Hello!
I looks like we will be communicating with you via e-mail for this particular project since we are slowly realizing the sensitive, non-public nature of our journey… which you might have already perceived from our coded Ind*a. So, hopefully you are on our prayer list which I will update regularly from gmail. Please be careful who you forward the e-mail to as well. We are so very thankful to have your support! Grace and peace to you, Martha
Love, Martha
Can you hear Ind*a calling?
With Burkina still burning in our hearts we have decided to answer a call to help start a medical outreach in Chennai, Ind*a this fall (October 6-20).
Will you consider joining us in prayer? I know it seems “early” to be informing our prayer warriors, but there have been so many concerns that have completely blocked outreach in this location over the past several years and I feel that we need your support right now in order for this ministry to actually take place. We KNOW that nothing is impossible for God. We just need to ask and listen. Can you partner with us in this?
To make it simple, here are our current concerns:
1. We would like more medical and/or dental providers to join the team.
2. We have a place to stay and a local ministry to partner with, but none of the logistics regarding clinic sites and translators are ironed out yet.
3. We have just begun to negotiate the notoriously perilous Ind*an paperwork necessary for a working trip like this.
4. We would like to add an eyeglasses arm to this ministry but we don’t yet know exactly what this should look like. Martha is working on this.
5. We need to create a working medical formulary for this team. Scott is the medical director for the trip and is working on this.
6. Pray for the team as God prepares all of our hearts.
Unfortunately our letter was cut off when we tried to publish it — grrr…
So you got part of the story but not all of it. God is at work in Burkina and Fremont and all places – He promises that.
This is the outline of the rest of the letter …
Six different villages over seven days – each with special challenges spiritually and physically. Some put their trust in God and others could not take that step away from their life of idol worship. Clarisse (Scott’s patient) declared that “If God sent His only Son, then we just have to believe!” Right on! Her circumstances are bleak – 7 kids: sick, sick infant with malaria, severe malnutrition and parasites, other kids with malnutrition, pussy staph infections, parasites and malaria… but she has a new outlook and you could see it on her face and in her countenance – peace with God and greatest joy.
Malaria and malnutrition are solvable problems that are taking the lives of thousands of children. Pray for wisdom for the government leaders and an end to corruption. Phyiscal challenges for us – wildlife in the necessary “hole” (bats and cockroaches), HOT days and nights – upper 80=90’s , van rides on crumbly country paths never meant for vehicles, sparse food resources but corresponding waning appetite, close sleeping quarters under nets, a visit from a speedy giant fanged spider and the constant reminder of malaria in the hum of the mosquitos at night. But never a complaint from the crew – we were blessed with a wonderfully unified and encouraging team.
Thank you for being a part of our team to Burkina – we were sustained on your prayers from one to the next. Thank you so much!
Grace and Peace to you!
Hello! Yane!
We are back in Fremont ….”already?” you ask?! Yes, the time flew by for us too, but each and every day presented new challenges and opportunities for us to rely on God’s wisdom. From our entrance into Burkina through an exceedingly harsh and scary descent into a stormy Ouagadougou all the way to our last minutes in the country faced with shocking surprises at the departure counter, we were constantly reminded that the Lord is our protector and our sustainer and we must rely on Him for every bit of wisdom and understanding. After these two weeks Scott and I are trying to pull ourselves through the haze of startling images and experiences, voices and faces which touched us deeply. First and above all we are excited to share the great news with you of God’s great love for ALL people. We are thankful to Him for the opportunity to go and see and learn and become a small part of God’s story in Burkina.
Our very wise and discerning national partner, Lynn (Shattering Darkness – missionary) helped us in so many ways – providing a few Christian English students and young local pastors to partner with us in translation and sharing, and she managed to help us stay organized and focused. We found ourselves in a new village almost every day, each with a different set of needs and a variety of spiritual challenges. This is a picture of an amazing young man named David, who supervised our translation team and shared the gospel everywhere we went. Please pray for David as he has two weeks of bible training classes and then will continue his studies as an English major at the university.
As the team has their last half-day of clinic tomorrow, continue to pray! I haven’t heard from Scott or Martha today or yesterday.
Pray for Shattering Darkness, its mission, its leaders and its effectiveness. Pray for the church planters in the villages of Burkina Faso and their congregations. These are the ones that will continue to minister there and follow up in the weeks and months to come.
Pray for the people that heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed. For many of these people we may be the first people that have ever told them about Jesus and how much He loves them. We may be the first people that have ever told them that we love them and have given them a hug. Many seeds will be planted and pray that God will be seen through us as we played with and loved them.
Pray for spiritual healing. These people live in tough conditions and some have no hope of ever having things better where they live or even physically.
Pray that they receive eternal hope through a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Jesus.
I just got this from Martha-
Hi from Burkina! We are all doing well – very safe here with welcoming people who are treating us well. God is working and there are new people in the kingdom now!
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Praise God! Keep praying!
ghokehls 