The Anthis Family Adventures

Volume 4, Issue #4 joel.anthis@sim.org

www.anthisfamily.com August, 2005

Anthis family during recent trip to Niger

Anthis Update

Dear Friends and Family,

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations” Psalms 89:1. Our God is faithful indeed. As most of you know, our family attempted to make a family mission trip to the country of Niger to our north in October of 2004. We were stopped on the way by armed robbers and had to return to Jos. In July of 2005, we were able to make the trip to Galmi Hospital in Niger. God’s peace and protection were evident every step of the way. It was a great time of healing and ministry for our entire family.

Niger is the second poorest country in the world and they are currently experiencing a severe famine. The country is predominantly Muslim and has only 0.1% Evangelical Christians. God gave us many opportunities to minister. Even as we passed through the last border check on the Niger side, the Lord provided an opportunity to share the Gospel in Hausa with the “Evangicube” to Nigerienne kids, and to give them copies of the gospel of John in Hausa. It was Allison who started sharing using the Evangicube pictures. Then Cindy took over using Hausa as well. The group was open and one Muslim man even assisted Cindy with her Hausa.

For Joel the most exciting aspect of the trip was being able to expand ENT care to Galmi hospital. A Nigerienne nurse, Ayuba, was identified to learn how to test people’s hearing, and how to fit appropriate patients with a solar powered hearing aid. Ben, our Nigerian “audiologist” (some one trained to perform hearing tests and fit hearing aids) came on the trip as well. Joel and Ben spent each day in the clinic with Ayuba teaching him these skills as well as teaching him basic ear care.

Joel, Ayuba and a young patient. Allison and Cindy sharing at the border.

Medical Rounds

Joel’s medical experiences at Evangel continue to be a series of exciting firsts. The last week of July, Dr. Doug Green a neuro-otologist from Jacksonville, Florida visited and performed the first two cochlear implants ever at Evangel on two Nigerian patients who were both previously profoundly deaf. Dr. Green was also able to help on several other difficult ear cases.

Dr. Green performing ear surgery at Evangel Hospital

Hall of Fame

Our summer has been full of visitors. We had Emily Sampson and Karina Kronberg with us for the entire month of July. Both are MK’s who grew up in Pakistan and both are nursing students in the US now. They were a big blessing, helping us with ministry and blessing us in so many ways.

We also had Julia Roskamp, an audiologist, for the last two weeks of July. Julia taught continuing education for our Nigerian health workers who do the work of audiology in Joel’s clinic.

Dr. Doug Green visited the last week of July, along with his son Jonathan and his sister Rachel.

Emily, Karina, Jonathan and Rachel helped out on a village outreach team during their stay. The team saw medical patients, counseled with people and prayed with several to follow Jesus.

Emily and Karina in the OR. Rachel, Jonathan, Audu, Dr. Green, and Julia

Kid’s Corner

Life as a missionary kid is full of new and exciting experiences. On our recent trip to Niger, Austin, Allison and Abby all got to ride a camel. Abby also got to ride on a donkey cart. Abby has also encountered a tarantula spider in our home and a spitting cobra while playing outside in the last week! Sorry, no pictures of the spitting cobra as dad was too busy running with a stick and good old-fashioned little league aluminum baseball bat beating it to death! The cobra was a youngster, and less than three feet in length, but it was only inches away from Abby when it reared up and spit at her. Fortunately it missed her eyes and did not bite her. Abby says, “It tried to fro-up on me!” She is happy to tell everyone the stories.

Pray for all three of our children as they start their new school year this week.

Austin, Allison, and Abby on the first day of school Abby asleep on the camel ride

Prayer and Praise

Praises:

For a safe and fruitful ministry trip to Galmi Hospital in Niger
For a great summer for our family
For our awesome prayer and support team

Prayer Requests:

For the upcoming school year that started this week for Austin and Allison.
For the continued healing of our two patients who underwent cochlear implant surgery and that the implants would work well.
For each patient encounter we have, that Christ would be evident in our words and deeds

Serving Christ on your behalf here in Nigeria,

Joel and Cindy

Austin, Allison, and Abigail

The Anthis Family

ECWA/SIM HQ

PMB 2009

Jos, Plateau State

Nigeria

Joel.anthis@sim.org

www.anthisfamily.com

011.234.73.455086 (home)

011.234.803.625.6553 (GSM)