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Unlocking
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Reports Out of Africa: May 2005 Sarah’s Impressions I could talk about the bugs the bats or even the lizards,
but they are just inconveniences. I could talk about the more
than 350 patients we saw, but what I really want to tell you
about is the beautiful village at night. We were sitting outside
in the cool dessert night and it was so dark you couldn’t see
your hand in front of your face. The stars were spectacular.
I saw a shooting star, but because I was the only one who saw
it, no one believed me. To our left were grass huts; the villagers'
fires glowed, making the huts and one big tree look so beautiful.
All you could see of the tree was a black outline. Robert’s Story Nigeria is Hot! I knew that the minute I stepped off the plane. But the hottest place was in the bush. I had been to Nigeria before, but I had forgotten how hot it was! When my family and the Nigerian team got to the village of Yale, we unpacked and got started with handing out medicine. The women prepared supper for us and we ate. That night we looked out at the stars and I could see them clearly because there were no streetlights or anything. The next morning at the clinic was very hard. I was so tired by the time we came back to the storehouse where we were sleeping that I went to sleep for about half an hour. But I had to get up sooner or later. When they had lunch prepared, we ate and then walked back to the clinic and started working again. We were going to stay another night, but we didn’t have the medicine we needed so we came back to our hotel when we were finished. I was very tired. I felt like it had been a long time since I had gotten some rest. Then I lay on the couch where I was sleeping and went to sleep. Lauren’s Account When we got to the conference in Jos, there was another white family. They just moved there from Alaska. Their parents are going to do some kind of mission work there. Their names are Hannah, Ellen and Claire. They are the grandchildren of Brother Bud and Sister Mary Ann Cassidy. We all made friends and had a great time. Kristen’s Tale “The Bug Story” First of all, when we got to the village we had to dust the place that we were going to sleep. That night I went to sleep, but not very long. I woke up and had to go to the bathroom our dad had brought. My dad heard me and woke up. I told him I had to go to the bathroom. He took me to where the bathroom was, but there was a bunch of roaches so he took the portable potty outside. I went to the bathroom and lay back down. A few minutes later I was sitting in a chair because one of the roaches had just crawled across my bed. The Cassidys The family that Lauren referred to is the Dyars, Julie and Mark and their children, who are pioneering a TV station geared to the Muslims. This is a vision of Br. Bud and Sis. Mary Ann Cassidy whose burden for the Kanuri led to our call to Africa. This is their daughter Julie’s second stint as a missionary to Africa; she lived in Ghana with her parents as a child. Unique Callings One of our partners wrote to tell us that she was so thankful that God had called us and not her to Africa. The reason being that she could not handle the bugs. How true it is that we are all individuals and each has a unique calling and work to do for the Lord. When God spoke to my heart last May to do a VBS in Haiti, I said, “Yes!” even though I have never conducted a VBS before, least of all for 2,000 children. I approached our children’s pastors, not to recruit them so much as to enlist their help on what and how to do what I needed to fulfill God’s command to my heart. But that was just God’s way of planting the seed in their heart to go and fulfill (2 Tim 2:2) And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. So, on the 27th of this month, they will be joining Sarah and the kids and me as we lead a team from our church, Hope & Life Fellowship, to work with the children of Haiti. Outreaches Haiti: May 27 – June 3; VBS Our heartfelt thanks to all of you responded to our appeal with $1,465 to apply to our outstanding expenses of $6,000 from the February Nigerian Outreach. We continue to covet your help as we prepare for these upcoming missions, as well as invite you to join us as we Take the Gospel Through Medicine. Your Servants In Christ, Larry & Sarah |