Jeffrey and Carrie Amstutz

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

April 9, 2005

Hello from the Amstutz Family in Koutiala, Mali????.

where I believe we have officially moved into HOT season! It has been almost 100 in the house all day. Right now it?s down to about 96 at 8:30 pm, but the day before Easter it was 107 degrees in the shade. I knew it was hot when I saw our dog get a drink from his water bucket, then stick his whole head in AND his front paws. If that isn?t enough, everyday for the past month our water has been cut from about 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. No one is sure why.

I am now officially accustomed to cattle roaming down the street, donkeys standing in random places, and sheep tied in all contortions to any moving vehicle, but I have now seen three sights I would have never believed. A full grown, white horse tied to the top of a van (taxi). A truck dragging a trailer with a motorboat in Bamako ??? And a charter size bus with the luggage area underneath packed with live goats. You just never know !

I apologize for the long silence. Since then, it seems as if we?ve been around the world, fallen into a black hole and then returned to find ourselves slowly cooking in an oven!

In January????..we went around the world. (half way)

Jeff and I traveled back the States to be a part of a Missions Conference in Nebraska. As we weren?t prepared for the cold weather, we stopped at home in Ohio to pick up some winter clothes and then headed out to Omaha. We were accompanied by a Malian Pastor, Daniel Diallo, who had never traveled outside Africa, never been on a plane, never been on an escalator, elevator or train. Of course he had never seen snow, but learned to appreciate it?s beauty from inside the house, sitting by a fire. He learned the meaning of ?warm and cozy?. It was quite an experience seeing our world through his eyes. More fun, though, was watching him interact with people, and to see how they were drawn to him. Teenagers followed him around after he spoke in their Sunday School class, an elderly woman approached him in the hall at church, gave him a big hug and told him that she loved him. He said that everything he had ever heard or believed about Americans was erased from his memory. He found them to be warm, loving, interested in talking together and in caring for one another. After two weeks in the States, we packed up our winter clothes again and returned to Mali. Daniel said, ?we?ve been in two different worlds.?

In February????it seems we fell into a black hole. (communication wise)

We returned to Mali, spent a week or so in Koutiala then drove to Guinea. Jeff and I were invited to sit down with a group of missionaries and discuss the possibilities of beginning a medical work in their area. At the same time, we joined forces with a short term dental team, and Jeff was able to pull a few teeth and do some teaching on giving injections. It?s been awhile since he has done dentistry, but it?s just like riding a bike!

We then drove 12 hours south to Hope Clinic, where we stayed for a week with Jon and Anja Erickson. Anja was a single nurse from Holland working at Bongolo Hospital when we first arrived there during our first term as missionaries. Then Jon, an independent missionary from Guinea, came to spend six months in Jeff?s dental training program. He had seen the incredible need for dental care in Guinea and thought it would be a great way to minister to people. He arrived a Bongolo with a dream to build a clinic. Although they didn?t discover their feelings for each other while they were together at Bongolo, Jon came back 6 months after he left and proposed to Anja.

They are now married and working together to provide medical and dental care for the people in the Southern region of Guinea. They see about 30 patients a day at the clinic, but are building toward larger volumes in the future. In May they add a Doctor to their team, which will help to lighten the load. Jeff was able to help them sort through some of the logistical details of operating the clinic and talk about potential problems and solutions.

In March????we returned from the humidity of Guinea to the dry heat of Mali?s hot season.

March 9th was the long awaited arrival of Dr. Dan Nesselroade, his wife Marcy and their three girls, Emma (9), Ellie (7) and Maggie (just turned 5). Dan is the OB/GYN for the Koutiala Women and Children?s hospital. They have spent the last two years in preparation to come to Mali. One year in French language study and then 6 months of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. They have never been to Africa and have arrived in Hot Season. They are doing amazingly well at adjusting to all the changes. In His graciousness, the Lord made it possible for us to rent the brand new house right next door to ours and this past Monday, the Nesselroades became our next door neighbors. It is exciting to see our team grow and knit together.

We have already put Dan?s medical skills to the test. During orientation meetings, one of our new missionaries raised his hands above his head to stretch and cut his thumb, deep enough for stitches. We decided the surgery would take place in the guesthouse kitchen, our resident OB/GYN would do the suturing, assisting, was a dentist, an EMT and a midwife. With our medical personnel, were prepared for just about anything, except there was no anesthetic. All of us gathered around to witness Dan?s first stitches on African soil. Who would have thought his first patient would be a male, Dutch missionary. I?m happy to report that the sutures have dissolved and the thumb is completely healed.

March 18th Kalyn and Brett came home for Spring Break. We had a great time together, but didn?t do much of anything. They were content just to be home and after all our comings and goings, so were we. It is the time when the kids are home, that our house feels most like a home. Easter was celebrated with Daniel Diallo and the pastors at Bethel Bible School. We then went to Yaya?s house to eat lunch, drink tea, play cards and relax. Yaya sends his greetings and blessings to you.

Finally to April,

We celebrated Kalyn?s 17th birthday on the 2nd by going to a pool in Bamako for the afternoon. Brett and Kalyn went back to school on the 3rd. We spent a couple extra days in Bamako working on Visas for Nesselroades and then came back down to Koutiala on the 5th.

The Koutiala Hospital

While all the above has been happening, the hospital project continues to grow and move forward. It is quite impressive to see. Dan?s reaction was, ?I never imagined it was this big, even from the pictures?. I must admit that some days are discouraging and overwhelming. It can seem that the obstacles are insurmountable. But then God provides exactly what is needed, a person, a piece of equipment, a work team, or even a word of encouragement and we are reminded that only He will accomplish this work, in His perfect time. I?m pretty sure I?ve said this before, but it is still true.

One of our newer Mali missionaries from Holland, Ewien (Aiween), puts together Websites. She is now working on a website for the Hospital Project with general information about the hospital project, current pictures, how people can make contributions or be involved in some way. We also hope to have some stories about the people involved with the project and hopefully in the future we?ll be able to share with you current stories of changed lives.

At the end of this month, a friend of ours who is an oral surgeon will be coming for a visit. Then Jeff, Dan and the Oral surgeon will take a trip to Hope Clinic and do some work. This trip will give Dan an opportunity to experience working at a hospital/clinic in an African context. Marcy and I will stay here in Koutiala.

Our Guard?s Wife

Bocar?s wife, Hawa, is still not completely back to normal, although he says she continues to get better and better. Her mobility has increased, but she still has difficulty walking normally. Any time someone writes to ask how she is doing, I tell Bocar that our friends in the States are still concerned for his wife. He says to greet you all and tell you thank you.

Please keep us in your prayers?.we really need them. Thank you for the many notes that you?ve sent to let us know that you?re thinking of us, although I know you were wondering if we had disappeared.
Continue to pray for the building of this hospital. There are so many details that need to come together and many people are working to help us. It is quite a job keeping everything and everyone on the same page and moving at the same speed. We are blessed, though, to be a part of this new ministry! Keep praying as we build relationships with people here and seek to follow where he leads.

Many blessings,

Jeff and Carrie Amstutz

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