Reaching The Lost & Healing The Sick In Remote African Villages
Zeinab Abed (Student Nurse),Morgan Brown (Student Nurse),Dr. Deb Quade (Physician),Olivia Vance (Nurse), Patti Vance (Pharmacist), LaNelle George (Missionary), Vivian Tché (Translator)
This Medical Missions team of ladies endured one of the hardest trips of any team I have ever taken to Ivory Coast. The number of persons coming for medical help was more than humanly possible to accommodate, making the daily workload unending and intense. Medical needs required broad and demanding expertise. 
Needs spanned from a cough to a baby born with no eyes, people dying from tuberculosis, liver failure, malaria, putrid wounds, and the list goes on. There were no labs and the clinic was set up in makeshift facilities. The first two days’ work was in a village that took a two-hour drive in and out on slow, rough and muddy roads from the motel. They worked from the time we hit the ground ‘til almost dark. If strength had allowed, I believe they would have worked longer but we stopped at dusk to escape malarial mosquitoes that swarm in about that time of day. Arriving late evening back at the motel, which has no comparison to American standards, the hungry medical team forced down a motel restaurant meal that I know they really did not enjoy.
I would gladly wash the feet of all who went. They made a difference in life and death physically for many people that otherwise would never have had opportunity to see a doctor or afford the life saving medicine. More than 500 people were seen and 2,000+ prescriptions filled in the four and a half days of work.
These dear servants will also share in the spiritual results that follow as the “Jungle Riders” team continues their evangelistic outreach in the many villages surrounding this focal point. The story of the first “whites” to ever visit this area and the expression of love shown for the villagers and for the Lord will live on in the annals of village history. The last two days we drove into Yacouba villages. It was the same story all over again with more people coming than we could ever treat. Reaching the end of physical and mental strength and having to say, “This is the last person we can see today”, was very difficult.
Many lives were saved and many souls will see Heaven because of “those who gave.” “Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am a life that was changed” is a song that comes to mind. What God does with the seemingly small things we are able to offer and dedicate to Him from our heart, HE blesses and turns them into miracles, taking the glory from us and placing it where it belongs, on HIMSELF. We certainly praise His Holy Name and give honor and glory to the Great Physician, Healer of body and soul, for all that was accomplished on this trip.
I cannot even half-way describe the hardships experienced but I can tell you, the Joy of the Lord and the opportunity to share His Love was evident in the med team’s tired eyes and faces. They embraced these physically and spiritually destitute people with the loving arms of God Himself and made a difference for Christ’s sake in this needy corner of the world.