Merry Christmas!! Since it is Christmas, we decided to send our update to our entire mailing list. If you have not received an update for a while but would like to get regular updates going forward, please send us an email and we’ll get you added to our more frequent prayer email list.
We continue to live/serve at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa. Wendy is now serving as interim Medical Director for the whole hospital in addition to being director of the eye clinic and its residency, and Eric is the assistant mission team leader along with helping with hospital finances. The year has been a bit of a roller coaster, with seeing God provide in amazing ways, but also experiencing times of difficulty. Our kids (Esther – 11, Eli – 10, and Hannah – 7) are enjoying the 2nd year of the mission school co-op here at Bongolo taught primarily by Miss Renee. The addition of this school has been a great blessing!
As we enter the new year, here are a few prayer requests:
- The hospital is currently in a very difficult financial situation. Please ask for God’s provision.
- We are very much blessed by serving on such a loving and caring team. But something very difficult is that several of our teammates/colleagues have recently left or will soon be leaving. Thankfully, we have a few new teammates who will be arriving later in 2023 and early in 2024. But overall, we (as a team and hospital staff) are feeling overwhelmed with these recent and upcoming departures. Please ask God to help us in these many transitions and to provide for our staffing needs. We especially need long term nurses to teach in our nursing school, as well as primary care doctors – please let us know if you know someone who may be interested!
- Please ask God to give us wisdom and strength amidst the many roles that we help to fill.
- Please pray that our kids would experience God’s love for them in a deeper way this coming year.
While a lot of this is difficult, we also have much to praise God for. So far in 2022, Wendy and the eye clinic staff have performed over 400 surgeries (many of which provided sight to people who were blind when they came). One of her residents graduated, and another began training. And there were 27 people that have gained new spiritual sight through the eye clinic ministry by giving their lives to Jesus just in October and November. We are so privileged to be witness to this great work of God! Your prayers and gifts play a very important role in accomplishing this work – thanks!
May God bless you with a renewed understanding of His love as you celebrate the coming of Jesus this Christmas.
Love,
Eric, Wendy, Esther, Eli, and Hannah
