Medical Mission International News Update- Mali
February 9, 2008
Madeleine with childrenWords from the Director
Dear Friends in missions!
Today is the last day of our second project in Bamako.  The team worked very hard and they were great missionaries. They have fought a good battle.  In the whole month they attended 1,600 patients beside giving nursing care to many. They were true servants.  All the patients heard the gospel and many gave their heart to the Lord.
The Dorcas Center is progressing and the walls are now one meter high.  Thank you for making this possible through your generous gift.
In a few hours we have 5 new nurses from the NH area and one Canadian that will enter Bamako.  We are going to the "bush" north of Bamako, about 700 km, leaving Sunday morning.  This will be the site of the third outreach.  We will be using the left over medicine from the last outreaches to care for our patients.  We will stay in tents planted in the Pastor's yard.  Pastor Timote has started a church in a entirely muslim village and he has invited us to come and help him to present the Gospel to his community through this medical ministry.  We have received the permission from the local authority.  We are welcoming your prayers for the next couple of weeks for safety, health, strength, and for the manifestation of the Lord's power.  The Lord has a redeeming plan for this village and your prayers will isolate the powers of darkness.
May the Lord bless you all!
Madeleine Allard
Director of MMI

Boy with sisterA COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS
"Mali has shown me how simple acts of kindness can have profound impact." -Keith Farris
 
"Being invited to eat with our national volunteers, day after day, broke every cultural barrier imaginable." -Jennifer Shepherd
 
"These people are so grateful for everything that they are given, that they are willing to wait patiently, all day long, just to see a doctor and have the chance to feel better."
-Michelle Hobbs
 
"In one month, I have almost forgotten that I am American, because for the last four weeks, I have been Malian." -Lindsey Peterson
 
 
BethGOD'S PROVISION (submitted by Beth Hutchinson)

My attempt to capture part of my Mali experience in words:

The expression that comes to me is "God's provision:"

  • Seeing me through a long day after a sleepless night-with a smile on my face and in my heart.
  • The miracle of finding I've often poured out just the exact number of pills I needed-a sweet reminder of who guides my hand.
  • The broad smiles and friendly waves from the Malians along our route to the villages-in return to our feeble attempts to greet them (especially the little water girl at the corner!).
  • The privilege of praying over patients with difficult wound tenderly cared for by Abi-and several days later seeing the wonderful progress made in the healing.
  • The joy of seeing "oui" circled next to "accepted Christ" on the medical record.
  • The gentle rhythm with which the medical team and church team serve one another and the villagers.
  • The honor of having a small part in a multinational team of believers introducing so many lost people to out Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Christophe DembeleTHANK YOU! (submitted by Christophe Dembele)
 
   Since 2004 Medical Mission International has partnered with the Christian Evangelical Church in Bamako, Mali, Africa. This week, we are going north to do our eighth project. Many patients are hearing the Gospel through these medical missions. This year we have baptized 412 candidates. In 2006, we started the work of the Dorcas Educational Center that will serve the children whom have been abandoned. Your teams have been a huge blessing in the progression of this project. Your financial blessing made it possible to build the foundation of the dorm and partly raised the walls.
   We want to thank you all that have sustained us in prayers and finance in this project. On behalf of the Malian churches, I thank you. We know that according to I Corinthians 15:28, "Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." May the Lord give you many of His blessings.
 
Pastor Christophe Dembele
MMI Project Manager in Mali
(photo:  Pastor Dembele is the man on your left)
Medical Mission International
P.O. Box 182
Saint John, NB, Canada
E2L 3X8
Gail and Charlie Dufour
Team Leaders
Durham Evangelical Church, NH