Presentation of the "Jesus" movie
MALI-AFRICA
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Through the generous gift (a solar powered projector) from a friend of MMI, this year we were able to present the movie "Jesus" in the villages where we held clinics, in Africa last October and November. We showed the movie in two sessions. The attendance doubled on the second night. We estimated that we had almost 400 people on the last "Jesus" presentation in the bush. We were so surprised by the large numbers; we wondered where they were all coming from. This was in the "bush" and there were only a few mud houses nearby. Many had walked long distances to attend this presentation. The pastors attending were so excited with the movie and with the attendance. They commented that this is the most effective way to introduce the life of Jesus to the people. The movie was presented in their respective languages, Bambara and Minianka. Each time that Jesus appeared after His resurrection, the audience clapped their hands. At the end of the movie an explanation was given of why Jesus died on the cross and it was well received. We plan to present this movie in all of our future projects.  Crowd attending the presentation in Kiffoso, Mali, Africa
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Lives transformed
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 | *Permission granted from mother to tell the story.
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The mother in this picture came to thank MMI friends who provided surgery for her son on a previous project. When her infant son was born, he had a blockage in his intestine. An emergency surgery was done at birth to save his life and the baby was left with a colostomy. Family and friends of the mother helped to pay for the surgery at birth. But all savings were gone and the parents were unable to find the money to reverse the colostomy. With the help of Dr. Luther Sagara, the surgical team at Kati Hospital in Mali, and friends of MMI who paid for the surgery, the colostomy was closed and the child is now leading a normal life.  | *Permission granted from patient to tell the story
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Salimatou who received her surgery this year, is now attending the church where we held a clinic last year. She came to talk to us during our visit in October. She had had uterine problems for 30 years and although her husband has a job, they were never able to save the money needed for her surgery. Your donations provided for her surgery and she came to thank us for caring. She has experienced the goodness of the Lord and is now a confessing Christian who regularly attends the church where she stood to give her story during our visit. We are pleased to convey the grateful "Thank Yous" from these dear people.
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| Medical Mission International Newsletter - December 2010 |
Season's Greetings dear family and friends of MMI, 
Christmas is near and this is the time for celebrations and each cultural group celebrates it in different ways.
Volunteers often experience a cultural shock when they return to North American culture in December, after working in Africa. While in Mali, they feel like they are living in the nativity scene, with the donkeys, people wearing long dresses and sandals, shepherds everywhere. Life seems so simple and uncomplicated there. But here in North America, in the extravagance in our celebrations, we feel distant from the true meaning of Christmas and we become stressed and burdened by the celebrations. But there are many who show the spirit of Christmas and celebrate it all year round by giving of themselves, in time, in prayer, and using personal resources so that others might receive The Gift of true joy.
We want to thank you for your loyalty and dedication in missions and for giving of yourself in many ways, to partner with Medical Mission International. We cherish your friendship.
To all our friends, families, intercessors, and volunteers, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and may 2011 be another year of many great victories for His Kingdom.
Madeleine
Director
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Another church is being planted in Mali.
This past October a team from Canada went to do a medical project in Koniabla - a community located about 45 minutes drive from Bamako. About 300 people gathered on the first day of the clinic to welcome the team's arrival.
The following day, we had a meeting with the elders of the community. They presented us with a goat to welcome the team. After the usual 15 minutes of greetings, we sat down under the mango tree. We thanked them for the "goat" and then we shared with them that we noticed that there was no "house of prayer" in the village and that we would like to have a property to build a "house of prayer". Not understanding a word they were saying in the exchange among themselves, we were concerned because they were all talking in a serious tone of voice. For sure, we thought they were upset because we had made a request, right after they had given us a "goat". It was good that we didn't know at that moment that a year and an half previous, these same people had chased a handful of Christians out of their village with long knives because they had asked to build a church.
There were a lot of "awa, awa" (yes, yes) and then the message reached us that they were considering the petition. A couple of days later, we visited the chief in his home to find out his final answer. The committee of elders had agreed and we were given a property to build the "house of prayer". All the elders walked with us to show us the property. It looked like about a hectare and a half. but sadly it
 | | Visiting the site of the new church |
did not include the large mango trees close by. As we walked back to the chief's house to thank him for the property, we were thinking that it would be nice to have the mango trees inside the perimeter of the lot. We sat down with the chief and the elders and thanked them for their generosity and ... yes, we asked the chief if he could expand the property to include the mango trees. No quick answer was given, and we were feeling nervous about making an additional request. Before leaving his house, we prayed together with the chief.
On our last day at the clinic, three Canadian volunteers went with Pastor Dembele to hear the response to our petition -- and it was granted. We all rejoiced! The Lord had demonstrated His power to change the heart of a community. From chasing Christians with knives a year or so ago to blessing them with a piece of choice property in the village.
The president of the denomination (that MMI works under there) plans to start the construction of the "house of prayer" this coming year.
Thank you to the intercessors who prayed for this mission!
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Wound care clinic in Kifosso
Over the last couple of years, we have introduced wound care into our medical clinics in Mali. The people living in remote villages suffer with chronic wounds, due to lack of accessibility to care and to their inability to seek help because of their extremely poverty. Some of the patients told us that they had had their wounds for more than 20 years.
Last November in Kifosso, we had the benefit of receiving teachings in wound care from Mrs. Diane Moreau from the George Dumont Hospital in Moncton, New Brunswick.
 | Eli, Madeleine Diop, Madeleine, Diane, Moussa
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 | | Diane teaching Moussa |
We learned wound assessment, wound
needs, types and uses of the dressings.
We learned so much through her teachings.
Thanks Diane!
We wish to express our utmost gratitude to the organizations who have been giving us the supplies that we use to provide wound care to these patients in the "bush" in Africa. Those gifts bring comfort and hope for healing. After our clinics, supplies are shared with the rural clinics to continue the follow-ups on the patients who were treated in our clinics.
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Submitted by Crystal Kovens
I am returning from a trip to Mali, Africa, where I was blessed to have had the opportunity to be part of MMI's 2010 trip.
I would like to tell you how wonderful the experience has been even after working in a remote village for nine hot and sweaty days. God is doing a tremendous work there and how incredibly blessed I feel to be part of what He is doing. From the friendships made on the team to each Malian smile I received - this is an unforgettably touching experience.
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Upcoming projects:
January 13-27: Bamako, Mali Africa (medical and construction)
Team Leader: Abi and Chuck Dufour
February 4-17: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Africa (medical)
Team Leader: Val Phinney
If you want to join our team of intercessors, let us know and we will send you the prayers needs for these projects.
Yes, I want to request the prayer needs.
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