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ON CALL (Dave & Becki Thompson, currently on furlough in the U.S. until July, are medical missionaries serving at the Bongolo Hospital with the C&MA in Gabon, central Africa) May 17, 2005 Dear Friends, God has done many wonderful things over the past month that we can’t wait to tell you, especially since many of you helped make them happen! This past month our speaking engagements in Florida, Ohio, California and Wyoming went very well. And I (Dave) did well on my ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) course at Loma Linda in southern California. Next week we’ll both be at Council, in Cincinnati! Will we see any of you there? CONTAINERS AWAY! On May 6, the second 40 foot container filled with donated medical equipment and supplies was shipped off to Gabon from Syracuse, once again loaded by volunteers under David & Anna Shipe’s leadership. In our last prayer letter, we asked you to pray for a miracle that would enable JAARS Trucking to deliver our shipment of donated equipment from Redding, California in Syracuse by April 30, the deadline given to the Shipes for clearing out of the warehouse they were using. God heard our prayers and acted swiftly. For starters, the owners graciously extended the time we could use their warehouse from April 30 to May 6. JAARS delivered our shipment to their warehouse in Waxhall, N.C. on April 29. They then made a special effort and trucked our shipment from Waxhall to Syracuse by May 3! A total of 79 donations came through the Syracuse Alliance Church, including three from a child. The total amount given for purchasing antibiotics, other medicines, lab and dental supplies, new mattresses, and shipping costs now stands at an amazing $39,000. This sum does NOT include contributions that did not come through Syracuse, such as free trucking, the use of a company forklift and driver, the use of a large warehouse for three months, and other services. Once again, God responded to your prayers and ours in a dramatic and wonderful way! Our volunteer French translators did a “superbe” job and completed the first container list translation 10 days ago. They are now working on the list for the second container. THELANDER UPDATE Dr. Keir and Joanna Thelander successfully completed their pre-appointment interview with the C&MA and are now awaiting appointment to Bongolo Hospital as missionaries under International Fellowship of Alliance Professionals (IFAP). Dr. Thelander is a general surgeon from the Cleveland Clinic and an elder in an Alliance Church in Cleveland. Once appointed, he will help run the surgical training program in Bongolo, especially during the trips I (Dave) have to make all over Africa as the Executive Director of the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons. The Thelanders will need to raise $5000 a month for their support, health insurance, schooling expenses, housing and travel costs. We are asking God to provide for their support quickly so they can begin French language study in France this coming January. If you can help them, please write them at jklthelander@sbcglobal.net. And remember to pray for them too! PRAYING FOR A MISSIONARY DOCTOR FROM OCTOBER TO MAY In response to the appeal in our last letter for an internist or family practice doctor to come and help us at the hospital from October, 2005 to May, 2006 when the hospital will be short-staffed, a family practice doctor contacted us. He and his wife are praying about closing their medical practice and raising their own support in order to come. They are waiting on God to show them if they should come in October or in January. We cannot give you their names or any more details, but would ask you to pray that God will provide this couple with even more than what they need in the way of support, and for as long as God directs them to serve. OTHER ANSWERS AND NEWS ITEMS A non-religious organization is seriously considering giving $5,500 to pay off the $1,000 that we owe for shipping the second container and the $4,500 we anticipate it will cost for port fees and trucking costs in Gabon. The biggest expense will be to transport everything to Bongolo 350 miles inland over dirt roads. This same organization is also considering whether to give $7,900 to support Dr. Ramazani during his first year of surgery training. He is a Christian doctor from the Democratic Republic of Congo who is scheduled to start in August. Our missionary team in Bongolo recently wrote that the construction of an eight bed orthopedic room with modern toilet facilities is advancing well, along with other long-needed improvements to the surgery ward. Work has also resumed on the inpatient and outpatient wards for eye patients that were started back in 2003. Some of you may know our missionary nurse, Terry Hotalen, currently finishing up her third term of service in Gabon. She recently announced her engagement to Barry Newman, a Canadian C&MA missionary to Niger. The couple will be married in the U.S. on August 20 or 27th. While we are sad to be losing Terry from our team, we are rejoicing with her and Barry and wishing them great happiness as they continue to serve God together! OUR SCHEDULE IN JUNE & JULY - May 18-21: Becki and I are taking a three-day vacation
together! PRAYER REQUESTS Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” – John 15:5b 1) Offer praise to God for all that He did to fill two 40 foot containers and ship them to Gabon for the hospital! 2) Pray that the French translator will be able to complete her work on the second container list before the end of May so that we can send it on to Gabon. Continue to pray that the Customs officials in Gabon will want to help us import both containers without paying duty charges. 3) Pray that God will provide for the Thelanders’ support in time for them to begin French language study in January. 4) Pray that God will provide a missionary physician to help us staff the hospital from October to May. 5) Pray that the organization thinking about helping the hospital would give generously for the second shipping container and to support Dr. Ramazani during his first year of training. 6) Pray that Dr. Ramazani’s documents would arrive soon in Libreville, and that our business agent could begin the process requesting a long-term visa for him. 7) Continue to ask God to call two Gabonese doctors to join our staff at Bongolo. 8) Pray that God will help us get the parts to repair Bongolo’s telephone system. So far we aren’t getting anywhere! 9) Pray for Becki and I as we speak at different meetings during the C&MA Council in Cincinnati next week. 10) Pray for Dr. Eddie & Kelley Hyre as they close out their year of work in Bongolo next month and after a short break in the U.S. to visit family, move to Zimbabwe to fill in for another missionary surgeon. Dr. Hyre has done an outstanding job as the Chief of Surgery and Surgery Program Director this past year.
Until Jesus Comes,
Dave & Becki Thompson
“The Boys”: Isaac (5-1/2 months), Nathan (6-1/2 months) |
