We were on fire today!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM BROTHER SAM: TOMORROW AT 2 PM SENEGAL TIME THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO START TURNING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE LAST DAY OF CLINIC. THIS WILL BE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE TEAM AS THEY ENDURE THE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL STRESS OF LEAVING THOSE BEHIND WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN TREATED. SAM HAS REQUESTED THAT PEOPLE MEET AT THE CHURCH AT 10 AM CST FOR SPECIAL TIME OF PRAYER TO COVER THIS VERY CRITICAL TIME. CINDY DAUGHERTY WILL BE THERE TO LEAD. PLEASE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY AS NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE GREAT DISSAPOINTMENT FOR SOME, ANGER AMONG OTHERS AND THE TEAM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT. OUT-OF-AREA PRAYER WARRIORS PLEASE MARK THIS TIME AND JOIN US. (Scott Forbes)

Love at first sight! Gary discovers an olfactory

sensation that is second to none!

First…God is good!! Second, please forgive me as the computer is not cooperating with all the pictures but for those whose family’s pictures are not there, trust me that they are great! Finally, we were near 150 today—like a well oiled machineJ.

We started today at 7am. The team was in good spirits after a good night’s sleep, and ready to start the day. We traveled to the clinic to find another mob of people waiting on us. What a blessing and how overwhelming at the same time!

When we arrived, we assembled the team and gathered in a circle in the lot, joined hands, and shared time with our Father. We finished with an beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace. We were greeted by a newborn baby boy that was born overnight by the midwife…what a wonderful surprise! The clinic was a faster start this morning, and we found ourselves in the 40’s by 10:15 am, 60’s by the time we took a break for snack, and so on… we definitely had our groove on! Brother Sam was walking around like a proud papa! Dr. Ray and Jeania (I am sorry to all- I spelled her name wrong yesterday) did a great, efficient job today. They worked with Fran again, and saw everyone from infants to the elders.

There were many interesting cases and many routine. Infants and children with dehydration, upper respiratory infections, skin rashes, injuries and burns; adults with hypertension, bronchitis, gout, fatty tumors, STD’s, anemia, malnutrition, goiters, joint and back pain, fungal infections, and the like. We had a few “special” patients today that stayed with us for several hours. Rhonda spent time caring for a newborn baby that was dehydrated, similar to the case that we saw yesterday, and the team has decided that it is her spiritual gift.

We kept Megan busy in the triage area, taking complaints, weights and temperatures. What a blessing she has been to there! Delayn and Dr. Mike did lots, and I mean lots, of dentistry today, and also ran a nursery out of the dentist office half the time. Larry and Sam had the front gait working like Fort Knox, and things were smooth. Gary and Brandon looked out for one another in the pharmacy today, while they worked to fill and dispense hundreds of prescriptions.

Prayer was, of course, the most important part of our day…before we saw the people, as we were seeing them, after, whenever we had the chance. As task masters, the nurses were always trying to keep things moving, and Sam and Larry were quick (and correct) to remind us as to the “real” reason that we are here…to win souls to Jesus our Savior. There were some rabble rousers, but thankfully no fights. Let me tell you that the West Africans understand the meaning of a line and “my turn!”

Overall, it was a great day, and we are ready for tomorrow. God has answered prayers, and provided us with the additional medications that we needed, and there will be many left over that we can leave with the local hospital as well as with Dr. Steele in Dakar. I know that there have been many prayer warriors back home, and we cannot express how thankful we are. We know that our family, friends, co-workers, and church families have been committed to our team, and let me remind you that you are all arguably the most valuable contributors to this effort. We love you all.

Please be in continued prayer for the health and safety of our team (everyone is healthy so far), the provisions of care (as they seem to be multiplying as we work- praise God), and the health and spirit of the people we are caring for. Please remember that tomorrow will be a hard day emotionally for the team, as we will have to drive away, looking into the faces of those whose physical needs that we did not meet, and pray that the Spirit will touch the ground upon which they walk, and that He will glorify His name thorough us on our last work day. Until tomorrow…

Ephesians 3:14-21 captures our prayer for the members of West Africa. It says: I pray that from glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as well as God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (New Living Translation)

Submitted by Kindra York