Until the Cows Come Home

During the rainy season, we see the cows being herded to the fields each morning, and then home again in the afternoon.

Faces

Faces

Lots of faces this time! This is the group from the CMA conference in Brazzaville that we attended at the end of June. We have four pictures, but this is the one with the most people looking at the camera!

Community Health

While our parents were here (Stephen's parents and Anna's mom), they had a chance to do some health care in the community.

Quick Update/Prayer Request

Yesterday, some people may have seen the question Stephen posted on facebook/twitter yesterday, "Which would you rather have- water or electricity?"

While we've never had a choice, we have had many opportunities to talk about this lately.

The hospital continues to have ongoing electrical problems, which affects the water pump as well.

This is a summary of what Joe (Dr. Harvey) said in our meeting last night with the names removed.

The white generator will start, but the motor is shot and needs to be overhauled. The big yellow generator is starting to have problems again. The cable between the Sunday school building and Casa Blanca is fried. The underground cable between surgery and maternity that provides electricity to half of the hospital is not working either. (This effects maternity, administration, blue house, x-ray, lab, chapel, etc.) The best we can hope for now is a temporary fix.

We are in dire need of a full time electrician. Our electricity is becoming more and more of an urgent matter to the point of emergency. A volunteer has designed the system, but doesn't have time to order and assemble the system. Someone else is willing to install the system once assembled. For the time being we are back to a precarious electrical system.

Now the power has been restored to the water tower. We should only use electricity when absolutely necessary and remember that someone's life could depend on the electricity you are using. We should also try to conserve water so that we will not have to run the generator too often. There is a fuel crisis in town. (diesel fuel which is needed to run the generator.) We have payed for the fuel, but cannot get it.

Last night after the meeting, Joe continued working on the electricity and was able to get power back to some parts, including our house. But at best, it is a temporary fix. Please continue to keep this situation in your prayers.

Faces

At the Market

These are some shots of the market from December. The lady pictured here is at the market seven days a week selling onions and garlic. Sometimes she will have eggs or dried beans to offer as well.

I couldn't resist adding this cute face! To the side of him are some DVD's for sale.

This is a shot down one of the main aisles of the market.

I'm not sure what I'm doing in this picture, but I'm probably arguing about math in French. It seems to happen at least once every time I'm at the market.

September Update

We have had a busy but enjoyable summer. We finished our homeschool year on June 2, just in time for our month of travel.

Our traveling began June 4 with a trip to Brazzaville. The plan was for me would go to the dentist before we left for a conference in Spain. Unfortunately, the dentist was nowhere to be found. On the plus side, we were able to enjoy a few days of relaxing in Brazzaville.

We left the Republic of Congo for the first time since our arrival in November 2009 to attend a conference in Malaga, Spain. We had an amazing time looking at the Mediterranean Sea, connecting with old friends, meeting new people, and spending time as a family.

All too soon, it was time to return to Brazzaville. We had another conference in Brazzaville at the end of June. With only 10 days between the two conferences, we didn't have enough time to return to Impfondo and then go back to Brazzaville.

This gave us time to relax, spend time as a family, visit with the CMA missionaries in Brazzaville, and run some errands for the hospital. We were also able to locate the dentist, and I was able to have an impression for a crown made.

At the end of our time in Brazzaville we were joined by my mom and Stephen's parents. We spent a few days in Brazzaville with them, and then traveled to Impfondo together.

Stephen had to jump right back into the work schedule, but the rest of us had lots of time to spend with the grandparents.

We enjoyed showing them around our house, the hospital, and the town. They even had a chance to get out into the town to do community health and go on a jungle walk while they were here!

We were so sad when it was time for them to go, but grateful for the time we had together.

Since then, the kids and I have been doing some light summer school to review things like math facts and memory verses, plus learn a few more thing . (We call it "learning activities." That sounds so much better than school!)

Stephen has also been doing some teaching. He was one of the professors for the Nurses Aids Training Program, and also got to be a part of their graduation. The graduates are now working
in training programs at the hospital.
Stephen is also continuing to work through "Experiencing God" (in French) each week with one of the nurses. A second nurse has joined the study this month.

We've also stayed busy working on projects around the hospital. Besides the medical work, there are many things that need to be done. The kids and I are able to help with some of the behind the scenes work. It's nice for us to be able to be involved.

(The picture to the left is some of the curtains that I made for the remodeled maternity building. More pictures of that project to come.)

We were sad to say goodbye to the Fuka family last week. Dr. Fuka has been working at our hospital as a surgeon for the past four years. Now he and his family are returning to the DRC. Our hospital is currently without a surgeon.

The hospital continues to see many patients on a daily basis, and we are glad to have the opportunity to provide physical and spiritual care.

What's next?
1. I'm hoping to finish my dental treatment. We were unable to return to Brazzaville in August because of a shortage of flights. Our current plan is to leave today and return Saturday. My permanent crown is ready and at the dentist office. I just need to have it attached.

2. We start back to school Monday, September 5. (Yes, Labor Day. No one celebrates here.)

3. The hospital is continuing to search for a surgeon- long term would be best, but short term people to fill in will help us, too.

4. Dr. Laura Foudy will be traveling for two weeks. Stephen and Dr. Harvey will be "holding down the fort" in her absence.

Thanks to everyone for their continued prayers and support!