August Newsletter 2023

We welcomed our teammate, Alison back to The Gambia, although her return came with an unexpected challenge—an uncooperative car battery. Batteries and African heat are not friends, and they last half of the life expectancy compared to milder climates.

The rainy season hasn't disappointed, bringing intense downpours that the water flows in from the street. See our Facebook page for a video. We are so grateful for the dry wells; the stress of water coming into our home is no longer a concern.

Speaking of concern, our eldest daughter recently experienced stomach issues with all the symptoms of malaria but no fever. We mentioned it to our local friends, who insisted she drink fresh baobab juice to heal her stomach, so Michele purchased the ingredients, and they prepared it locally. On day 5 of struggling to keep food or water down, we went to the local "hospital," which is more of a glorified immediate care facility. However, they were able to discover the bacteria causing the problem. After an IV to help with dehydration, they gave her an IV dose of antibiotics. However, they had some trouble getting the IV set up. Michele said, "Why don’t we pray?" She prayed aloud as the woman worked and immediately succeeded. We also reached out to many of our prayer warrior friends during this time, and within a week, Alyssa was back to herself.

Throughout the month, Danielle and Luke participated in a daytime summer camp, providing a chance to connect with local families and forge relationships beyond the church. We invited some of them over to our place, and they asked some great questions about God. Meanwhile, Patrick started his new classes: Methods of Bible Study and, as requested, a repeat of the systematic theology class. He also had the opportunity to fill the pulpit one Sunday.