May I find His joy even in my sorrow and His life in my death. To God be the glory!

Tuesday 8 December 2015

It's a boy!

Driving home in the dark after watching a young mother push her baby into the world. This miracle will always amaze me.

God's greatest gift came that way. Small and crying and delivered in pain. But He lived to deliver us from eternal pain.

Mary, Did You Know is playing on the radio. 

Somehow, just this time, the song seems to come to life. The words form pictures which are real. Not just ideas or images, or nice thoughts, but life.

The pain she went through to bring that life into the world fades as the Savior of the world comes to dwell among men.

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Aprons for Sale

These are some beautiful aprons that I am selling; see photos below.


They come in many colors, and some have a front pocket.


These aprons are made by my dear friend Marie-Rose who is a wonderful Rwandan lady living in Congo. She works at Pioneer Christian Hospital and is greatly involved in the Hope for Life ministry.


Read more about the ministry here: http://www.hopeforlifecongo.com The proceeds from the apron sales will go to help support her and the Hope for Life ministry.

Please consider buying some; they make great gifts (and Christmas is coming!)

Saturday 24 October 2015

Heroes of H.E.L.P.

Here's the the staff at L'hopital Evangelique <<Le Pionnier>> (Pioneer Christian Hospital)!!!

They work in difficult circumstances, they save lives, give their own blood to patients and share the gospel.

They are the best friends, good examples, counselors and the unsung heroes of Impfondo.

I love all of you so much!!!!

Nzambe apambola bino!

Saturday 3 October 2015

A Window To Heaven

Children who are dying are closer to God than anyone else. They have only recently come from God’s hands, and are going back to Him very soon.
Recently I have had the special honor and opportunity to spend some time with a young lad who is dying of cancer. It has been a long, hard journey for him; taking up the majority of the last four years. He has battled bravely and been a joy to all those around him. I had the privilege of meeting him and his loving family quite recently, and welcomed the chance to spend time with him in these last weeks.
I never imagined myself to be a hospice nurse, or the kind of person to spend long hours at the bedside of someone dying. But here I am again, for the second time this year, sitting beside a fast fading light. 

I find myself once again loving someone who will soon be lost. 

It was a rainy day and I was reading The Saturdays out loud to him. He was tired and couldn’t get comfortable. He was having trouble breathing. He didn’t want his lunch, and I gave him sips of ginger ale instead. We prayed together before I left. I said “see you on Tuesday,” and went home in the rain. The next day he was gone. The Lord took him, just like that. 

The world is crying when it rains.

I didn’t get to know you for very long, but the short time I spent with you was such an honor. Every minute was special. I’m sorry we didn’t get to finish the book we were reading out loud together. I’m sorry I didn’t really get to say a proper goodbye. Thanks for being such a good example of patience in suffering. You endured through the pain and never took your eyes of Jesus. I’m gonna miss you. 

I’ll see you at the resurrection.

Thursday 17 September 2015

“To love a child who will die soon is to expose one’s self to the pain of dying.” 

-Dr. Paul Brand 


Wednesday 12 August 2015

Lord willing and the creek don't rise...

I am once again entering the phase of saving up money to go back to Congo to work at Pioneer Christian Hospital with the people I love! Estimated departure date: May 2017

This time, Lord willing, I'll be going better equipped as a CNA, EMT, midwife (in training) and RN!! I'm excited for what the Lord is doing.


Please consider joining in supporting me financially and through prayer.

Donations can be sent to:

Global Outreach Mission
P.O. Box 2010
Buffalo, NY 14231

Monday 10 August 2015

Niagara Shores Conference and Retreat Center

I am just north of Buffalo, NY for a week at the missionary orientation with Global Outreach Mission. I am enjoying my time here so much, it's beautiful and I love all the people here! It's been a great week so far. Thanks so much to all of you who have joined with me on the journey to go back to Congo! I feel like I'm starting to make progress...





Friday 7 August 2015

GOM orientation

CLT here I come again...
























This weekend I am heading up to Buffalo, NY for a week of training/orientation with Global Outreach Mission!! I am finally a career medical missionary...these are exciting times!





Tuesday 4 August 2015

Photo update

The HELP staff today...I miss them so much!


Guylvi














Chrichina

Orcxance and Dr. Wegner

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Who Can Love

What had impelled Sister Monica Joan to abandon a privileged life for one of hardship, working in the slums of London's Docklands?

"Was it love of people?" I asked her. 

"Of course not," she snapped sharply. 

"How can you love ignorant, brutish people whom you don't even know? Can anyone love filth and squalor? Or lice and rats? Who can love aching weariness, and carry on working, in spite of it? 

One cannot love these things. One can only love God, and through His grace come to love people."


(from The Midwife, pg 318)


Tuesday 3 March 2015

Love

People talk about feeling love, being lovable, lovely or 'falling in love.'

People talk about choosing to love.

Love is an emotion, love is a gift, love is a sacrifice, but love is not a choice, it is a command.

"If love were a choice, who would choose such exquisite pain?"

Friday 30 January 2015

2014 In Song (idea from Emily)

“It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had…”

So you've pulled away from the love that would've been there,
You start believin' that your situation's unfair

But there's always scars,
When you fall back far

I don't know if you can see, the changes that have come over me
In these last few days, I've been afraid, that I might drift away
I've been tellin' old stories, singing songs
That made me think, about where I've come from
And that's the reason why I seem so far away today.
This is love callin'....

Though it's crazy, amazing
We can turn a heart with the words we say.
Mountains crumble with every syllable.
Hope can live or die

Some days life feels perfect.

Some days the tongue gets twisted;
Other days my thoughts just fall apart.

Who do you thank for the knowledge of noon
That stands every shadow on end?
Who do you thank for the neighborhood tunes
That float on the breeze like old friends?

"You know I get sick deep-sea fishin'
And you make the best fried chicken…
I'd take a gold band on my hand
Over being a single man
Cause honestly I don't know what I'd do
If I'd never met a woman like you."

Never too late to get back up again,
You may be knocked down,
But not out forever

Newspaper notices heralding that great event
Daddy's buddies send the flowers
Mother's friends have baby showers
Welcoming that Heaven sent
That first born son is always the one
The first to be called and the last to come.

So I'm sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a dyin'
And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

Future like a promise, you’re a city of gold
Stubborn in your bones and Jesus in your soul
Seeing you stand there, staring at the unknown
I won't pretend that it's not killing me
Watching you walk away slow.

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me

As we fight against the odds we realize
There’s a special calling placed upon our lives

In the mundane tasks of living
In the pouring out and giving
In the waking up and trying
In the laying down and dying

But the Father gives the strength to believe.

It’s another nameless morning
And the call goes out, a warning
There’s a precious life that’s hanging by a thread
And so we rush with hearts a-pounding
Knowing every moment’s counting

Remember at night what you knew in the day, Till darkness fades away

The tired old man with a Bible in his hand
Said, “Lay my down upon the cool green grass.
My eyes have seen that river flowing through the Promise Land,
I’m just looking for a shallow place to cross.”

And yonder breaks a yet more glorious day
The saints triumphant arise in bright array
The King of Glory passes on His way
Alleluia, Alleluia

Tuesday 6 January 2015

Flashback

5 years ago...I went to Africa for the first time.

After that, I always knew I had to go back. In two years, Lord willing, I plan to move back to Congo to stay.