The Anthis Family Adventures

www.anthisfamily.com February, 2006

Anthis Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Nigeria. Many of you have already heard the news that the New Year started with tragedy in Jos. On December 31^st, 2005, Justin Ward the four year old son of our friends Linda and Ken Ward (SIM missionaries) drowned in a small well on their compound. Joel and I were involved in trying to revive Justin, but it was too late. If starting CPR on your friends’ child is difficult, stopping it is terrible. Justin was one of Abby’s good friends and the entire community is devastated by his loss. Justin was a lively and outgoing child, and like our Abigail never met a stranger. He was loved by all. Please continue to pray for the Wards (Ken, Linda, brother Stephen in Allison’s class, and sister Aleda) and the rest of the SIM family as we grieve the loss of this precious little boy.

Justin Ward, Christmas 2005

Body Life

Joel and I began to lead a Crown Ministries financial Bible study for our hospital’s Nigerian doctors. We see on a daily basis the great need for learning and applying biblical financial and stewardship principles here in Nigeria. We have had an excellent response and those attending the study include doctors in training and their spouses, as well as the hospital’s senior chaplain and the medical director. Last night each member of the study shared their testimony; it was so encouraging to see how the Lord has been at work in all our lives. We also learned that how we handle money impacts our fellowship with the Lord, and that possessions compete with the Lord for mastery of our lives. These were new concepts for some in the study. Please pray that “iron will sharpen iron” as we study what God’s Word has to say about money, and that the lives of our mission hospital doctors will be transformed to Christ-likeness as we become good and faithful stewards.

Evangel hospital doctors in training

Medical Rounds

God often gives us opportunities to minister when we least expect it. Recently when our family was out in Jos we saw a group of Muslim boys on the street begging. Many of these boys have come to Jos from far away villages in order to study the Koran. They have no means of support, so they study in the mornings and spend the afternoons begging for food and money on the streets. One of the boys caught our attention. “M” had a disfiguring mass enlarging the left side of his face. We talked with him and he agreed to come to the hospital the following day for free medical care. The boy told us his father had died and his family sent him to Jos from the far north to study the Koran with a Muslim teacher. Joel insisted that the teacher, as the boy’s guardian, come to the hospital to give his permission for Joel to treat the boy. Even though half our patients are Muslim, there is always concern that more radical followers will not come to our Christian missionary hospital. However, we prayed over the situation, and the teacher came and agreed the boy could receive treatment at Evangel. This alone is a big deal. Joel took a biopsy of the mass and that biopsy is currently being reviewed by a pathologist in Houston. Depending on the result of the biopsy, “M” may require a large surgical procedure. Please pray that the Lord would allow us to be His agents of healing for both “M” and his teacher.

Jos Street Boys

Kid’s Corner

Our children often say things that we would never say. This can be embarrassing, but it can also be good. One day last week, Joel had a visit from one of the doctors he had met at the Nigerian ENT conference last November. The man is from one of the largest unreached Muslim people groups in Nigeria, but is very interested in the medical work Joel is doing and came to spend a day observing Joel in the operating room. Joel invited him to our home for lunch, and Abby was home as well. During the course of the lunch, Abby began singing a new song she had just learned. It was “I am a C, I am a C-H, I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N….” She forgot how it went and asked her Dad to sing the rest. Then she asked, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Joel answered her by very simply explaining the Gospel. She then asked, “Why does God love us?” Again Joel was able to explain God’s love for us and the gift of Jesus. All of this for both Abby and the visiting Muslim ENT doctor to hear. What an awesome opportunity to share the truth with this doctor because of the Holy Spirit’s prompting the heart of a four year old girl! Please pray that this doctor’s heart would be opened to the truth as Joel continues to interact with him over the coming months.

Austin with his new model rocket Visiting Joel’s patient Emmanuel in his new one room home.

Prayer and Praise

Praises:

For God’s presence and protection in our lives
For the opportunity to impact lives through the Crown Ministries Financial Bible Study we are leading
For our awesome support and prayer team

Prayer Requests:

That each member of the Anthis family would maintain our focus on Loving God and Loving Others
For God’s guidance as we make plans for our home assignment from Summer of 2006-Summer 2007 (in the Houston area)
That the Lord would use the financial bible study we are leading to transform many at our hospital into good and faithful stewards.
That we would not grow weary in doing good