Skip to main content

August Update

Posted on Monday, September 8, 2014

Things have slowed down here and I’ve settled into routine again. I have to ask for your prayers, however, as I have been quite sick the past week. I’ve even had to take a couple days off of work because I was too sick to leave the house. I’m beginning to recover but I desire your prayers for a quick, complete recovery.

We’re in the midst of the rainy season and I’ve enjoyed hearing the rain on our tin roofs and seeing everything go from a dusty brown color to deep greens. However, with every good rain, my entire yard floods and water stands as high as my ankles in some places. Now, I’m ok with wading through the water, it’s the mud that is my enemy. Below this deep water is very slippery mud that steals your shoes and throws you on your face. It’s been entertaining watching people navigate around and through the mud but terrible when someone falls. No, I haven’t fallen yet and I pray I don’t. But when I do, I’ll be sure to share with all of you so we can laugh about it.

I’ve been sharing in some personal emails about the things I’ve witnessed God do in the past 2 months and I’d like to share some with everyone now. The first story I’d like to share is that of a young woman named Amie. I met Amie several months ago when she was admitted on the ward for the first time. She had recently been diagnosed as HIV positive and was experiencing some of the complications of a depressed immune system. She was discharged and re-admitted on the ward several times in the following months which gave us lots of opportunities to talk with her and share the Gospel with her. During her last admission in the middle of July, she was visited again by our clinic chaplains and she made the decision to accept Jesus into her heart. She put all her trust in Him and even took of the jujus (charms) she wore to ward off evil spirits. I met her a couple days later and I could see the peace in her eyes that hadn’t been there before and I rejoiced with her for her decision. Sadly, her disease had progressed so far that she died less than 2 weeks later. While she didn’t have a lot of time to grow in her faith, she showed more faith in that last 2 weeks than some of us will show in a lifetime. She risked being put away by her family and dying alone so that she could have Jesus in her life! Thankfully, her family did not put her away and her father still welcomed her and us (missionaries) into the compound. Her family seems to have soft hearts toward the gospel and we pray that one day they, too, will accept Jesus in their hearts. We will continue to follow up and share with the family. Pray with us that they will open their hearts to Jesus and experience the peace Amie did just before she passed away.

Another story I’d like to share involves me being ministered to. Since I’ve been living alone for a little over a month, I’ve been somewhat lonely and some days I don’t have the energy to go visit my friends in the village. The girls from the youth group have started coming to visit me a couple afternoons a week to keep me company. I didn’t ask them to come but I told them they were always welcome. To have them reach out to me has been an incredible blessing the past month. Anyone in ministry worries that they will make the people they minister to dependent and always expecting to be ministered to but not reaching out to minister to others. I’m excited to say the youth group I am a part of is not that way. We sit around a couple times a month and think of ways to reach out to the church community and the greater village. These young people are ready to jump into ministry and that excites my heart! Please continue to pray for them as they will be the movers and shakers to reach the Gambia in the very near future.

Lastly, I just want to share the snapshots of life that make my heart smile. I don’t work on the ward full time anymore and that makes me enjoy the times I am on the ward. The majority of the patients on the ward are children. While this frightened and intimidated me during my first few weeks, it is now my greatest joy. Most children come on the ward so sick and miserable all they want to do is cry and sleep. Because the nurses administer injections and bitter tasting medicine, they learn to fear us and scream when we are near. Eventually, the course of medicine is finished and the children start to get better and realize that the nurses aren’t bad guys. One day, they even look up and smile at you. The next day, they’re happy to shake your hand. Eventually, they reach their arms up to be lifted and hugged on for a short moment before wanting to go back to their mothers. It’s their way of saying, “Thank you. I feel better now.” They’re short moments, but they’re the moments I live and work for.

I’ve learned so much about Christ’s character and His love for the world since I’ve been blessed with this experience. I understand more and more why He tells us to come as little children. Even when they’ve been sick, hurt, and mad at you, they still quickly forgive and accept you. The joy and innocence in their eyes is so precious. I thank you all for the faithful prayer and support you have blessed me with. I hope you feel a part of this ministry with me because you totally are! I wouldn’t be here if God didn’t provide wonderful people like you to stand behind me and lift me up in prayer. I pray His blessings are evident in your lives, also!

Until next time,
In Him,
Bekah

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Matthew 19:14

[ Goer login ]

© 2023 GoCorps. All rights reserved.
Website design and development by Hawkeye Design Group