Mountain Bible Church

Short-term missionaries in three African nations

Right now, Mountain Bible Church has short-term missionaries in three African nations: Niger, The Gambia, and Central African Republic.

The Niger team consists of John and Kim Haak, Lori Batten and Sydni Denues who are working at Galmi Hospital in Galmi. Rob and Judy arrive soon in Niamey. Todd Brown, our full-time missionary in Jamaica, is ministering in The Gambia. This is his second visit to the country. Lastly, Mark Adams is in Bangui, Central African Republic, visiting a church friend who works for the United Nations Volunteer Program.

If you are not already receiving e-mail updates, write Pastor John Haak at mountainbible @ gmail (dot) com.

Here’s a brief run-down:

Todd Brown writes, “The drumming! So far, I have had a blast with the children, and some of the older folks as well! It’s not everyone that likes it though, so I need to be sensitive of many people groups in the region. I hope to perhaps find a drum today, but the YWAM base has two djembes that I can use at the community meeting Thursday night. We were there on Saturday to see Teko who is suffering from a relapse of malaria we think. He is getting stronger, and hopes to join us in the outreach to a village where we will give out seeds, drum, and preach the gospel on Friday.”

Todd’s website is DrummingfortheNations.com.

John Haak writes, “After some initial ‘jet-lag’ type of tiredness we have all found things to do, although everyday is different.   Lori, as an RN is at work organizing the hospital pharmacy.  Sydni, as a future RN, has been with the Occupational Therapy people which included a home visit into the village but mostly burn victims.  Yesterday, after watching a few times, as she is an excellent observer, Sydni actually changed the dressing on one patient that included picking away bad skin tissue with her gloved hand.  Many good details in such stories will be shared when we see you in person.  Sadly for Sydni, two of her burn patients died over the weekend.  One was a 20-month old.  Sydni, also has helped Kim on a project of putting clear laminate on some French books.  We brought some of the laminate with us to help.  The books will be part of a new library for a local, Christian school.  (Kim and I visited the school for closing ceremonies last week.  50% of the students are Muslims who come because of the high level of instruction.)  Kim is busy staying on top of the menu process, working with our house helper, helping maintain the small pool here, and sewing some household items for the Housing Department of the mission.  I have been making morning “Prayer Rounds” with the head hospital chaplain, “Reverend Abdhu”.  We stop in most of the rooms, greet the patients and families with handshakes to the men and then pray.  I pray in every other room.  I use “Allah” and “Isha” when I can and everyone recognizes “Amen” as an end to the prayer.  I add to these rounds some hard candy for the children and some small dinosaur toy figures.  I have learned to dig out of my pocket and offer a gift (“Ka-doe”) with my Right Hand only [a challenge with my nerve damage].  And culturally they receive it with both hands together.”

Mark Adams (that’s me) writes, “Hama and I have visited two of the several schools he helped to establish some years ago. Thousands of students are served by these schools, which continue to grow. The challenge, Hama points out, is to develop programs from within the community. He showed me an empty market, which the government built without consulting the community. The market is utterly abandoned, despite having some infrustructure. The schools, however, thrive, as the community has been actively engaged in the effort.”

Mark Adams is posting photos at his Facebook page (Facebook.com/Agabus) and at his Flickr account.

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