2 Hospitals & the Vet!

I love ministering in Cameroon and have no desire to live in the States or elsewhere but at times when the kids are sick I wish Cameroon (and especially Buea) had better medical care. However, God is good and faithful and it is comforting knowing there are many prayers going up on our behalf. I also appreciate those working in the medical field here as I know they are doing their best with the knowledge and tools they have.

A few weeks ago Hannah woke up with a high fever and rashes that spread all over her body.

Hospital 1:

We went to a nearby hospital to see a doctor and he had her tested for the usual, malaria and typhoid. Both tests came back negative so they gave her medicine to help with allergic reactions, However...

After a few days the rash got worse so we took her back to the hospital...

She had such a good attitude despite feeling miserable. She is one tough cookie!

They drew more blood to take her blood count and cut a piece of her skin (with no numbing meds and she didn't even cry!) for filaria. 

We were attacked by flying cockroaches while waiting for the results! ...Hannah & I kept laughing as we shewed them away. :-D

The filaria test came back negative but her blood count wasn't great. I asked the doctor if it could be Scarlet Fever. He looked up Scarlet Fever in his book and then asked to check in her mouth and then confirmed that my suspicion was correct. He gave her antibiotics to take and about 3 days later she started to feel better though she took meds for 10 days all together. The doctor accidentally gave the wrong dosage for her but after talking to 2 RN's, a doctor friend in the States, and my friend Dr. Trixy who used to work in Buea they all gave me the same correct dosage. Thanks ladies!!! 

We are still not completely sure if she actually had Scarlet Fever, an allergic reaction (I'll be paying more attention to this), or something different but Hannah is back to her normal self again, praise God!

Hospital 2:

Jael and I were driving down the main road in Buea when we witnessed a young lady get hit by a car! She was crossing the road when a car tried passing another vehicle in the median and didn't see the young lady there and hit her. She flipped over and her bags went flying. Jael (who is an RN & pregnant) jumped out of the car as I was slowly pulling over to race to the scene. Meanwhile, the guilty driver stopped the car and started running from the scene but nearby men chased him down and called the police. Jael went to the lady who was unconscious and grabbed her wrist to check for a pulse and at that moment she regained her breath and the men around picked her up and carried her to a car to go to the hospital. Jael and I went to the hospital a few minutes later to find she just had a minor concussion, a big pump on her head, and some scrapes and bruises. They said she would be fine and sent her home a few hours later.

And the Vet: 

We took our female dog, Ginger, to mate with another German Shepard a friend owns. Our friend also owns one of Ginger's pups from 2 years ago. Ginger's daughter was locked up in a room when Ginger and the other GS were together. At one point someone accidentally let Ginger's daughter out and she attacked her own mother! Dog drama. 

Jeremiah was preaching in a distant village at the time but thankfully Brian was around to help take Ginger to the vet. It was quite interesting. I was asking the veterinarian questions and as she was answering she waved the pain numbing needle around and just about poked Brian in the back. The lady was very nice though! ...and I found it interesting they had numbing meds for the dog but the hospital didn't for Hannah. :) 

They couldn't find the needle, the quite dull needle, but after looking around they found it on the floor and picked it up and then started sewing Ginger up right away. Thankfully the area did not get infected and Ginger is healthy and active again!

A Mission in Menji

The last weekend in March, I was invited to speak at a revival in the town of Menji, in the remote district of Lebialem. Heading out on a Thursday, I took a taxi to the bus station here in Buea, and then a bus to Dschang, in the West province of Cameroon.

Dschang is up in the mountains of Cameroon. Leaving Buea, one descends Mount Cameroon towards Douala, and then climbs up again from sea-level back up to about 4,500 feet. It really is beautiful, rugged countryside. 

Little work has been done with the church of Christ in Lebialem, partially because it is a very isolated area. The district lies on slopes of the mountains, with part of it being below 500 feet in elevation, and other parts almost 4000 feet of elevation. Going from Dschang to Menji, I joined a small 1996 Toyota Tercel 4 wheel drive station wagon. I asked to get the front seat, as I am a big guy, and was told that that would mean I would have to pay 3 places... as usually there are 4 people in the front and 5 in the back! 

Arriving in Menji, I was pleased to get a room in a local hotel where I could stay for the 2 nights I was there. There was running water and electricity, which I was impressed to see!

During the day, I had a chance to go out into the village to share with people from the Scriptures. I had a chance to talk to two- an elderly gentleman and a high school student. Pray for the seed that was sown. 

Public preaching was held at the football field. The topic I was given was "Identifying the Church of the New Testament." Briefly, the 9 identifiers that I gave were;
1- The church of the New Testament is the Church that belongs to Christ, as He built His church.
2- Christ is the Head of the church, and as such directs its movement.
3- The Church is to make us like the Head, who is Christ. The purpose of the Church's activity and organization is to build up the body of Christ to help us attain to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)
4-His Spirit is to fill the Church and produce unexplainable character.

 5- Christ alone adds one to the Church, and He knows those who are His. 

6- The Body of Christ will be united, not factious and divisive, but of one mind and one Spirit.
7- The Church that is Christ's will have the Faith that is Christ's.
8- Christ's love will fill His Church.
9- The Lord's Church will be on the Lord's Mission. 

Saturday morning, I was up early and headed back home. The rolling hills and steep valleys were trully beautiful. 

My Ride back to Dschang. These little Toyota Tercels are beasts! The road was one of the worst roads I've been on in Cameroon, and it handled it admirably. Honestly, I don't think I could have driven like the drivers of that area. They really should enter a rally-car competition. 

It had been raining most of the time I was in the village, so we slipped and slid on our way back, but finally made it. I thank God for the opportunity to preach His word, believing that it is in fact living and active and will not go forth without accomplishing His work. Thanks for your prayers as we continue to find ways to reach out and share! 

New Video

Hey All! We have been putting together a new video overview of the Lord's work here in Cameroon in which we are privileged to play a part. We hope you may be encouraged and will continue to partner with us in amazing ways to accomplish things for God! Thanks to you, our precious friends, family and co-laborers in the Lord, the borders of God's kingdom may continue to expand! Thanks!