Lynn and bring encouragement to her.
Can you believe it? Lynn has been on the mission-field for 21 years? I have been in Kentucky for 20! This is the first time that we have visited her!!
The first working day in Zambia, we were at the Beit CURE Hospital of Zambia. Pastor Harold guided us through a devotional on Psalm 139 that describes how we are fearfully and wonderfully made and knit together in our mother's womb. It was a powerful and poignant devotional as we were working with children who were born with various deformities etc....yet our Heavenly Father knew this full well! The Lord has His ways and purposes. As Angela made new friends with the mothers and caregivers of the children, my joy was to make friends with the hospital administration and nursing staff.  We were being knit together as part of the body of Christ!  What a joy to meet mothers and staff who are trusting the LORD for their everyday needs and challenges!! It was a blessing to share the Good News to those who did not know the LORD.
Although Angela, Michael and I had very different roles during our time in Lusaka, we settled into a close little family, caring for each other.  We lived in close quarters in the guest house with several others whom we got to know and appreciate. Angela cooked supper for me one night when I was exhausted from teaching all day. Michael would bring me a bottle of water and help carry supplies after training times. I was able to share treats and host a dinner with the guest house occupants too.
Forever friends, indeed!!
As our journey took us outside of Lusaka and into the bush....Michael and I shared the backseat of Lynn's vehicle and bonded as we chatted and learned about Zambia from Lynn.
Throughout our time together, people said that Lynn and I looked like sisters! We kept saying that was because we had the same Father! It took a moment for some to catch on that we were talking about our Heavenly Father who had adopted us into His family.
Angela, Lynn and I enjoyed each others' company so much. We traveled back to Mukinge together on a 10 hour or more drive. We broke the drive up so that we could enjoy some African wildlife. It was such a fun experience sleeping in African huts. We learned a great deal from our new friends, the McBrides who owned the animal preserve. We were entertained and enriched with animal stories and information as we sat around the campfire listening to the hippos and monkeys. What a joy to experience the African bush with other people from South Africa, Germany, Italy and Great Britain! We too became a little family over the two days we were there. It is interesting that there are so many bonds that bind people together! Similar interests, similar experiences, similar likes.......
However, the most satisfying friendships and bonds that I experienced on this Zambian trip were the ones that come from God's people. It was wonderful to worship with fellow believers at church. It was lovely to share our passion for the LORD during devotions at the hospital chapels. We learned to appreciate our brothers and sisters from Zambia! We were bonded together in devoted love for the Lord, the poor, sick and needy.  During this trip, I grew to love, respect and appreciate Angela, Lynn and Michael. I saw how the Lord had prepared each one for this special time together.
It was so good for me to travel with Angela and Michael as I am usually traveling alone...it helped me recognize my rough edges that need smoothing!! Forever friends are the best....they are like iron sharpening iron so that together we might be increasingly useful for God's kingdom purposes.

A friend loves at all times...Proverbs 17:7
There is a friend who sticks closer that a brother...Proverbs 18:24

I will fear no evil....

Michael and I are being silly waiting for Lynn and Angela to return...we are stranded but not scared! We had a spot of car troubles....it wouldn't start, not even a slight cough from the engine.....dead....we needed help which was 10 km away! Lynn Hacker and Angela Rehorn set off while Michael and I stayed with the vehicle just in case help came.....at least I could drive the manual transmission on the right,  in a pinch after living in Australia

We were surrounded by the beauty of the African bush....also tsetse flies and mosquitoes too!

Michael and I climbed on top of Lynn's vehicle to watch and wait....we prayed too!

On the lookout!

Beautiful and dangerous bush...yet we did not need to fear as the LORD was with us and He sent help within two hours.....we had a true African adventure

So do not fear,  for I am with you; do not be dismayed, 

for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

It is not often that one gets stranded in the middle of the bush of Africa! Yet most of us have times when we are in tough situations......we feel isolated, abandoned, unprotected and very vulnerable. Our little adventure was a great life lesson and illustration of God's faithfulness and protection. Thankfully, we knew that the LORD was with us and would never leave us! There was no room for fear in my mind...as it was protected by scriptures and capturing every thought in obedience to Christ...be anxious for nothing! Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you......!

 

Is there someone to whom you can encourage with this important truth today?

Loaves and Fishes

Angela and I came to share our 'loaves and fishes'....art and nursing experiences...

Michael brought his friendship, soccer balls and love

These are the nurse who are taking our training and multiplying the information for God's honor!