November 2009

As many of you no doubt know, we are no longer working in Guatemala.  We had a family issue that required that we leave in early September. We are staying with Marta, James and Jonathan in Cranbrook, B.C. waiting on the Lord to see His plan unfold for us.  Petra and I have just returned from a conference with Global Outreach Missions (GOM), regarding our future service possibilities.

At this point in time it appears that we will likely be heading to West Africa, either to Sierra Leone (of “Blood Diamond” fame) or to the Republic of the Congo.  There is also a chance that we might return to Central America as well. However, we will not be returning to Christian Academy of Guatemala where we had been working, as we will no longer have our kids with us. We have had the opportunity to speak with the leadership of GOM who are intimately familiar with both of the projects in Africa as well as the ones in Central America and they feel that we would be a good fit in any of these locations due to our unique skill set.  Sierra Leone is an English speaking country and the Congo is a French speaking country, though both have large numbers of people speaking their various indigenous languages.

A hospital that was once one of the premier hospitals in Sierra Leone has been given to Global Outreach.  It is located in Mokanji, Sierra Leone, which is the South East area of the country.  This hospital was severely damaged and looted during the civil war that ended in 2002.  The mission has already developed the plans for the restoration and re-equipping of the hospital, but funds still need to be raised in order to complete the work.  This work will be done in stages as funds become available with the initial stages being a primary health care center that can offer more than basic first aid and then moving on to a hospital with surgical capabilities.

There are currently many villages in Sierra Leone that do not have adequate or clean water.  Many times the villagers are forced to obtain water from local polluted streams or from wells that go dry during the dry season. 

Charles’ responsibilities in Sierra Leone would initially be maintenance of school buildings and drilling wells throughout the country.  Petra would be involved in public health education when the wells become operational as well as assisting at the small clinic currently at the hospital site (not much more than a first aid post at this time which is primarily used for maternity needs and no doctor is on staff yet).  In time Charles’ work would become more construction and maintenance at this rural hospital and Petra would be working in nursing at this location.

In the Congo we would be working at a hospital located in Impfondo, Congo, in the northeast corner of the country.  This hospital was in the same condition as the one currently in Sierra Leone, but has been repaired and staffed over the past 10 years and now can offer surgical services as well as basic health care.  Petra would immediately work in the leper section of this hospital since the nurse that is currently working there will be leaving in the next short while.  Charles would be involved in the maintenance and repair of this rural hospital and its equipment.  This hospital is very remote and often can only be reached by aircraft or riverboat.

Please pray for guidance as we prayerfully consider where we can best be of service. Once we have that figured out, we will be traveling and informing all our friends and supporters of our new work location and responsibilities as well as any funding needs that we might have.

We anticipate being on the field again in late summer of 2010.  At that time we would be traveling only as a couple since all our children will have graduated high school by then, following God’s plan for their lives.

Thank you for your continued partnership in this work.