One Year ago Tomorrow!

One year ago tomorrow, March 5th, I fell and broke my left knee and left wrist. Five surgeries on my leg and one on my wrist, over three and a half months in the hospital and rehabilitation center, prayers, phone calls, flowers, cards, emails, visitors, months living in a Senior housing "village" and various helpers later and I am BACK IN AFRICA! Praise the LORD for HIS healing! An emergency room doctor was recently here at the Bongolo Hospital and he was surprised that I was already back here, knowing about the injuries that I had had. Again, Praise the Lord!

My leg is doing well. I do not need to take anything for pain. I notice that the swelling in my leg has really decreased. I do not think that my knee bends any more than it did months ago but I'm learning to adapt. This week I was excited to receive the four cartons and the glider recliner chair that I had shipped from the States. I now have a chair that actually fits me, long enough to hold my long legs and high enough off the ground that I do not have to add a pillow to it to be able to get out of the chair. It is also comfortable.

I am enjoying ministry in both the Kanda Chapel and the Nzoundou Chapel. I alternate weeks with each congregation. At least I attempt to get to the villages. Yesterday Dr. Deborah Walker and I were going to Nzoundou for church. I had prepared the morning's message. First of all, my Nissan Patrol vehicle would not start because of a dead battery. Next we got into Deborah's vehicle, picked up our passenger and got to about a mile out of town when her car had a burnt smell. We were forced to return home. She is waiting for a part for her car but the one that came down from the capital city was the wrong part. Pray that Deb get the correct part to repair her car's fuel system. By the way, my car now has a new battery so next Sunday should be a go. We again plan to go to Nzoundou.

The Bongolo Hospital 3rd year Nursing students are taking Comprehensive Exams this week, Monday through Friday. Please pray that they do well in these tests. The graduation service for these students will be held at the Bongolo Alliance Church on Sunday morning, March 17th. Pray for those of us who are preparing for all the festivities as there is much to do before then. I am making a Power Point of their 29 months in school which will be shown at their reception following graduation. Below is a photo of me with the graduating class of 2013. 

Good News: During 2012 there were 1,517 people who prayed to accept Christ at Bongolo Hospital. These were outpatients, inpatients and family members. Monday through Friday the two Hospital Chaplains hold an evangelical service in the hospital waiting room. They also visit people in their rooms. Everyone is encouraged to share Christ with the patients. Two weeks ago I showed the film, "The Life of Jesus Christ" on the porch of the Maternity after which five women prayed to accept the Lord. Praise HIM. Continue to pray for Alida, the women who I've mentioned before. She watched about half of the film but she was not one who was present when the invitation to accept Christ was given.

Thanks so much for your prayers for me during this past year, a year of great trials but also a year of great VICTORIES!