Study to show thyself approved!

Salutations friends and family. How we miss everyone. God is providing many new opportunities for us! Doors are being opened by His almighty hand.
Yesterday was very full…both in activities and in blessings!
We began the day by meeting w/Drs. Konte and Barro at the hospital in Sedhiou. Dr Barro specifically wants to send his greetings to Dr Ray and Dr. Mike (sorry Gary, guess you rank w/us nurses, teehee!). The meeting went very well and we have their blessings and full cooperation in bringing a medical team back. After we met w/the doctors we then went to meet w/the Prefecture of Health here in Sedhiou. We were greeted w/open arms and w/much gratitude.
We had been advised unofficially that Bobo had been “dismissed” from her job there at the clinic. One of our objectives for the meeting was to attempt to verify the accuracy of that report. It saddens me greatly to have to report that is was confirmed by the Dr. Bobo is our “person of peace” for the village of Sansamba, she was the first that prayed to receive Christ. Tom has reported that she has received persecution since we were there in Jan. We will be going to Sansamba this morning, it is our hope to be able to talk to Bobo privately to hear what she has to say. Please be in much prayer because we will need to decide whether we can return to Sansamba or not. The Lord has already raised up another clinic in Bamakunda. Please be in much prayer over this. We want to do HIS will.
One highlight of the day was going to the village Badiandian. Five or six of Tom’s students live there. Two of the students were women! Yeah God! I wish that each one of you could not only see but feel the emotion we felt as we sat among them with their Bibles open, lessons in hand, and ears finely tuned to every word that was being spoken. At one point Pastor Sam opened the conversation up for them to ask questions. It was so moving. I then asked the women if they had questions. Due to cultural differences there was hesitancy on the part of the women to speak. Pastor N’gom began by asking the women who it was that God was as an instrument in bringing sin into the world. Evelyn, one of the women, responded “Eve”. Then he asked who God uesd as a vessel to bring the Saviour into the world and she replied “Mary”. Then pastor Sam asked who was the first person that Jesus appeared to after raising from the dead. Justin, another student, replied “Mary Magdelene”!!!! Oh how sweet that was!! God has been so gracious by allowing us to reap part of the harvest that is a direct result of Tom’s faithfulness in “tilling of the soil”. Many seeds have been planted.
We then returned to the river house, aka “suite”. God then granted Gwen and I the highlight of our day. There was a thatch fence and behind it was two women cleaning rice under the mango tree in front of their dwelling place. I asked Pastor N’gom if I could meet them. They graciously invited us in and we began to share the differences of our cultures in the food that women have to prepare. It was very exciting because they did ask several question and were very open to us (possibly because the men weren’t w/us). Then after the conversation on food THEY asked if we would explain what our religious beliefs were. This was the open door for me to share the plan of salvation with women in Africa for the first time. Gwen and I have been sending up hallelujah balloons every since! Because it is such a “process” here, and they are of strong Muslim faith, Gwen and I will be sure to make another visit before we leave. Please cover that in much prayer asking the Holy Spirit to radiate through us and to draw them.
Our day was concluded by a visit w/Jean Pierre, the school master from Bloc. We discussed some of the possibilities of bringing a team back in Nov. to hold an “English camp”. This evening we are planning to show the Jesus film in Bloc. Pray for the people to have eyes to see and ears to hear. Also pray for safe travel for the team. We will be taking several additional people and transporting the equipment.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. 2 Timothy 2:15

One humorous point yesterday was when Dr. konte was joking and introducing the Assistant Prefecture as his "slave" because the prefecture was Sereer and the physician was Fulani. I then replied that I fully understand because "Dr Turner thinks of me as his slave'! Bonnie, I know that you can relate!!

Once again we want to express to our families how much we love you and how we appreciate your willingness to take up the slack at home and allow us the privilege of doing what God has called us to do!

Blessings to all,

Cindy