BLESSINGS OVERFLOWING

The last few weeks have been interesting, challenging and very educative. Since the beginning of

May we have had visits from various people including 2 Community Health Students from the local University in Sierra Leone; two Medical students from a University in England (undertaking their electives); a Doctor in the UK who wanted to upgrade her tropical medicine skills; and a friend of Nixon helping to put together proposals to raise funds for hospital projects. We have learnt a lot from the feedback received from the Community Health students and are in

the process of getting feedback from the medical students. Our experience from these visits confirms that despite its current state, the good reputation of Nixon Hospital is world wide.

It also reassures us that we must be doing something right, for despite all the challenges we presently face, national and international students continue to visit and consequently help to

identify aspects of the daily management of the hospital which can be improved. This fresh insight into the way things are done at Nixon is needed as we tend to forget what the normal standard is, and the evaluations of our visitors have helped us to identify aspects that need very necessary and immediate change.

The rains have started with full force. Thunderous nights with flashes of lightening make one marvel at the wonders of the Almighty. The onset of the rains means the agricultural work is in full swing and everybody has got involved. Both Joey & Little J have their groundnut patch in front of the house whilst, not wanting to be left out, I have my cassava & maize patch at the back. Oh I guess you would want to know whether I am a good farmer – well we’ll see. The crops are doing very well and we are expecting a bumper harvest

Joey has finished teaching her Obstetrics class and is currently taking a well deserved break – though she still has fifty-two exam scripts to mark. Then the students are scheduled to go to the villages ( 20 in all) for 6 weeks of their practical placement. It’s still a busy time and we are trying to combine winding up many of the projects with the daily routine of the management of the hospital and the school. God has been good and He has sustained us through some very, very difficult days...but we are blessed and continue with what we believe is the will of God.

Little J is growing in leaps and bounds and (although still a handful) and she has been blessed with the company of many friends and loved ones. Mentally and socially
(evidenced by the increase in vocabulary – a real talker!!) she has been blessed with friends of all ages – Little E her Salone ‘brother’ and his older female relatives ( her Salone sisters) have provided a combination of experience of age and exposure to the Salone languages. Consequently her Krio has increased (we need translators at times) and her Mende is slowly improving (it’s a difficult language). We look at her and see the blessings in abundance, because her welfare was one of our many concerns when we were preparing to come to Sierra Leone but God has provided so many people looking out for her. Our dear Ma S, A and L (helpers only in the job title) have filled the shoes as her Salone Grandma, Uncle and Aunty. They look out for Little J even more than we do. God has truly blessed us.

Prayer warriors please continue to pray for strength, direction and provision as we come to the end of our contract and prepare to return to the UK. We need the Patience of Job and the Wisdom of Solomon to get through the rest of this time in addition to the presence of mind and heart to identify and grab opportunities - a juggling act which can prove tiring as the combination of dealing with complex personalities on a daily basis only serves to pepper the experience. However, we have seen and know that God is Greater than all these circumstances and we continue to work in His name. Only He alone can bring to fruition this work.