The Anthis Family Adventures
Volume 4, Issue #2 joel.anthis@sim.org
www.anthisfamily.com April, 2005
Anthis family in Nigeria
Anthis Update
Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Nigeria! Thank you for your prayers and concern for our co-workers Dr. Bill Ardill and Elias Naatz. As we wrote in our last letter both of them were shot in their upper arm during an armed robbery on the compound where we live in January. Dr. Ardill continues to improve with physical therapy. He and his family are still in California, but plan to return to Nigeria this month. Elias (the 19 year old son of our neighbors) was found to be more severely injured than we had first thought. He had to be evacuated to the US in March for the repair of an arterial aneurysm in his arm. He has since returned to Nigeria and to school to finish his senior year, but still has some numbness in his hand. Continue to keep both of these families in your prayers, as well as the entire missionary community here in Jos.
Medical Rounds
We have experienced many medical “firsts” since our arrival here in Nigeria. In the last several months Joel was able to perform the first endoscopic sinus surgery and also the first microscopic laryngeal surgery ever done at Evangel Hospital, or in this area of Nigeria. And while it is exciting to offer specialized care never available here before, the best thing about these advances is that they open the door to share the truth of the Gospel with our patients.
1st Endoscopic Sinus Surgery at Evangel Hospital 1st Microscopic Laryngeal Surgery at Evangel Hospital
Joel also has the regular privilege of helping patients who have been unable to find help elsewhere in Nigeria. Last week a two year old boy came to Evangel. He had swallowed a very large bent nail one year ago. It had been partially blocking his esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach) and he had been unable to eat any solid food for the past year. Joel was able to use a specialized endoscope to push the nail out of the esophagus and into the stomach. Joel has been praying with the family daily throughout the last week of hospitalization. Since then, Joel has watched the patient closely and the damage to the esophagus has healed and the nail has miraculously passed through the bowel without further injury. The little boy is doing great and ate the first solid food of his life today!
Mother and patient before surgery It doesn’t take a radiologist to read this chest xray First solid food meal ever!
He and his family are Muslims. They are extremely grateful to the Lord to have their only child finally healed. They are reading the gospel of John in Hausa that Joel gave them. Please pray that they will see, understand, and receive the love of Christ fully.
Village Outreach
Over the weekend Cindy traveled back to a small Muslim village in neighboring Bauchi State for an outreach with a group from our church here in Jos. This is the same village she went to last April. The area is very poor and many of the children have not been immunized and the village has no clean source of water. On this trip Cindy was able to bring immunizations and immunize nearly 100 children. And with the help of your contributions, construction has begun on a well for the village. Many were open to hearing the Gospel and a small group has begun meeting as a church. Additionally, our church in Jos is supporting a Nigerian pastor who will live and minister in this village.
Well being dug next to the new church Cindy with village elders
Kid’s Corner
Our children have also gotten to experience many “firsts” here in Nigeria. Austin has been able to design and with the help of his friends build a two-story fort in our back yard. Allison got a chance over spring break to see her Dad doing surgery at the hospital. And Abby gets to experiment with unique hair styles. Thanks for praying for our kids!
Prayer and Praise
Praises:
- For the expanding ENT services that Joel has been able to offer at Evangel Hospital
- For the excellent response to the Gospel in the village that Cindy recently visited
- For God’s continued faithfulness to us in all we do here in Nigeria
Prayer Requests:
- For continued safety and peace, especially for the kids
- That many would come to Christ in the village where Cindy was recently involved in an outreach. Pray also for the Nigerian pastor and his family now living there.
- Pray for the Naatz and Ardill families as they continue their physical and emotional recoveries
- Pray for continued opportunities to share the love of Christ in our words and our deeds
Serving Christ on your behalf here in Nigeria,
Joel and Cindy
Austin, Allison, and Abigail