God Will Make a Way....
Posted on behalf of Cindy:

I (Cindy) had the opportunity to travel out to the "Bush" for another medical outreach this weekend. This time I went with the outreach team from Gidan Bege. My previous trips have been to an established community health clinic to help the community health workers already working in the village. This time we went to an area with no available health care. There is no government or church health clinic within a 2 hour drive of where we went. The only health care in the area is a tradition healer.

We arrived at our destination after one hour on paved roads and an additional hour of off-roading. After meeting with the local Muslim chief, we were disappointed to learn that we would not be allowed to hold our health clinic and evangelistic meeting because of an important wedding in the community that night. We were able to set up under a tree and see some patients while conversations with the chief were on-going. I saw many very ill and malnourished children. The physical and spiritual needs of the area were great. I saw one very ill child with multiple cuts on his small chest. These were made by the local traditional healer in an attempt to cure the cough this small baby had. We gave the medicine we had and we prayed that God would preserve this little one's life.

Since we were not welcomed at our first destination, our local host suggested we travel to the next village. We were told the next village was just "ah chan" or translated "just over there." Well we called this the extreme outreach as the "road" was mostly a winding path trying to avoid rocks and trees. After an hour and a half, we arrived at a dried-up river bed across from the village. We all got out and surveyed the situation. In my very American mindset I thought, "No way are we going to get our vans across that!" The Nigerians with us said, "God will make a way!" They took shovels and pick axes and their bare hands and literally dug a road wide enough for the vans to drive across. All three vehicles with us made it across on this "road."

God definitely wanted us to make it to this small village. It was nearly dark when we arrived, so we went right to work setting up our generator and video equipment. We showed an evangelistic film and shared why we had come to hold a medical clinic in the morning. After the message 30 adults and 55 children prayed with counselors to receive Jesus. There is already a Nigerian missionary working in this area, and he will be there to do follow-up with all who made decisions. Before our outreach only 4 people were coming to his Sunday meetings. So, you can imagine his excitement upon seeing the Lord do such a mighty work.

After a night in a tent, we were up at first light to begin our medical work. All the children who came to the clinic were treated for worms. This is an endemic problem in the area and treating the whole community at the same time is the most beneficial way to do it. I saw mostly children (as we had an OB-Gyn with us who saw the women and a male health worker who saw the men). Many were scared of me because of my white skin, but warmed up to me as I tried to speak in their language. (Actually they roared with laughter hearing my Hausa.) I was able to help in simple ways and to do some educating with the Moms. It was a good but exhausting day. Please pray for those who received Christ and for all those in whom seeds were planted. Pray also that we might be able to return to the first village that turned us away. It is your prayers that are the real work of missions!