The Anthis Family Adventures
Volume 2, Issue #3 joel.anthis@sim.org www.anthisfamily.com November, 2003
Anthis Update
Dear Friends and Family,
Let us start by thanking all of you who have been so faithful in prayer for us. God has miraculously answered your prayers! As many of you know, all of the medications we brought to Nigeria were seized by customs officials on our arrival in Kano. Joel eventually got his passport back, but was told we would not get any of our medicines back. Well this week we got a call from the same official in Kano who had given us so much difficulty. He said he had decided to return some of our medicine and supplies. Not only that, but he would be traveling to Jos and would personally deliver them to Joel at the hospital. Saturday morning (11/8/03) this Muslim customs official arrived at the hospital and returned most of what was seized! He returned all the ear tubes Joel will need for surgery, lots of expensive antibiotics and all of our personal medicine! We had resigned ourselves to not having any of these supplies. There is no explanation for the return of these goods other than the prayers of His saints. This has lifted our spirits and reconfirmed what we have seen many times since our arrival: Our God is totally able!
Many of you have also been praying about our lack of water, and we have a praise to report about our water supply as well. We were able to tap into a city water line which reportedly has reliable water. The first day water came Joel acted like it was Christmas and kept going out to watch the water run into the tank! We still need ongoing prayer for sustained water supply and that the remaining pipe will get laid so that we can adequately store the water we will need. We are still rationing water, but we see God’s hand of provision in supplying the water we have needed so far.
We are still recovering from our break-in and the resulting issues. We are thankful the security wall around our home has now been finished. But we still have numerous electrical, plumbing, welding, and construction projects at the house that are in various stages of completion. We have learned in our Hausa language class that it is possible to say “it was finished” or “it will be finished”, but there is no present tense form of “it is finished.” We are finding this a reality in much of life here as well as language.
Cindy’s Corner
I have been reminded so many times since arriving in Nigeria how very blessed we are. Two events this week made me thankful in a new way for all that the Lord has done for me. I was invited to join a team of women to go out to a Fulani camp and give meningitis vaccinations. The Fulani are a proud nomadic tribe numbering 6 million in Nigeria, and were the tribe which originally spread Islam in Nigeria. The Fulani at the camp had converted from Islam to Christianity and are now facing persecution from their own people. These converts were being forced to flee into the bush for safety and are at very high risk of contracting meningitis. We immunized about 70 Fulani converts and seekers. I also saw several patients and tried to help with their medical problems. The people were so thankful and joyful despite their desperate situation. Truly the joy of the Lord is their strength.
Cindy examining a Fulani boy
Sunday we went to a local church to celebrate Thanksgiving Sunday. This is the annual service when offerings of thanks are brought to the Lord for all He has done. Each person dances up the aisle and lays their offering at the alter. Many bring money, but others bring what they can. We enjoyed watching women carrying live chickens, eggs, yams, fruits and vegetables, their very best to praise God. This was sacrificial giving in gratitude for all that the Lord has given them. Even Abby was amazed and said, “Those chickens are for Jesus.” I was challenged to carry my best to the Lord each day as an offering of Thanksgiving.
Medical Rounds
Evangel missionary hospital is dedicating a new eye clinic building this month that has been in the works for over a year. It will double as the ENT clinic with a minor operating room for eye and ENT cases. Once it is open, Joel will be able to start more full-time medical work. We are both currently continuing full-time Hausa language study while Joel is doing part-time medical work.
Many people have asked about the Muslim girl with the laryngeal and neck tumor from Niger whom we wrote about previously. She did quite well as far as recovery from surgery, but the tumor proved unresectable. It is wrenching to watch a young girl who does not know Christ, but who has a presumably terminal malignancy (we will probably never get the pathology back to know for certain) leave the hospital without the spiritual healing she so desperately needs, despite receiving a direct and compassionate verbal witness. We will probably never see her again. But like the seized medicines which had been written off, even now the prayers of the saints can effect a miraculous spiritual and physical healing in her life.
Joel took care of another lady who had a huge tumor of the hard palate that had invaded into her sinuses. She required an extensive operation called a maxillectomy, which had not been done at Evangel hospital before. She did great and went home able to eat and drink with the help of a palatal prosthesis made by a local dentist. She was very grateful and told Joel “God sent you to heal me.” Praise God for her recovery. Many other patients have been seen, and many more are lined up waiting for the new clinic to open.
Prayer and Praise
Praises:
- Praise God for the miraculous return of our medication and supplies
- Praise God for improvement of our water supply
- Praise God for His faithful provision for all we need
In Christ,
Joel and Cindy
Austin, Allison, and Abigail